Ban on Irish entries in Britain would be abject admission of defeat

Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland has suggested that Irish-trained runners in Britain should be strictly limited, and perhaps even banned altogether

ON CLOUD NINE: Gold Cup-winning jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins with his nine winners from this year's Cheltenham Festival. Picture: Morgan Treacy/Inpho 

The Flat campaign on turf is off and running and the first Classics of 2024 are less than six weeks away but Ireland’s dominance at the Cheltenham Festival remains a fierce issue of debate, thanks in no small part to the Grand National-winning trainer, Dr Richard Newland, who seemed to suggest in a blog posted on the Racing TV website last week that Irish-trained runners in Britain should be strictly limited, and perhaps even banned altogether.

“Personally,” Newland wrote, “I would have that blanket (ban) for all races. But if we are to allow them to race in the UK once a year, maybe let that be at the Cheltenham Festival with perhaps one runner allowed per trainer in each race — not coming over every Saturday and winning everything.”