Talking Horses: high-profile owner bemoans cash fall for restaged races

I n the age of big money and mega-stables in jump racing, the plucky band of smaller owners who manage to grab a slice of the cake are arguably more important than ever for encouraging fans into the sport. Owners such as Andrew Gemmell, for instance, whose run of success with Paisley Park has been one of the most popular and memorable stories of recent seasons.

When Gemmell feels smaller owners are being unfairly penalised in some of National Hunt’s biggest events it may be an idea to take note of his concerns. Gemmell is looking forward to Paisley Park’s run in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month as keenly as you would expect and fully appreciates how fortunate he is to have such a popular horse running in his colours.

But at the same time, he is perplexed that when high-profile races are abandoned and then rescheduled at a different meeting and venue, as has happened with the Long Walk Hurdle and Clarence House Chase this season, the prize money invariably nosedives. “It’s all right for the big owners, but not for the ones who aren’t so big,” he says. “For them, it can make a real difference. It’s not just covering costs, it’s money that could be reinvested in buying new horses.

“The races where prize money should be ringfenced are definitely the Grade Ones. When the Long Walk was postponed, the prize money was reduced and we got £43,000 instead of what it would have been [at Ascot].

“The new sponsor was Ladbrokes [at the King George meeting at Christmas] and it’s not as if they’re short of money. I didn’t expect to win the race, but at the same time I don’t see why we should need to feel grateful to them.”

The first prize for the Long Walk in 2021 was £60,000, so the cut for the restaged race was about 25%.