The Jumps Journal will become the Racing Review as we look to incorporate more findings on the flat. Where better to start than the Triple Crown, the UK and US’s unique flat racing achievement, and ponder what the introduction of a proper program could do for the jumps.
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Joe BloGGs
Rory Mcilroy’s masterpiece on Sunday was viewed stateside by 19.54 million people, as well as an astonishing 1.85 million on Sky Sports across the UK and Ireland, a remarkable effort for a paid-for service.
Mcilroy was making history, completing a career grand slam which only five men before him had conquered. He was doing so at the 11th attempt, the waves of emotion palpable and rippling within seconds of his playoff putt dropping to fulfil his destiny.
In horse racing, the grand slam is otherwise succinctly known as the Triple Crown. Yet, despite the fact that horses will only ever get one chance at such an honour compared to Mcilroy’s 11, the desire to broadcast an achievement for the ages has waned.
National Hunt Racing has, since the days of Kauto Star and Denman, proffered a £1 million bonus to the connections of any horse to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George VI Chase at Kempton and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
King Kauto is the only horse to have earned his owners six figures via those three races, but this is no true triple crown. It was even discontinued as an incentive between 2010 and 2015, and with Irish trainers currently so far ahead of their British counterparts, it rings hollow.
That is not to say the flat equivalent on these shores is enjoying a purple patch. Quite the opposite; there has been no winner since Oh So Sharp completed the fillies’ version in 1985, while Nijinsky was the last colt to succeed in 1970. Arguably two generations of racing fans have gone without witnessing a horse win the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger, and only a few of those in their infancy would have celebrated Oh So Sharp’s successes.
God forbid I say this, but the Americans have it right on this one. Horse racing is hardly competitive with basketball, baseball and football in the States, but when they have a Triple Crown horse, they market them to the world. Justify’s Belmont Stakes victory was watched domestically by 12.7 million on NBC, beating the previous year’s race, with no Triple Crown contender, by 157%. Nearly 8 million more viewers were glued to the screen for the achievement, falling only 2 million short of tripling the audience for the Triple Crown attempt.
Following the general trend, even Justify’s victory lap was shorter still of American Pharaoh’s attempt in 2015, a joyous one watched by 18.6 million, while California Chrome’s glorious failure the year before brought in 20.5 million. Of course, British racing cannot compete with those numbers by virtue of sheer population, but these are big figures for a genuine and historic achievement.
GG Jumps Journal – Making the Grand National Rational
Introspection is needed. It’s time for the Rational National. Joe BloGGs This column only takes itself semi-seriously, but we are to err far more on the period drama side this week than the sitcom. The 2025 Grand National was run on Saturday, and the fanfare largely outweighed the fan scare. There were reasons to celebrate…
Wed 09 Apr 2025This is where horse racing’s insularity fails itself. A focus on speed breeding and riches precludes a desire to see something groundbreaking. We briefly wished both Saxon Warrior and City Of Troy could be the first Triple Crown seekers in five decades, but the former proved a one hit wonder, and the latter’s quest was over before it started at Newmarket. However, they are significant outliers.
The markets for this year’s 2000 and 1000 Guineas do not bode well for a sudden shift in dynamic in 2025. Desert Flower has easily overcome all before her so far, but she is barely bred to stay 1m4f, and Charlie Appleby may even look to keep her to 1m depending on her Newmarket show. Twain, favourite for the colts’ opening Classic, could possibly possesses speed and stamina intertwined, but then Aidan O’Brien also has the hot Derby favourite in The Lion In Winter, so it’s likely that any further Classic engagement will be denied.
We are in the realms of the Triple Crown merely being a concept rather than an aspiration. Although the three races are, by definition for the achievement, completely separate in nature, the visuals of each are growing ever more disparate; the St Leger is now a pure stayers’ race and the thought of any of the Guineas runners attempting to challenge over 6f further regularly feels like folly.
Maybe Aidan’s next “greatest horse he’s ever trained” could just be the special one for the task. It almost feels more likely that an ambitious American trainer will chance their arm instead.
And what of the jumps’ version? Well to start with, let’s can the Betfair Chase from consideration as a Triple Crown race. Nobody has ever dreamed of winning a Grade 1 at Haydock. The Grand National on the other hand, especially say, if someone suggested it should become a Grade 1. Well, that could well take hold.
Mcilroy will stride in that ungainly way of his as one of six ultimate champions through the rest of his life. In racing, for all the tributes of greatness to horses like Frankel and Sea The Stars, the outside world, as is so often the case, simply has not borne witness.
My advice for the BHA: Triple Down on the Triple Crown.
GG Jumps Journal – The Grand National Pinstickers’ Guide
So rude of me to typecast you as knowing nothing about racing. The good news is, neither do I, so with that in mind, here’s my rundown of the 2025 Grand National field. Has seemingly had his vengeance in this life, having won this a year ago, so hopefully won’t need too much in the…
Thu 03 Apr 2025Tip for the Weekend
A horse who has taken well to jumps, Wise Eagle may have his ideal conditions back on the flat this Saturday at Musselburgh. Still relatively fit from his campaign over obstacles, the eight-year-old has often been highly tried on the level, but this handicap looks a winnable one compared to the Ebor and November handicaps he contested last term. His recent second at Newcastle has been franked too.