THE curtain came down on the British jumps season last Saturday, and somewhat bizarrely the new season began at Cheltenham’s evening meeting six days later.

Both meetings tell us something about the state of racing in Britain, and while Sandown is a great venue, with ample space for a big crowd, it failed to showcase the end of season celebration as it might have, despite perfect weather.

The themes were familiar, with transport issues (once again, Esher station had no train service from either direction, causing delays for those relying on public transport to get to the races), and an obsession with dress codes causing needless disgruntlement.

Genuine racegoers were refused entry for minor infringements of entirely arbitrary rules, while ill-prepared security staff refused to intervene in the inevitable brawl between groups of sharp-suited yobs.

The idea that “clothes maketh the man” has been debunked, and it seems that the courses which are most adamant in separating their customers into class strata are the ones which attract the worst of the violence.

Lacking strength in depth

The meeting was a microcosm of the season, with the main events lacking strength in depth and dominated by Paul Nicholls, who managed to keep his horses fresh enough to keep firing. Saint Calvados, Greaneteen and McFabulous all swerved Cheltenham in March, and bounced back from disappointments to ensure Nicholls could celebrate his championship in style.

That is to be commended, as without the Ditcheat stars this fixture would have fallen flat, but it remains a concern that even Nicholls feels unable to compete with the increasing power of the Irish trainers at the Festival.

Cheltenham’s hunter chase fixture is very much one for the dyed-in-the-wool brigade, but moving it to a Friday evening means that it is marketed more for the wider catchment area that was once the case, and it is interesting that the course has pitched the event as “Race Night,” rather than refer to the traditional name of the fixture.

It may be the case that casual attendees won’t appreciate the concept of the hunter chase, but you’d have to be blind to be unaware that the meeting is unique.

Cheltenham has developed hand in hand with the amateur side of the sport, and to abandon all pretence that this is a grassroots event for the amateur/hunting fraternity is an error of judgment, and by separating the racecourse with its traditional supporters, Jockey Club Racecourses are in danger of losing focus.