Doug, bumpers were brought in in the UK for two reasons initially, one of which is now obsolete.

1. They were ridden by amateur or conditional jockeys only. These gave experience to the younger jockeys and also gave the amateur the chance to ride their own horse which was a big thing back in the day. This is now obsolete as pro's now ride in them.

2. In the past virtually al NH horses were purely NH bred, usually from stayers on the flat and NH mares. These horses tended to be much bigger and slower maturing so a lot of them weren't able to race until they were 4,5 or even 6. The bumper races gave the trainers the chance to get them used to racing and the whole atmosphere and stuff of the track without risking injury jumping hurdles. If you go on a website with the days race cards you will see the Bumper races are always contested by big fields and most of the horses are 5 and over. Most of the time 70% have little or no chance of winning. It is only one step up from a training race really which is why most people don't bet on them and there is usually a very short priced favourite.

As the league does not work in the same way as real racing with horses progressing from year to year as most trainers retire their horses after one season they are pretty much pointless in the context of the league.

Thanks for that Martin - that is a great in-sight. I do agree with your last sentence - I think it sums the situation up realistically.

I think we should keep the bumpers and open them up to novices and Juveniles maybe we could make some of them Maiden Bumpers that way it can give a horse a chance of picking up a race that finds 1 or 2 horses too good and also give struggling novices another place to try and win but cut out the mares race at Aintree and just have the one.


Gray

If u keep the bumpers why not limit the times u can run ( like real life), it's 4 times. That way one or two horses cant dominate every race and u will have new horses running in each race.

This combined with letting novices run could be a good idea. I think we need to test this before ditching bumpers altogether

Below are Races Added to Schedule these will be Hunter Chase for horses 5UP and have not run in any Grade 1 Chase or Hurdle and will be run has Handicaps rated 0-100 we will adding new Codes

Code 27 Maiden Handicap Hurdle ( Open To Novices and Ordinary Handicappers )
Code 37 Maiden Handicap Chase ( Open To Novices and Ordinary Handicappers )
Code 38 Hunter Chases ( Open to Chasers Rated Under 100)

WEEK 7 Silks At Down Royal Hunters Chase 2m 6.5f £12000 - Down Royal
WEEK 8 Leopardstown Inn Hunters Chase 3m 60y £16000 - Leopardstown
WEEK 10 St. James's Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup 3m 2f 70y £40000 - Cheltenham
WEEK 11 Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase (National Course) 2m 5f 19y £40000 - Aintree
WEEK 12 Racing Post Champion Hunters Chase 3m 1f £25000 - Punchestown
WEEK 13 Apple Tree Exhibitions Motorhome Show Open Hunters' Chase 2m 213y £12000 - Stratford
WEEK 13 Pertemps Network Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase 3m 3f 119y 25000 - Stratford


Gray

Id be sad to see the back of bumpers it takes a specialist to do well in them but think opening them up to
Novices is the way forward agree we dont need 2 at aintree

So the new races are open to any horse rated under 100 never really could follow how hunter chaser qualifircation
in real life works to be honest dont have a clue

I'm with Gray with this - I think it will make the season competitive and more engaging for the lower rated trainers

In years gone by the horses used to actually have go out with an affiliated hunt a number of times before they were eligible. This is why they were mainly the preserve of older handicappers who had been sold off or gifted to the hardy have a go amateurs. Not sure if this is still the case.

Nice to see another one of my local tracks (Stratford) getting a race. Just need to pop in a gruelling long distance marathon up that Towcester hill now !!

Agree Martin took me a while how to get that Climb just right at Towcester when I build it on the editor pity not to be using it might switch a Moores Millions to Towcester.

Thanks Martin was very good and clear i can now understand it

I was going to ask you as you are completely impartial to come up with shortlists
for horse of the year maybe 10 flat 10 National Hunt or 5 of each if thats too much
work and i can put the votes together after week 13 if you are happy to do it or even if
you wanted to come up with your own idea for some sort of end of season awards ceremony
might make a nice end of season show too just thinking out loud but let me know if your interested
in doing something for it.

Sounds good to me

Yes, Doug and me have mentioned some sort of end of season award thing. Maybe try and put some interviews in with trainers. Perhaps you should start a new thread where people can make suggestions. Volunteer for end of season interviews etc. Am sure we can come up with something that may even be good for a live stream or two.

Sounds good Martin we will get together on something after the final week