Aintree raise the stakes to boost meeting

13 April 2012

Trainers and owners face a tough choice between prestige and prize money this Spring after Aintree literally raised the stakes in its tussle with Cheltenham to attract the best horses to their respective Festivals.

Aintree's Martell Grand National has long been the richest race of the National Hunt season and will be worth £210,000 more than the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup this year. But these races in their modern guises largely target different groups in the horse population.

Yet Aintree's drive to boost the appeal of supporting races at its April fixture has resulted in five of its races carrying prize funds of more than £100,000 or more, compared with six at Cheltenham.

The move promotes the Liverpool races as targets in their own right, rather than afterthoughts following the earlier Festival. In the case of Cheltenham's Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle on 15 March and Aintree's Glenlivet Anniversary Hurdle on 5 April, the clash is more explicit as both races are open solely to four-year-old novice hurdlers.

For the first time this year, the latter event is more valuable, with a total prize fund of £100,000 compared with £85,000 for the Cheltenham event. In 2000, Lord Brex's connections collected only £24,000 for winning the Ain-tree race, whereas Snow Drop's connections pocketed £46,400 for her Cheltenham triumph.

Although it is theoretically possible to contest both prizes, the early signs are that some trainers and owners are keen to run only in the more valuable race, while others still value the kudos of a Cheltenham Festival winner. Officials at the latter course have already indicated that they will not "take on" Aintree over prize money levels.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Jocko Glasses is as low as 12-1 joint second favourite for the Triumph with bookmakers Stanley. But Anthony Bromley, who runs the Million In Mind Partnership ownership syndicate, today warned that the gelding may bypass Cheltenham entirely instead to run at Aintree.

"We are tempted to aim Jocko Glasses solely at the Glenlivet rather than run in it after targetting the Triumph, because the Liverpool race is worth more for the first time this year," said Bromley.

"Jocko Glasses has been beaten at Cheltenham already, so perhaps its hill is not ideal for him.

He won well at Kempton over Christmas, so another flat track like Aintree might suit him best. The syndicate rules mean the horse will be sold in May so a more recent win at Aintree in April would be to our benefit."

But French handler Fran-cois Doumen, who trains Triumph ante-post favourite Bilboa, argued that the Cheltenham contest will maintain its lofty status by dint of its long-standing reputation. This is a particularly important factor for fillies like Bilboa whose long-term future lies as broodmares.

"At this stage, Bilboa is heading for the Triumph. She will probably run first in the Kempton race on 24 February that Snow Drop won last year before going on to take the Triumph. The two races are nicely spaced out.

The Glenlivet is a safeguard if anything goes wrong or I am not happy with Bilboa at Cheltenham time," he said.

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Aintree raise the stakes to boost meeting

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