Noel Meade: adjustments positive but we certainly don't need a five-day festival

Leading Irish trainer Noel Meade has welcomed the introduction of a mares' chase at the Cheltenham Festival as well as changes to the National Hunt Chase, acknowledging that the race has taken a very different shape than years previously.

The amateur riders' event, inaugurated in 1860, was run at a different course each year until finding a permanent home at Cheltenham in 1911, initially the richest race at the meeting (richer than the Gold Cup) until 1946.

The race, effectively a point-to-point championship race that was run under rules, was restricted to maidens until 1931, when those who hadn't won a race by January were eligible.

Forty years later the contest was restricted to horses who were maidens at the start of the season, but by 2002 it became a normal novice chase meaning horses who had won over hurdles in previous seasons were allowed to run for the first time.

"The whole race has been changed completely over the course of many years," Meade said of the now 3m6f event.

Le Breuil (right): pipped Discorama in this year's National Hunt ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"Back in older times it could have been a very ordinary race, and often at times it was, but the quality has improved."

The Tu Va Stables handler has saddled the favourite for two of the last five renewals with A Genie In Abottle finishing fifth in 2017 and Very Wood coming home tenth in 2015.

He said of the BHA's adjustments: "I have no problem with the changes and it's probably not a bad idea to shorten it a little bit, it was quite long.

"We have novice chases over two miles, two and a half miles and three miles at the festival, so one wonders whether we really need a novice race over three miles and six furlongs, but obviously there have been changes made for the benefit of the race."

The chairman of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association feels the addition of a mares' chase is a positive move, while accepting that a race must be cut from the programme in order to preserve Cheltenham's four-day status.

Band Of Outlaws (near) won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at this year's Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"I think it's a good thing," he said of the new race. "The programme for mares has worked out very well and it's a positive change to see it coming in.

"I would have thought that the Fred Winter [Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle] would be the favourite to go as a result."

Paddy Power believe the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase – which has taken place at the meeting since 2005 – will be in line for the chop, pricing up such an eventuality at 5-4.

The Fred Winter is second-favourite in their market at 9-4.

Meade added: "We don't need to increase the quantity of races at the festival, and we certainly don't need it to become a five-day meeting."

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