INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, THE GOLD CUP IS NOW TWO HORSES LIGHT & GORDON ELLIOTT MAKES THE RIGHT DECISION.

Today is International Women's Day. In general, I believe days dedicated to a single aspect of life - days in celebration of the sausage, for instance or historical novels - are a waste of everyone's time as though they may focus attention on a subject for a short time, life moves on a pace these days, while tomorrow is always a celebration of something else, something, doubtless, trivial or commercially orientated. That said, given the topic is given space in today's Racing Post, it does allow me another opportunity to chew on one of favoured bones of contention.

There are two certainties in racing - the old adage of 'to win a small fortune at horse racing you need to start with a large fortune' and one that has just flashed across my mind. 'To be successful in horse racing you have to work your arse off.' On occasions, normally when daddy coughs up the money, a son or daughter can be given something on a plate but in the main to be given opportunities in the first place someone has to earn that privilege with hard work, dedication and proven ability in the saddle. As Jamie Osborne recently said about his daughter, Saffie. 'It is a blessing that she can ride as it would be pretty embarassing to have to sack her!'

The point I am labouring to reach is this: today it is International Women's Day; this sport pats itself on the back for being diverse in all aspects, yet no one at the B.H.A. or a clerk of the course at the two racecourses staging racing today in Britain, or at Naas in Ireland, thought to have a female only hurdle or chase to celebrate this, apparently, auspicious day.

Although Rachael Blackmore proved time after time that she was the equal of the very best of her male counterparts, as well as putting the sport on the front pages of the national newspapers on more than one occasion, her departure from the sport for marriage and motherhood, has left a void that seems unlikely to filled for a long time into the future. With Bryony Frost, also soon to be married, riding successfully in France and unlikely ever to return, where is the next female to ride at the top of the sport coming from? Outside of the Foxhunters, there is unlikely to be a single female jockey riding at the Cheltenham Festival this season. The truth is complacency has filled the void left by Blackmore, Frost and Kelly and racecourses must return to staging female-only races to ensure there are greater opportunities for young female jockeys to at least get a foot on the career ladder. International Women's Day would have been an opportune date to grasp this particular nettle.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup will be without two of the sport's equine stars this time around with J.P. deciding not to supplement Fact To File, and in another blow to Closutton's hopes of regaining the crown, Galopin Des Champs has picked-up an injury that has forced him out of the race. For the first time in many a year British-trained horses appear to have the upper-hand, with only Gaelic Warrior, now favourite, apparently, representing Willie Mullins. If Gaelic Warrior settles, he should not be dismissed by people like myself who believes the Gold Cup is coming home this year. He is class through and through, yet he has not yet proven that he is proper a 3-mile 2+ chaser, which can be said for most of the field, with the obvious exception of Haiti Coulours. So, The Jukebox Man must out-stay one and out-speed the other. Which I believe he will.

I like trainers who take brave decisions, as Gordon Elliott has done with Romeo Coolio, not that he has chosen the Ryanair over the two novice chases but going for the 3-mile Brown Advisory over the Arkle is not what most of the experts expected. Personally, I did not fancy him for the Arkle and cannot see him beating Final Demand in the Brown Advisory, though I hope Gordon is rewarded for his decision with a bold show from his next potential Gold Cup contender.