Richard Bedford

Incredible how some of the racing media back £20k vouchers for Grade 1 winners. Who cares about the Prestbury Cup when the sport is crumbling underneath? The issue is the base. Fund grassroots series finals on ITV with training vouchers. @BHAHorseracing where’s the plan?

100% exactly this. And that is precisely why I agree with @arenaracingco decision to give more money to the Spring Mile than the Doncaster Mile. To give smaller trainers a chance at bigger pots.

@RacingTV @mgbjones500 This is the reality. £700k going on training vouchers for Grade 1 winners, rewarding owners already operating at the top end, while trainers like Suzy are leaving the sport. That’s completely the wrong focus.

🗣️ "We're actually stopping at the end of this season." Sad to hear that Suzy Smith is giving up her trainers' licence at the end of the season. She discusses another win for Tapley 👇🏻

@itvracing @LeglockLuke @Meg_nicholls11 So sad . Think he could have been one of the all time greats 💔

🗣"A totally and utterly unique talent, a fantastic racehorse" Luke and Meg pay tribute to Sir Gino 💛🖤 #ITVRacing | @LeglockLuke | @Meg_nicholls11

If any of my horses picked up an injury, I wouldn’t be putting the details out there either. That doesn’t mean I don’t care deeply about doing what’s right for them, and I’m sure it’s the same for connections. The reality is social media creates a lot of pressure. Even if vets give a full all clear, there’s always an element of risk on a comeback, and the moment anything goes wrong people judge it with hindsight and tear you apart. Keeping things broad isn’t about hiding anything, it’s just being sensible in an environment where suddenly everyone thinks they know best.

A year and a half off and all we’re told is ‘injury’/‘setback’. Nicky Henderson gets stick for it but at least he gives racing fans the courtesy of transparency. And yes, it is racing fans’ business because what is there to hide?

❤️

Fever Dream takes our career prize money to over £3 million, a very proud achievement from our yard with under 30 stables. Thank you to everyone who has played their part. The best team, fantastic owners, sponsors and supporters. We hope earning the next £3 million is as fun 🏆

Wonderful to see Planned Paradise back up his North Wales National success @HexhamRaces today under @charlie_maggs. Well worth the long journey 🚛 Thanks to all of my team. #Winner

Luke Harvey = One of the Brilliant People

@sam_angelina22 @gerryd84 Well ok it’s not that bad 😂

@Richard49475 @gerryd84 Nah they’re completely different levels of irresponsible money spending 😂

@sam_angelina22 @gerryd84 Fair enough, we will have to agree to disagree. As per the points above, I just cannot see it making any real difference for the money involved. I would put it right up there with ideas like the David Power Jockeys’ Championship last season.

@Richard49475 @gerryd84 As long as the BHA are actively thinking of how to look at the middle to low level, then it’s a good plan in my book. Everyone complains about the quality of Saturdays and this is at least a suggestion. Better than nothing!

Everyone has an opinion, but you only have to look at the standard of horse that now gets into a premier Saturday handicap to see where the real pressure in the sport is. This just feels like a lazy scheme and a misuse of money when the lower levels of the sport is on its knees.

@Richard49475 @gerryd84 The fertile ground would presumably be the people with horses in both countries: they're trying to incentivise them to send a nice one to Britain and, judging by the people on the list, that could be really nice for smaller yards and help out dedicated British owners.

I understand it’s complicated. My issue is where the money is being aimed. The top of the sport will always look after itself. Owners spending hundreds of thousands on pointers aren’t changing trainers for £20k. Meanwhile Saturday handicaps are running for the same prize money they were seven years ago while costs have exploded. That’s the reality most of the sport is dealing with.

@Richard49475 @gerryd84 It could be a positive step in a much much larger, complicated situation. It’s the BHA’s responsibility to cater for all and this will hopefully be the first step to larger support.

I suspect the argument will be that Irish owners might move horses to Britain to use the vouchers. But if someone has just spent £200k to £500k on a point to point winner, they are not suddenly moving it away from Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott because of a £20k training voucher. That simply will not influence decisions at that level. And the moral logic is odd as well. The Irish trainer wins the race that triggers the voucher, yet the subsidy is designed to move a future horse away from the trainer who has just produced it. Meanwhile £740k of a critically underfunded sport’s money is being aimed at the very top of the pyramid again. If you really want to strengthen jump racing, put that money into series finals for 0 to 140 horses with training vouchers on the line. That genuinely incentivises the middle of the market, owners buying £30k to £40k horses and trainers trying to build yards. That is the part of the sport we need to grow, not just Cheltenham. The grassroots of jump racing is already shrinking. If you do not support the middle of the market, the owners buying £30k to £40k horses and the smaller trainers trying to build yards, you end up with a sport where 20 or 30 super owners dominate everything. If people think that is a healthy future for racing, fair enough. I do not.

@Richard49475 @gerryd84 Why?

@sam_angelina22 @gerryd84 Think this highlights how ridiculous the scheme is .

Light blue vs white… who thought that was a good idea? Hard to tell who’s who once they pile into a ruck.

@marmobet you applying again ? 😂

@Catters61 @CheltenhamRaces And an Arkle winner 2nd also . What’s the odds of that ! Get on Kargese for the gold cup next year 😂

Gaelic Warrior was just different class today and he made a little bit of history as the first Arkle winner to go on and win the Gold Cup. A special racehorse @CheltenhamRaces

Exactly Mike. The BHA and jockey club are still trying to appease people who want racing gone entirely. They will never change their minds. Focus on making Cheltenham the best festival in the world instead of this nonsense. Luckily JP McManus is stepping in with a few training vouchers he’s won this week 🙈

@Richard49475 @RacingPost Absolutely agree. It's The Foxhunters!

Name ONE change that you think should be made to the 2027 Cheltenham Festival 👇