tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77729371626934229262024-03-19T10:11:32.618+00:00Cheltenham RacesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-37338295572886345222024-02-13T20:54:00.003+00:002024-02-13T20:54:43.473+00:00A recap of all race finishes from last years Gold Cup Day<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JWuDwBCefQM?si=9ZHWMgCe5LQXvaki" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>What better way to prepare for Cheltenham Festival 2024, than to watch the culmination of Gold Cup day 2023. Enjoy!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-2342970266855903332024-01-24T16:18:00.002+00:002024-02-13T20:56:52.208+00:00Brave Inca<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jtoVmPAP6z2oehRqPdB4hJeEl5aOLNV6CuiVej382vOoFxhPP8dGxKyNKIfhW3vO0DKWomNJPaGQ0Z6g_yhK_WPiY_5NNEUY8SB_80SKrzj97u4l9waPHRP1dfpFrfjYBkLnEYvRSHPMtqPpxtbmWv3bUbNlEE0ECTmMD1zkzKc66S2gMiI26aGKxWgb/s640/horse-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jtoVmPAP6z2oehRqPdB4hJeEl5aOLNV6CuiVej382vOoFxhPP8dGxKyNKIfhW3vO0DKWomNJPaGQ0Z6g_yhK_WPiY_5NNEUY8SB_80SKrzj97u4l9waPHRP1dfpFrfjYBkLnEYvRSHPMtqPpxtbmWv3bUbNlEE0ECTmMD1zkzKc66S2gMiI26aGKxWgb/w296-h198/horse-art.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>Trained by Colm Murphy in Co. Wexford, Ireland, Brave Inca made a total of five appearances at the Cheltenham Festival. He established himself as one of the leading novice hurdlers in Ireland by winning his first four starts of the 2003/04 season, including the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, and headed to the Cheltenham Festival as a leading fancy for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Sent off 7/2 favourite, he had to be hard ridden in the closing stages, but was urged ahead near the finish to beat War Of Attrition – winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup two seasons later – by a neck and came back to a tumultuous reception.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />Rather frustratingly, Brave Inca finished second on each of his first four starts of the 2004/05 season, including behind Macs Joy, trained by Jessica Harrington, on three separate occasions. Nevertheless, He headed back to Cheltenham for his first attempt at the Champion Hurdle, for which he was sent off 10/1 sixth choice of 14 runners. Having racing prominently, he was driven to challenge at the second-last flight and ran on to finish third, beaten a neck and the same, behind defending champion Hardy Eustace and the talented, but quirky, Harchibald, who did not go through with his effort in the closing stages. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />In 2005/06, as a seven-year-old, Brave Inca was at the peak of his powers, winning four of his first five starts, all under Sir Anthony McCoy, en route to a second crack at the Champion Hurdle. Sent off 7/4 favourite at Cheltenham, he benefited from a vintage McCoy ride to beat his old rival Macs Joy by a length, with the hat-trick-seeking Hardy Eustace a further 3½ lengths back in third place. He returned to Cheltenham, as defending champion, in 2007 and, while he could not quite keep tabs on the winner, Sublimity, in the closing stages, he kept on bravely to finish second, beaten 3 lengths. Having missed the whole of the 2007/08 season through injury, he returned to the Cheltenham Festival in 2009, but his 'last hurrah' in the Champion Hurdle ended in disappointment, as he trailed in eighteenth of the 23 runners, beaten 58 lengths. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-26584391967318223002023-12-21T16:02:00.001+00:002024-02-13T20:57:29.687+00:00L'Escargot<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVR-dnT2Dd3XrUs39ZWesScGKszY14VCjhFoKTi2qSmcy0ByhJw92vPai0y3bN3Bmd15xlLV-Fu2mWI96nGkX9l1f9AhdZeGyZU5ZC12IBPswhnHapJQtatEf8ch1LkCidfs5re_kL0zRAIVOnA8otnMiWgXN1V9HG_EIQ1hcaZY1y3GSzhyWOXN1jMWs/s640/drawing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="640" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVR-dnT2Dd3XrUs39ZWesScGKszY14VCjhFoKTi2qSmcy0ByhJw92vPai0y3bN3Bmd15xlLV-Fu2mWI96nGkX9l1f9AhdZeGyZU5ZC12IBPswhnHapJQtatEf8ch1LkCidfs5re_kL0zRAIVOnA8otnMiWgXN1V9HG_EIQ1hcaZY1y3GSzhyWOXN1jMWs/s320/drawing.png" width="320" /></a></div>To the public at large,
L'Escargot is probably best remembered for his exploits in the Grand
National, in which he finished third in 1973, second in 1974 and won,
by 15 lengths, in 1975, thereby thwarting an unprecedented hat-trick
by Red Rum. However, earlier in his career, L'Escargot was a
three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, winning the second division of
the Gloucestershire Hurdle, now the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, in 1968
and recording back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in
1970 and 1971. Aside from Golden Miller, who won both races in 1934,
he remains the only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the
Grand National.<p></p><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Owned by Raymond Guest,
US Ambassador to Ireland between 1965 and 1968, and trained by Dan
Moore in Fairyhouse, Co. Meath, started second favourite for the
Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 1969, finishing sixth
to Persian War, before being sent over fences. The following year,
for his first attempt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, L'Escargot was sent
off an unconsidered 33/1 outsider, behind hot favourite Kinloch Brae,
who carried the yellow and black colours of Anne Grosvenor, Duchess
of Westminster, made famous by Arkle. However, the market leader fell
at the third-last fence and L'Escargot outstayed French Tan in the
closing stages to win by a length-and-a-half.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">L'Escargot returned, as
defending champion, in 1971 and, in a substandard renewal of the
Cheltenham Gold Cup, had little difficulty in beating the novice
Leapfrog and The Dikler by 10 lengths and 15 lengths. He tried, and
failed, to add a third Cheltenham Gold Cup to his winning tally in
1972 and 1973, finishing fourth on both occasions.
