Match race for My Drogo on Friday as ground leads to Fancy Foundations absence

Cheltenham's novice chase on Friday, due to be screened on ITV4 but dubbed a waste of terrestrial coverage, is down to two runners after Gordon Elliott withdrew Fancy Foundations on Thursday because of the ground.

Conditions at the track are described as good to soft, good in places, but officials have had to water this week, while the presence in the race of Grade 1-winning novice hurdler My Drogo may also be a factor in the low turnout. He will now face only the Henry de Bromhead-trained Gin On Lime.

The race, which has attracted single-figure fields for its last nine runnings, is due to be shown with three other races from the track, but James Knight, director of racing trading at Entain, owner of Coral and Ladbrokes, had argued on Wednesday that the schedule should be tweaked, especially as the card features two big-field handicap hurdles.

Field sizes have hit new lows in the last three months, a situation that was highlighted further when just two runners contested a graduation chase at Sandown on Sunday.

"It feels a disappointing race and not a good betting one," he said of the SSS Super Alloys-backed novice chase, speaking when there were still three runners. "From our view it feels a good slot – the first day of the Cheltenham November meeting – being wasted.

"You've got two 20-runner races bookending the card that aren't on terrestrial TV. I think the reason is because of sponsorship, in that it's sold as a televised race, but given it's something that seems to happen every year, it's a bit of a shame they haven't addressed that, and maybe put the novice chase at the start of the card.

Knight, who described the addition of one of those 20-runner handicap hurdles to the ITV4 coverage as a "no-brainer", added: "There's some interest from a purist point of view and the race deserves coverage as it features good horses who will hopefully go on to the spring festivals, but it's a shame it takes up a betting slot.

Friday's runners and riders at Cheltenham

"From a betting perspective, you'd want to see a bit more competitiveness on that card. That's not to say you want every race to be a 20-runner handicap hurdle that doesn't feature the top names, but my observation is this card doesn't seem to deliver.

"If you put one of those handicap hurdles in for that novice chase, the card would perform better from a betting perspective – there's no doubt about that because people want a competitive field with big prices and each-way betting.

"In an ideal world, you'd have your strongest betting races on ITV and this is a case where that's not going to happen. It's the variety that's key and the worry is there are too many weekends and feature days in the winter when you see this kind of thing."

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse felt the presence of My Drogo, rated 155 over hurdles, was the fundamental reason for the small field, while chases must take place at a certain time due to the threat of low sun.

"It's the trainers who'll say if the ground is a barrier to running," he said on Wednesday. "And they may be a little wary because it's irrigated ground. We understand that.

"It is a little disappointing and we have participated in the BHA changes to novice races and novice handicaps, and two of our novice chases, one in October and one in December, have been changed to novice handicaps."

Asked about the status of Friday's race, Claisse said: "Everything is under review on a constant basis so that will be something we'll discuss with the BHA for next season."

As for the TV schedule, Claisse said: "We do keep in touch with the BHA and ITV if we're looking at a small-runner field for a televised race, but ITV were happy to keep this one in a televised slot and we have to bear in mind we've sponsors and contractual agreements. It's not just as simple as deciding to take a sponsored race in a TV slot and move it to a non-TV slot."

Paul Nicholls: would welcome some rainCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls rarely shies away from a scrap and, in Bravemansgame, may have had a runner against My Drogo had the weather played ball.

The 12-time title-holder was without an entry in the race, and said on Wednesday: "Watered ground at Cheltenham isn't ideal. It's okay, but it's not perfect for your proper National Hunt soft-ground horses.

"You've got a big horse like Bravemansgame and I wouldn't dream of running him. I didn't even enter. I thought about it, it would have been a great opportunity, but not on watered ground and a lot of big, heavy, old-fashioned horses won't want to run on that surface.

"Dan's horse is obviously good, but I think it's a combination of things, perhaps too much racing, and the last two weeks have been very dry. You've just got to be selective about what you run. The most important consideration is the ground, otherwise you're asking for trouble."

Nicholls, who has three runners at Cheltenham on Friday, said: "Look at Exeter today, where the ground is good to soft – it's super ground and look at the fields [77 declared runners], it's proper racing.

"Cheltenham do a great job and I wouldn't want that job for all the tea in China. What they'll produce is undoubtedly good, safe jumping ground, but it just doesn't suit all the horses. It's no one's fault and I don't think it's a crisis; we just want the rain."

Read more:

One trainer, one horse, one jockey and one race to watch at Cheltenham on Friday

Paul Nicholls gunning for gold after special day but 'it's a hot Paddy Power'

Suzy Smith and Michael Holding call for action to improve racing's diversity

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