THE lack of sufficient races in Ireland for novice chasers with high ratings has been raised on a few occasions recently.

It applies most particularly to the Mullins yard where there are an unprecedented number of high class novices, both over fences and hurdles. High class horses are having to take each other on in their first run over fences and then move on to a Grade 1 while still very inexperienced.

However, from a punter/viewer point of view, there was nothing wrong with the Drinmore Novices Chase where Valseur Lido, Apache Stronghold, Real Steel and The Tullow Tank all met in a Grade 1 after winning their novice chase.

It was a better spectacle than the Hatton’s Grace where the absence of Annie Power saw second string Zaidpour go off the 11/8 favourite.

There has never been such an abundance of high quality horses in one yard. It is almost reminiscent of the days when there was one handicap created for Arkle to run and another for when he didn’t.

Do we need a set of novice races where Mullins horses can run and another set for the lower rated?

Do we look at the programme from the top down and create more opportunities at Grade 2 level, where only a handful of owners have horses good enough and allow them to avoid rivals trained in the same yard?

Many will accept the Mullins philosophy to run horses in the races where they have the best chance of winning but it is a personal opinion that allowing a horse of the calibre of Annie Power to go through the season without being asked the optimum question against all comers would have left too many unanswered for it to be welcomed.

In the old days (well the 1970s!) the top horses took each other and did not avoid each other on until Cheltenham. We also see how fragile the top horses can be with Annie Power’s injury and Sprinter Sacre still on the sidelines. You can never assume they will have another season.

“Go compete”, Big Jack said. No other sport thrives or gains an audience through allowing its main players to avoid each other for most of the season. Golf has its Majors, tennis its four Grand Slams championships. The top players meet regularly on the tour. Formula 1s top stars take each other on in each race. Even in GAA,its likely two teams will encounter each other more than once.

Mullins horses currently dominate most of the Cheltenham Grade 1s - Douvan, Vautour, Faugheen, Annie Power, Shaneshill, Don Poli, Black Hercules, Kalkir. Should we accommodate them in having little opposition on the run to the Festival? The domination will increase as the Mullins yard appear to have an unlimited supply of young novice hurdlers. Each week brings a new band of novice hurdlers, most of whom are next year’s novice chasers. The debate is only beginning.