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-288996884251890062023-10-15T21:43:00.001+01:002024-02-13T20:58:01.436+00:00Mick Fitzgerald<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0NO3ATt08bH8LWhA1JyEQzOSpCE-KFYtzJg8rwHebvdfjfrtacrmeNI5K6ubGtqAaA7gpwPjvbCL1Os6dQREWXXSuqo3FAUOsjmNPD3xZCOl8xTKvRZnDTMqhLjSFFjJk-3fRihPHZ0MyRrfJNeZl46U07azlBEDiTak-PeCO2FLzuoFARDTz1YaTgtt/s640/horsem-horses-316932_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="640" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0NO3ATt08bH8LWhA1JyEQzOSpCE-KFYtzJg8rwHebvdfjfrtacrmeNI5K6ubGtqAaA7gpwPjvbCL1Os6dQREWXXSuqo3FAUOsjmNPD3xZCOl8xTKvRZnDTMqhLjSFFjJk-3fRihPHZ0MyRrfJNeZl46U07azlBEDiTak-PeCO2FLzuoFARDTz1YaTgtt/s320/horsem-horses-316932_640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nowadays, Mick
Fitzgerald is best known as a television presenter on ITV Racing but,
in his younger days, was one of the most successful National Hunt
jockeys of his generation. Before being forced into retirement after
sustaining neck and knee damage in a fall from L'Ami in the 2008
Grand National, Fitzgerald rode 1,295 winners, including 14 at the
Cheltenham Festival.<p></p><p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Fitzgerald was
leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival twice. On the first
occasion, in 1999, he achieved a notable double on Call Equiname and
See More Business, both trained by Paul Nicholls, in the Queen
Mother Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, respectively. That
year, he also won the Triumph Hurdle on Katarino and the now-defunct
Cathcart Challenge Cup on Stormyfairweather, both for Nicky
Henderson. On the second, in 2000, he won the Arkle Challenge Trophy
on Tiutchev, the Festival Trophy on Marlborough, the Stayers' Hurdle
on Bacchanal and the Cathcart Challenge Cup on Stormyfairweather
again; all four winners were trained by Nicky Henderson.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Remarkably, despite a
15-year association with Nicky Henderson – who is, nowadays, the
leading trainer in the history of the Champion Hurdle, with eight
wins – Fiztgerald never won the two-mile hurdling championship. In
fact, in twelve attempts, two third places, on Blue Royal in 2000 and
Afsoun in 2007, were the best he could muster.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-74889105819396711252023-07-19T16:24:00.002+01:002024-02-13T20:58:29.864+00:00The Fellow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvcZTiZnqCbaJgosbMA3QzxdfZUWi9Rg1JgKzcVi3nS0fgoXa2G4d0lMgdYz-8O6jDo3KEIgBHGPWSVzjFuVa6-CLyGIoUDVCEvdDxfmP8bsoYmaK6e3YDJ4IjELXZ0saY_qE3p0SEvwlfTO7Q6HoJxcBfzBdo-BBIq2pJgsyfLwclQaEnms_bxHUdapo/s640/racecourse-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="640" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvcZTiZnqCbaJgosbMA3QzxdfZUWi9Rg1JgKzcVi3nS0fgoXa2G4d0lMgdYz-8O6jDo3KEIgBHGPWSVzjFuVa6-CLyGIoUDVCEvdDxfmP8bsoYmaK6e3YDJ4IjELXZ0saY_qE3p0SEvwlfTO7Q6HoJxcBfzBdo-BBIq2pJgsyfLwclQaEnms_bxHUdapo/s320/racecourse-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Trained by François Doumen in Pau, southwestern France and ridden, for much of his career, by Polish-born jockey Adam Kondrat, The Fellow won the King George VI Chase at Kempton in 1991 and 1992. However, as far as the Cheltenham Festival is concerned, he is probably best remembered for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, at the fourth time of asking, in 1994. That said, anyone who backed him in the previous three renewals has good reason to remember that his defeats were attributable, at least according to some observers, to his jockey.<p></p><br /> <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />The Fellow made his first appearance in the 'Blue Riband' event in 1991, as a six-year-old, when has was sent off a largely unconsidered 28/1 outsider. However, despite Kondrat taking a wide route for the whole way and a bad mistake at the fifteenth fence, The Fellow was the only horse to make a race of it with eventual winner Garrison Savannah. Indeed, The Fellow 'sprinted' up the run-in, making up the better part of three lengths, but was denied by a short head. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />On the back of that performance, and his subsequent win in the King George VI Chase, The Fellow was sent off 7/2 second favourite for his second attempt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1992. Kondrat rode a not entirely dissimilar race and, after a ding-dong battle with eventual winner and third, Cool Dawn and Docklands Express, on the run-in, The Fellow was headed in the final strides and denied by a short head for the second year running. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />In 1993, The Fellow was sent off a heavily-backed 5/4 favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but could manage only fourth, beaten 9½ lengths, behind Jodami, having been outpaced from the top of the hill. He was back again, as a nine-year-old, in 1994, by which time it seemed his time had passed. However, sporting blinkers and ridden closer to the pace than had previously been the case, The Fellow was always travelling and jumping well and kept on strongly in the closing stages to beat Jodami by 1½ lengths and, finally, reward his connections' perseverance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-30872569454073004812023-04-05T18:40:00.002+01:002023-07-26T16:36:42.670+01:00Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Dawn Run Mares'
Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 hurdle race run over 2 miles and 179
yards at Cheltenham in March. As the name suggests, the race is
restricted to young female horses aged four years and upwards who,
prior to the start of the current season, have not won a race over
hurdles. The titular Dawn Run was an extraordinary racemare, who
remains the only horse in history to have won both the Champion
Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Currently scheduled for
