Jockeys must do better to prevent repeat of Betfair Hurdle shambles

It’s a sure sign of the times that the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday generated little fanfare. What was once a seasonal highlight in its guise as the Schweppes has become just another valuable race.

The reason is obvious. The Cheltenham Festival’s ubiquity is such that greater focus is now trained on the Denman Chase and Betfair Exchange Chase (formerly the Game Spirit). Each race habitually attracts a front-line contender for the Gold Cup and Champion Chase respectively, and the post-race fallout holds greater purchase than a blood-and-thunder handicap worth £150,000.

Both chases featured long odds-on favourites who duly obliged. They were relatively free of the drama that enveloped the Betfair Hurdle even before its 24 runners were dispatched. Yet the Betfair was consigned to playing third fiddle.