EVER notice how the vast majority of those outraged at this time of year by the possibility of connections eschewing a traditional championship race at Cheltenham for one of the newbies never owned a top-class racehorse?

At any level, owners prefer to win a race than just be part of an occasion. Sure, when talking about Apple’s Jade 12 months ago, or Honeysuckle now, it is in the context of them being leading contenders in any of their potential targets – the Champion or Mares’ Hurdles.