the third day of the four-day Cheltenham Festival, the race is a
recent addition to the programme, having been inaugurated as recently
as 2016. Since its inception, it has been run under various titles,
for sponsorship purposes, most recently as the Ryanair Mares'
Novices' Hurdle.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">It would be fair to say
that Willie Mullins, the leading trainer in the history of the
Cheltenham Festival, has 'farmed' the Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle
in its short history. In fact, Mullins won the first five of the
seven renewals so far, with Limini (2016), Let's Dance (2017),
Laurina (2018), Eglantine du Seuil (2019) and Concertista (2020). The
2023 renewal is scheduled for Thursday, March 16, but at this still
early stage, Mullins' five-year-old mare Ashroe Diamond – who
opened her account over hurdles at the first time of asking at Navan
in November, 2022 – heads the ante-post betting market at 9/1.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Mullins' dominance
aside, recent trends suggest that punters might do well to
concentrate on mares aged five or six years, officially rated 136 or
higher, who have run at least twice and, preferably, won at least
once, during the current season. Likely candidates could include
Ahorsewithnoname, who finished a close second last year, but remains
a novice over hurdles, and Luccia, who has yet to jump a hurdle in
public, but could hardly have been more impressive when winning a
Listed 'bumper' at Sandown by 17 lengths last March.
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-39248261391893200572023-02-08T18:38:00.001+00:002023-02-08T18:38:00.215+00:00Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KMKw30EkJ_i9yWH6gGvV772izV28T-XJCYHFvsIrZQu0GAjDPCvEvUsSENlFhwzEHpkyvr8inOJXIm27m7zzH-EpWjgbwJvbyF05SNbHEDZu5DMTvf1_-QSH7IZWUtm2hTxPSUjkv5pbcX5m4jghkdrZHXrfiRVXEuqZxCCcfazxTWEGiYiSjVOEMw/s1200/Brown-Advisory-Novices-Chase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1200" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KMKw30EkJ_i9yWH6gGvV772izV28T-XJCYHFvsIrZQu0GAjDPCvEvUsSENlFhwzEHpkyvr8inOJXIm27m7zzH-EpWjgbwJvbyF05SNbHEDZu5DMTvf1_-QSH7IZWUtm2hTxPSUjkv5pbcX5m4jghkdrZHXrfiRVXEuqZxCCcfazxTWEGiYiSjVOEMw/s320/Brown-Advisory-Novices-Chase.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Brown Advisory
Novices’ Chase is a Grade 1 steeplechase run over 3 miles and 80
yards on the Old Course at Cheltenham in March. Open to horses aged
five years and upwards, it is one of three Grade 1 novice
steeplechases run at the Cheltenham Festival – the others being the
Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Turners Novices' Chase – and the
most prestigious novice steeplechase of the season in the staying
division.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Inaugurated, as the
Broadway Novices' Chase, in 1946, the race has been run under various
titles, including the Totalisator Champion Novices' Chase and the RSA
Insurance Novices’ Chase, for sponsorship purposes since 1964.
Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable was announced as the new
sponsor in 2021, having previously sponsored the Festival Plate, a
Grade 3 handicap steeplechase run over 2 miles 4 furlongs and 127
yards on the New Course at Cheltenham, since 2015.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The Brown Advisory
Novices' Chase is often described, justifiably, as the novices'
equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and its roll of honour reads
like a 'Who's Who' of staying steeplechasers since World War II. The
likes of Mandarin, Arkle, Ten Up, Master Smudge, Garrison Savannah,
Looks Like Trouble, Denman, Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere all
returned to the Cheltenham Festival to win the 'Blue Riband' event,
the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in subsequent years.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Somewhat ironically,
Willie Mullins, who did not win the Cheltenham Gold Cup until 2019,
having previously saddled the runner-up six times, is the leading
trainer in the history of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Mullins has already enjoyed success with Florida Pearl (1998), Rule
Supreme (2004), Cooldine (2009), Don Poli (2015) and Monkfish (2021)
and looks to hold a very strong hand once again in 2023, if the
ante-post betting market is to be believed. Obviously, the 2023
renewal of the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase – scheduled for 2.10pm
on Wednesday, March 15 – is several months away, but The Nice Guy,
a ready 5-length winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in
2022, sets a very high standard.
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-22696120221080253492023-01-05T18:35:00.004+00:002023-07-26T16:36:32.398+01:00Turners Novices' Chase <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Turners Novices'
Chase is a Grade 1 novices' steeplechase run over 2 miles, 3 furlongs
and 168 yards on the New Course at Cheltenham in March. Open to
horses aged five years and upwards, the race is currently scheduled
as the first race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival. It is,
in fact, one of three Grade 1 novices' steeplechases staged at the
Festival, but the only one run on the New Course, which places more
emphasis on stamina than the Old Course.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The Turners Novices
Chase is officially registered as the Golden Miller Novices' Chase
but, since its inception, in 2011, has been run under several
different titles for sponsorship purposes. Originally known as the
Jewson Novices' Chase, the race was elevated from Grade 2 to Grade 1
status in 2014, at which point it was renamed the JLT Novices Chase
to reflect the new sponsors,
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Jardine Lloyd Thompson
(JLT). Marsh & McLennan acquired JLT in 2019, resulting in
another name change, to the Marsh Novices' Chase, the following year.
