WARM weather in April might be good news for sun worshippers, ice cream salesmen and cricket fans.
But it’s not such great news for racehorse owners, trainers and racecourse operators
It’s only a month ago that everyone was fretting about the going at Cheltenham for Festival week – and whether it would be too soft.
But now, when racing returns there on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the only concern is whether it will be too hard.
Only on Sunday, they had to cancel a jumps meeting down in sunny Somerset, at Wincanton, who have also lost their scheduled evening meeting this Wednesday night.
Evening racing, on a nice night, on a nice track, is already a highly agreeable experience at the best of times.
So many flat tracks stage popular evening meetings throughout the summer. But not many over the jumps.
And you have to get the conditions just right – warm enough to make it pleasurable viewing for all and sundry, but on a course well-watered enough to ensure safety for horses and jockeys.
Last week’s sad experience of Celebre D’Allen in the dried-out conditions of the Grand National at Aintree is a reminder of just what can go wrong.
Courses like Worcester and Stratford-upon-Avon, which only stage meetings during the summer months, because of the ongoing winter threat of rain and flooding, are well equipped to deal with such issues, as they are well used to running evening meetings.
After Willie Mullins saddling four of the first five in the National at Aintree nine days ago, the Irish trainer further closed down Dan Skelton’s lead in the trainers championship by having a 1-2 in Saturday’s Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
And with good money on offer at this week’s two-day meeting at Cheltenham on Wednesday and Thursday, and also at the season finale at Sandown Park on Saturday week, Mullins is now expected to overhaul the Warwickshire trainer.
Having been chinned by Mullins a year ago, Skelton admitted on Saturday that the Irishman’s training feat at Aintree had “rather taken the jam out of my doughnut”. And he can’t be feeling any less jammy now.
The Mullins operation have more horses and more chances to win money over the final 13 days of the 2024-25 season.
And, although the Skeltons have enjoyed 163 winners this season, compared to Mullins’ 31, it’s what happens in the big races that counts for most – and the Irishman now trails by less than £2,000 – with Skelton on season’s winnings of £3,104,425 and Mullins on £3,102,994.
This week’s racing in the Midlands
Weds Apr 16
Cheltenham (jumps)
1st race: 1:30
Last race: 5.00
Thurs Apr 17
Cheltenham (jumps)
1st race: 1:35
Last race: 5.05
Sat Apr 19
Wolverhampton (A/W flat)
1st race: 5:20
Last race: 8:30
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