Turners took over sponsorship in 2022.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The intermediate
distance of the Turners Novices' Chase is ideal for novices' who lack
the speed required for the Arkle Challenge Trophy, over 2 miles,
and/or the stamina required for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase,
over 3 miles. In its relatively short history, Willie Mullins has won
the race four times, courtesy of Sir Des Champs (2012), Vautour
(2015), Black Hercules (2016) and Yorkhill (2017) and is the leading
trainer in its history.
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Willie Mullins also has
plenty of live contenders for the 2023 renewal, including the current
ante-post favourite, Sir Gerhard, Appreciate It and El Fabiolo. It
will be interesting to see how the pecking order in the division
develops by the time 1.30pm on Thursday, March 17 rolls around.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-91903641752370436732022-10-14T03:49:00.006+01:002023-07-26T16:36:25.702+01:00Nicky Henderson<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>In recent seasons, Nicky Henderson has
been forced to play 'second fiddle' to Irish trainers Willie Mullins
and Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival, at least as far as the
leading trainer award is concerned. However, it shouldn't be
forgotten that the 'Master of Seven Barrows', who saddled his first
Festival winner in 1985, has won the leading trainer award nine
times, most recently in 2012.<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">In fact, he is the second most
successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, behind
only Mullins, with 70 winners. Henderson has won the Champion Hurdle
a record eight times – including three years running with the
talented, but fragile, See You Then in 1985, 1986 and 1987 – the
Queen Mother Champion Chase six times and the Cheltenham Gold Cup and
the Stayers' Hurdle twice apiece. Championship races aside, Henderson
has also won the Triumph Hurdle seven times and the Coral Cup four
times; he remains the leading trainer, outright, in the history of
both races.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Apart from See You Then, other multiple
Festival winners for the yard include Bobs Worth, who won the Albert
Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in 2011, the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase in
2012 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2013, and Sprinter Sacre, who won
the Arkle Challenge Trophy in 2012 and the Queen Mother Champion
Chase twice, in 2013 and 2016. The latter remains the third
highest-rated steeplechaser in the history of Timeform, behind only
Arkle and Flyingbolt.
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-30341864797822978162022-08-17T21:59:00.000+01:002022-08-17T21:59:00.221+01:00Jamie Moore Talks Cheltenham<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mNbd_wMijBk" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Jockey Jamie Moore on the Cheltenham Festival. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-34694901016774611802022-06-16T16:25:00.001+01:002023-07-26T16:36:18.395+01:00Pat Taaffe<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Patrick 'Pat' Taaffe,
who died at the age of 62 in 1992, after undergoing a heart
transplant the previous year, will always be remembered as the man
who rode Arkle, arguably the greatest steeplechaser of all time. At
the Cheltenham Festival, Taaffe and Arkle won the RSA Insurance
Novices’ Chase in 1963, followed by the Cheltenham Gold Cup three
years running, in 1964, 1965 and 1966. However, while Arkle was,
undoubtedly, brilliant, his reputation owed much to the prodigious
talent of his regular partner.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Despite standing 6' 2"
tall, Taaffe was a consummate horseman, blessed with an innate
ability to present a horse at a steeplechase fence. All told, he rode
25 winners at the <a href="https://www.horseracingqa.com/whats-the-record-for-most-consecutive-wins-at-the-cheltenham-festival/">Cheltenham Festival</a> – all</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">bar two over the larger
obstacles – and remains the fourth most successful jockey of all
time, behind Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Tony McCoy.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a name="reply-title"></a>
Arkle aside, Taaffe also won the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase on
Coneyburrow in 1953, Solfen in 1960, Grallagh Cnoc in 1961 and Proud
Tarquin in 1970 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Fort Leney in 1968; he
remains the leading jockey in the history of both races, with five
and four wins, respectively. Alongside Barry Geraghty, Taaffe also
remains joint leading jockey in the history of the Queen Mother
Champion Chase, or the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase, as the
race was known until 1980. He recorded back-to-back victories on
Fortia in 1960 and 1961, followed by Ben Stack in 1964, Flyingbolt in
1966 amd Straight Fort in 1970. Over the smaller obstacles at the
Festival, Taaffe won a division of the Gloucestershire Hurdle, now
the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, twice, on Stroller in 1954 and
Flyingbolt in 1964.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western"><br /><br />
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-2737858036091125232022-05-17T17:23:00.001+01:002023-07-26T16:36:14.368+01:00Nicky Henderson<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Nicky Henderson: “It's
getting a bit ridiculous, really.”<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Nicholas John ‘Nicky’
Henderson is the most successful trainer in the history of the
Cheltenham Festival with 51 victories, including the Champion Hurdle
(three times), the World Hurdle (twice) and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Having ridden 75 winners as an amateur jockey, Henderson began his
training career as assistant to the legendary Fred Winter at Uplands,
Lambourn in 1974, before taking out a training licence at nearby
Windsor House four years later.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Henderson recorded his
first win at the Cheltenham Festival in 1985, when the fragile See
You Then powered clear on the run-in to win the Champion Hurdle. See
You Then was to win the Champion Hurdle again in 1986, and in 1987,
joining Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken and Persian War as the fourth horse
to win the race three years running. Following a move to Seven
Barrows, just north of Lambourn, in 1992, Henderson has continued to
churn out Cheltenham Festival winners year after year.
</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Now 63, he has won all
eleven of the Grade 1 races staged over the four days and has won the
Irish Independent Leading Trainer Award no fewer than nine times. On
the second day of the Cheltenham Festival in 2012 he saddled four
winners, Finian’s Rainbow in the Queen Mother Champion Chase,
Simonsig in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, Bobs
Worth in the RSA Chase and Une Artiste in the Fred Winter Juvenile
Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at cumulative odds of 3,381/1. A record
seven winners, in total, that year took him clear of another National
Hunt legend, Fulke Winner, as the most successful trainer of all time
at the Cheltenham Festival.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The following year, he
sent out another four Cheltenham Festival winners and, although just
denied by Willie Mullins in his quest for his tenth Irish Independent
Leading Trainer Award, he had the satisfaction of becoming the first
trainer to saddle 50 winners at the Festival, courtesy of Bobs Worth
in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Prior to the 2014
Cheltenham Festival, Henderson acknowledged that his team was
weakened by the absence of Sprinter Sacre, whom he described as
‘missing 10%’ after being pulled up at Kempton over Christmas
amid fears of an irregular heartbeat, Simonsig, out for the season
after developing a splint on his near fore, and Long Run, who ran in
the Grand National instead. Nevertheless, he still saddled a total of
fifteen runners who came home in the first six, including Whisper,
the winner of the hugely competitive Coral Cup on the second day.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Former Cheltenham Gold
Cup winner Long Run may not be quite the force of old but, no doubt
Nicky Henderson will be doing everything in his power to make sure
that Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig are 100% for their return next
season. Established stars, such as Bobs Worth, My Tent Or Yours and
Whisper, to name but a few, should ensure that Henderson remains a
force to be reckoned with at the Cheltenham Festival but, as ever,
he’s unlikely to rush them or any of his other horses. His patient
training methods mean that many of his charges peak late in the
season, in March or April, which is definitely a contributory factor
in his success at the Cheltenham Festival. </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-61697473014476169682022-02-22T16:23:00.002+00:002023-07-26T16:36:10.310+01:00Katchit <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The winner of just one
of is 14 starts for Mick Channon, and two more for Alan King, on the
Flat as a two- and three-year-old, Katchit proved something of a
revelation when sent over hurdles at the start of the 2006/07
National Hunt season. Ridden by Robert 'Chocolate' Thornton, as he
was in all bar two of his 24 hurdles starts, Katchit opened his
account at the first time of asking, winning a juvenile novices'
hurdle at Market Rasen by 9 lengths eased down. Indeed, over the next
two seasons, he would win ten of his 13 starts, including twice at
the Cheltenham Festival, finish second twice and third once.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Fresh from a 1<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">¾-length
</span>victory over previous Grade One winner Good Bye Simon in the
Finesse Juvenile Hurdle the previous January, Katchit was sent off
11/2 second-favourite for a competitive, 23-runner renewal of the
Triumph Hurdle, over the same course and distance, on his first
appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in 2007. Competitive on paper,
that is, because Katchit drew clear in the closing stages for an
impressive, 9-length victory.</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The following season he
returned to the Cheltenham Festival, attempting to become the first
Triumph Hurdle winner since Kribensis, in 1990, to win the Champion
Hurdle. After suffering defeats by Harchibald and Osana, both of whom
reopposed, earlier in the season, Katchit was sent off at 10/1
joint-fifth choice of the market behind 2/1 favourite Sizing Europe.
However, with the market leader suffering an injury in-running, on
4lb better terms, Katchit managed to reverse earlier International
Hurdle form with Osana to the tune of 9 lengths, to win, all out, by
a length. In so doing, he became the first five-year-old to win the
Champion Hurdle since See You Then in 1985.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-70030907159842326982022-01-05T21:47:00.001+00:002023-07-26T16:36:00.267+01:00Goshen<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>So far, Goshen has made
just one appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, where he was sent off
heavily-backed 5/2 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle in 2020 after
wide-margin wins, all at long odds-on, at Fontwell, Sandown and
Ascot. Indeed, the four-year-old gelding appeared set for another
when approaching the final flight in the Triumph Hurdle with a
commanding, 10-length lead. However, he failed to pick up when asked
to do so by jockey Jamie Moore and made what, under different
circumstances, might have been just an awkward, untidy mistake. Worse
was to follow, though; on landing, his off-back and off-fore legs
became tangled together, albeit momentarily, and his back legs
skidded, unbalancing Moore sufficiently to send him crashing to the
Prestbury Park turf.<p></p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Despite that
heartbreaking defeat, Goshen still finished his first season over
hurdles with a Timeform Annual Rating of 161p – identical to
Epatante, winner of the Champion Hurdle – and is currently quoted
as 8/1 co-second favourite for 2021 renewal of the two-mile hurdling
championship. Goshen ran twice on the Flat in 2020, at Haydock in
September and Goodwood in October, and was beaten favourite on both
occasions. He missed intended engagements at Wincanton and Ascot in
November, as the result of unsuitable going and an unsatisfactory
scope, but was reported 'absolutely fine' by trainer Gary Moore. All
being well, Goshen could start his 2020/21 hurdling campaign in the
Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in late November or, failing that,
in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month.
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-17899986127301275982021-12-13T00:41:00.003+00:002023-07-26T16:34:49.972+01:00Cheltenham Gold Cup 2022<p>
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The 2022 renewal of Cheltenham Gold Cup
is scheduled for Friday, March 18 so, at the time of writing, is
still a little over three months away. The picture will, no doubt,
become clearer after the two key trials over the festive period, the
King George VI Chase at Kempton Park and the Savills Chase at
Leopardstown, but the ante-post market for the Cheltenham Gold Cup is
already well formed.<p></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Last year's runner-up, A Plus Tard
(3/1), trained by Henry de Bromhead, was promoted to favouritism
after an impressive, 22-length victory in the Betfair Chase at
Haydock Park on his reappearance in November. However, with three of
the seven runners, including Bristol De Mai, failing to complete the
course, he may have been flattered and it'll be interesting to see
how he fares in defence of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Last year's winner, Minella Indo (5/1),
a stable companion of A Plus Tard, reportedly caught out his trainer
by how badly he needed his reappearance, when only third of five,
beaten 5 lengths, behind Frodon in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at
Down Royal in October. De Bromhead said afterwards that he looked
forward to taking the winner on again 'some day', which may well be
Boxing Day at Kempton Park. Minella Indo has done precious little
wrong at the Cheltenham Festival, winning either side of an agonising
defeat in the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase in 2020, and must have
every chance of defending his Gold Cup crown.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Beyond the market leaders, Al Boum
Photo (20/1), trained by Willie Mullins, appears to have been all but
written off by the bookmakers. The winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup
in 2019 and 2020 and third last year when, according to his trainer,
'...he didn't fire as well as he has', Al Boum will be a 10-year-old
by the time the 'Blue Riband' rolls around. If he were to win, he
would become the oldest winner since Cool Dawn in 1998 but, with
Mullins plotting a 'different route' for him this season, stranger
things gave happened.</p><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-55476268847399380382021-10-14T03:48:00.002+01:002021-10-14T03:48:00.167+01:00Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results: Day Four<p> 13:20 Triumph Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Quilixios (Rachael Blackmore) 7/4</p><p>Adagio (T Scudamore) 17/2</p><p>Haut En Couleurs (P Townend) 14/1</p><p><br /></p><p>13:55 County Handicap Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Belfast Banter (KC Sexton) 33/1</p><p>Petit Mouchoir (J C Gainford) 22/1</p><p>Milkwood (RT Dunne) 28/1</p><p><br /></p><p>14:30 Novices’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Vanillier (MP Walsh) 14/1</p><p>Oscar Elite (Jonjo O’Neill Jr) 40/1</p><p>Streets of Doyen (SD Torrens) 10/1</p><p><br /></p><p>15:05 The Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Minella Indo (JW Kennedy) 9/1</p><p>A Plus Tard (Rachael Blackmore) 3/1</p><p>Al Boum Photo (P Townend) 9/4 Fav</p><p><br /></p><p>15:40 Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Porlock Bay (Lorcan Williams) 16/1</p><p>Billaway (P Townend) 2/1 Fav</p><p>Staker Wallace (MP Walsh) 9/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:15 Mares’ Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Colreevy (P Townend) 9/4</p><p>Elimay (MP Walsh) 6/5 Fav</p><p>Shattered Love (JW Kennedy) 6/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:50 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Galopin Des Champs (SF O’Keefe) 8/1</p><p>Langer Dan (Lorcan Williams) 13/2</p><p>Floueur (Paul O’Brien) 33/1</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-37668367879118135762021-09-22T03:47:00.002+01:002021-09-22T03:47:00.178+01:00Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results: Day Three<p> 13:20 Novices’ Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Chantry House (Nico de Boinville) 9/1</p><p>Fusil Raffles (DA Jacob) 14/1</p><p>Asterion Forlonge (P Townend) 14/1</p><p><br /></p><p>13:55 Pertemps Network Final</p><p><br /></p><p>Mrs Milner (BJ Cooper) 12/1</p><p>The Bosses Oscar (JC Gainford) 10/3 Fav</p><p>Come On Teddy (JJ Burke) 10/1</p><p><br /></p><p>14:30 The Ryanair Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Allaho (Rachael Blackmore) 3/1 Fav</p><p>Fakir D’Oundaires (MP Walsh) 11/2</p><p>Tornado Flayer (DE Mullins) 25/1</p><p><br /></p><p>15:05 Stayers’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Flooring Porter (D Mullins) 12/1</p><p>Sire Du Berlais (Mark Walsh) 5/1</p><p>Paisley Park (Aidan Coleman) 9/4 Fav</p><p><br /></p><p>15:40 Stable Plate</p><p><br /></p><p>The Shunter (JC Gainford) 9/4 Fav</p><p>Farclas (JW Kennedy) 5/1</p><p>Top Notch (Luca Morgan) 50/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:15 Mares Novices’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Telmesomethinggirl (Rachael Blackmore) 5/1</p><p>Magic Daze (RM Power) 22/1</p><p>Mighty Blue (JJ Slevin) 12/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:50 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup</p><p><br /></p><p>Mount Ida (JW Kennedy) 3/1 Fav</p><p>Cloudy Glen (RT Dunne) 33/1</p><p>Shantou Flyer (H Cobden) 11/2</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-56921936493549863742021-08-11T03:47:00.003+01:002021-08-11T03:47:00.202+01:00Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results: Day Two<p> 13:20 Novices’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Bob Olinger (Rachael Blackmore) 6/4 Fav</p><p>Gaillard Du Mesnil (P Townend) 9/4</p><p>Bravemansgame (H Cobden) 4/1</p><p><br /></p><p>13:55 Novices’ Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Monkfish (P Townend) 1/4 Fav</p><p>Fiddlerontheroof (RM Power) 40/1</p><p>The Big Breakaway (H Cobden) 12/1</p><p><br /></p><p>14:30 Handicap Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Heaven Help Us (RJ Condon) 33/1</p><p>Craigneiche (Tom Cannon) 17/2</p><p>Tea Clipper (JJ Burke) 33/1</p><p><br /></p><p>15:05 Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Put The Kettle On (Aidan Coleman) 17/2</p><p>Nube Negra (Harry Skelton) 11/1</p><p>Chacun Pour Soi (P Townend) 8/13 Fav</p><p><br /></p><p>15:40 Cross Country Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Tiger Roll (KM Donoghue) 9/2</p><p>Easyland (Felix de Giles) 1/1 Fav</p><p>Some Neck (R Johnson) 17/2</p><p><br /></p><p>16:15 Grand Annual Handicap Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Sky Pirate (Nick Scholfield) 14/1</p><p>Entoucas (MP Walsh) 7/1</p><p>Ibleo (Charlie Deutsch) 9/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:50 Champion Bumper</p><p><br /></p><p>Sir Gerhard (Rachael Blackmore) 2/1</p><p>Kilcruit (P Townend) 10/11 Fav</p><p>Elle Est Belle (Harry Skelton) 16/1</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-20256917301973229812021-07-11T03:46:00.004+01:002021-07-11T03:46:53.297+01:00Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results: Day One<p> 13:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Appreciate It (P Townend) 8/11 Fav</p><p>Ballyadam (JW Kennedy) 6/1</p><p>Blue Lord (DA Jacob) 11/1</p><p><br /></p><p>13:55 Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Shiskin (Nico De Boinville) 4/9 Fav</p><p>Eldorado Allen (H Cobden) 33/1</p><p>Allmankind (Harry Skelton) 5/1</p><p><br /></p><p>14:30 Handicap Steeple Chase</p><p><br /></p><p>Vintage Clouds (Ryan Mania) 28/1</p><p>Happygolucky (David Bass) 10/3</p><p>Aye Right (R Johnson) 11/2</p><p><br /></p><p>15:05 Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy</p><p><br /></p><p>Honeysuckle (Rachel Blackmore) 11/10 Fav</p><p>Sharjah (P Townend) 11/1</p><p>Epatante (Aidan Coleman) 4/1</p><p><br /></p><p>15:40 The Mares’ Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Black Tears (JW Kennedy) 11/1</p><p>Concertista (P Townend) 10/11 Fav</p><p>Roksana (Harry Skelton) 3/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:15 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle</p><p><br /></p><p>Jeff Kidder (SW Flanagan) 80/1</p><p>Saint Sam (P Townend) 9/2 Fav</p><p>Elham Valley (PJ Brennan) 66/1</p><p><br /></p><p>16:50 The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup</p><p><br /></p><p>Galvin (J W Kennedy) 7-2</p><p>Next Destination (H Cobden) 3-1</p><p>Escaria Ten (Adrian Heskin) 11-4 Fav</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-9163516404463524142021-05-01T21:50:00.001+01:002023-07-26T16:34:37.025+01:00Cheltenham Art<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-24537329043240080942021-03-22T07:05:00.005+00:002023-07-26T16:34:31.030+01:00Gold Cup: Minella Indo wins historic treble at Cheltenham<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: Cambria, serif;">Minella
Indo emerged victorious in a fantastic Cheltenham Gold Cup under
rider Jack Kennedy to deny Blackmore’s A PlusTard in a 1-2 for
trainer Bromhead.</span><p></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
win completed a historic treble for the Irish horse trainer, who also
won the Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
9-1 chance Indo emerged victorious by only one and a quarter length
with 2-time champion Al Boum Photo in third place.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Blackmore,
who happens to be the top 2021 Cheltenham rider with six victories -
was hoping to emerge the first female horse jockey to win.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Selecting
A PlusTard ahead of </span></span><a href="https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/1879064/minella-indo"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Minella
Indo</span></span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">
was perhaps trailblazing Blackmore's only wrong choice of the racing
week, but it was indeed an emotional triumph for Kennedy.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
21-year-old jockey, who has sustained a broken leg on four occasions
in his brief career said: "I can't believe it. This is what I
have dreamed of as a child,"</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a name="Bookmark"></a>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">"It
could always be lot worse - broken legs and broken collarbones will
heal. It's obviously unfortunate, but you have to get on with it.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">"It's
definitely the best day of my life. I know I'm still young, but I
suppose I have been in the position where I could have been winning
them for a couple of years, so to get it done is brilliant."</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Happy
De Bromhead, who emerged victorious at Queen Mother Champion Chase
with Put the Kettle On, on Wednesday, was left to absorb what he had
achieved at </span></span><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Cheltenham</span></span></span><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
48-year-old who trains his horse at Knockeen said: "It's all
come together here and it's fantastic,"</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">"To
win a Cheltenham Gold Cup is something you dream about. I think I'm
still in my hotel, it's Monday evening and I'm about wake-up and
nothing's even started yet. That's where I'm at at the moment, it's
brilliant."</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Native
River, the 2018 winner, came fourth and Frodo emerged fifth, while
last year's RSA Chase victor Champ and the runner-up at 2020 Gold
Cup,Santini, pulled up, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise as
</span></span><a href="https://www.boylesports.com/sports/horse-racing"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">BoyleSports
horse racing</span></span></a><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">
already included them in their odds.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Blackmore
was handed a 2-day suspension for making use of her whip above the
authorized level from turning in.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">A
total number of twelve runners went to post, and Bryony Frost was the
early leader from the front on the 6-time Cheltenham victorFrodon.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
2019 and 2020 winner Al Boum Photo was one of many traveling fluidly,
along with his Willie Mullins-trained mate Kemboy, as the race
evolved.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Blackmore,
who emerged the first female rider to win the Champion Hurdle after
triumphing with Honeysuckle during the week, was another going pretty
well on her A PlusTard.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Frodo
started to fade two fences from home and Minella Indo, placed second
to Champ at Cheltenham in 2020, overtook and could not be caught even
up the hill.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Cheltenham
Festival-winning jockey, Katie Walsh, said on BBC Radio 5 Live
that </span></span></em><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Jack
Kennedy is a great rider and has been riding out his heart out.
Although he had suffered horrible injuries in the past but is a
fantastic Irish talent who deserved the win.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">The
last day of the 2021 </span></span><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Cheltenham </span></span></span><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Festival
followed the same pattern of the last three days with Irish horses
taking full control.</span></span></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-62782970985602962682021-03-01T00:32:00.000+00:002021-03-02T15:09:41.165+00:00Paul Nicholls - The Festival<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hlrljDyR1S0" width="560"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-37844279530131363862021-02-16T00:33:00.001+00:002023-07-26T16:34:22.494+01:00Cheltenham Gold Cup 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup, sponsored
by Betfred, featured nine runners and was won, in convincing style,
by Bobs Worth, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Barry
Geraghty. In so doing, the 11/4 favourite was completing a notable
Cheltenham Festival treble, having won the Albert Bartlett Novices’
Hurdle in 2011 and the RSA Chase in 2012.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Bobs Worth ran just twice during the
2012/13 season, readily accounting for Tidal Bay by 3¼ lengths in
the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on his seasonal reappearance in
December before lining up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 104 days later.
His main opposition came from stable companion, and King George VI
Chase winner, Long Run, who started 7/2 second favourite, and Betfair
Chase winner Silviniaco Conti and Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner Sir
Des Champs, who were sent off at 4/1 joint third favourites.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Early on the second circuit, Long Run
was in the lead, jumping well, although hotly pursued by Sir Des
Champs in a close second. Silviniaco Conti fell at the third last,
when still travelling well and, in so doing, hampered Bobs Worth, who
was 8 lengths down at that point. Briefly, it appeared that Long Run
and Sir Des Champs may have the race between them, but Bobs Worth
came with a strong run approaching the second last, jumped the final
fence in front and powered clear on the run-in to beat Sir Des Champs
by 7 lengths, with Long Run a further 2¾ lengths in third.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Winning trainer Nicky Henderson had
always expressed his concern that Bobs Worth would be better on good
going, rather than the prevailing soft going. That sentiment was
echoed by a nonetheless delighted Barry Geraghty, who said of Bobs
Worth, “He’s a great attitude, he struggled on the ground but he
kept fighting. I was hunting and I knew coming into the second last I
would win. He's as game as a lion and he loves the job.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Hailed by Henderson as “amazing, an
absolute legend”, Bobs Worth was retired from racing in 2016 and
has since enjoyed a happy retirement with Tracy Vigors at Hillwood
Stud.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-31902553352112135762020-12-28T21:54:00.008+00:002020-12-28T21:54:01.394+00:00Cheltenham Festival 2021 - Ones to Watch<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MQerkF2cUNo" width="560"></iframe><div><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto"> </span></div><div><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Oddschecker columnist Andy Holding and racing journalist Ed Quigley discuss ones to watch in the lead up to the 2021 Cheltenham Festival</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7772937162693422926.post-19455991868196575082020-10-15T22:45:00.001+01:002023-07-26T16:34:16.121+01:00Cheltenham Festival 2019
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Two
of the showpiece events, the Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold
Cup, proved anti-climactic, at least as far as the market leaders
were concerned, but the Cheltenham Festival in 2019 still produced
four days of exhilarating racing. Indeed, Espoir D’Allen may have
been sent off at 16/1 against the likes of Buveur D’Air, Apple’s
Jade and Laurina in the Champion Hurdle, but recorded an
authoritative, 15-length win and looked every inch a top-class
hurdler. He was one of five winners during the week for leading owner
John P. McManus.<br />
<br />
Similarly,
in the ‘Blue Riband’ event, Al Boum Photo was only third choice
of four entries from Willie Mullins’ Co. Carlow stable, but the
seven-year-old fared by far the best of the quartet, travelling
sweetly under jockey Paul Townend and staying on strongly from the
final fence to beat Anibale Fly by 2½ lengths. The 12/1 chance was a
first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner for Mullins, who had saddled the
runner-up on six previous occasions and later admitted that he had
‘probably resigned’ himself to never winning the race.<br />
<br />
Elsewhere,
it was ‘business as usual’ for Altior, who won the Queen Mother
Champion Chase for the second year running and, in so doing, equalled
the record of 18 consecutive victories. That said, on officially
‘soft’ going, the 4/11 chance had to work a little harder than
usual under Nico De Boinville – leading jockey of the week with
four winners – knuckling down well in the closing stages to beat
Politologue by 1¾ lengths after being narrowly headed at the final
fence. The remaining ‘championship’ race, the Stayers’ Hurdle,
fell to a new champion, Paisley Park, who justified favouritism to
cap a brilliant, unbeaten season for trainer Emma Lavelle and owner
Andrew Gemmell.<br />
<br />
Other
headline-makers at Prestbury Park included Frodon and Bryony Frost,
who became the first female jockey to record a Grade One victory at
the Cheltenham Festival when partnering Paul Nicholls’
seven-year-old to a game, 1¼-length win in the Ryanair Chase. Bryony
Frost was joined in the winners’ enclosure by Rachael Blackmore
(twice) and Lizzie Kelly, as female jockeys collectively recorded
four wins at the Festival for the second year running.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0