Cheltenham Festival: Day Three wrap
On a fairly catastrophic days for the bookies in which three short-priced favourites were cheered into the winner’s enclosure, the Colin Tizzard-trained Thistlecrack won the feature World Hurdle doing handstands under Tom Scudamore.
Ruby Walsh added another three winners to his CV to bring his tally for the week to seven and his career total to an astonishing 52. His big winner of the day was on board Vautour, a controversial winner of the Ryanair Chase, which he won at his leisure. Black Hercules had got Walsh off the mark in the JLT Novices’ Chase, while odds-on shot Limini obliged at her leisure in the inaugural runner of the Mares’ Hurdle.
Davy Russell had a controversial start to the day, finding himself unseated at the start of the opener only for his luck to change when he took advantage of interference suffered by If In Doubt to win the Pertemps Final on board Mall Dini. Elsewhere, Bryan Cooper got the Gigginstown stud off the mark with his win in the Brown Advisory Plate, while Cause Of Cause and amateur rider Jamie Codd took the closing race, the Kim Muir.
Sadly, an otherwise good day for punters was marred by further tragedy when Niceonfrankie lost his life in the Brown Advisory Plate, becoming the fifth horse to die during the past three days of Festival racing. Join us tomorrow on Victoria Pendleton Day, where racecourse officials may also find time to run the Gold Cup.
On a St Patrick’s Day when Irish-trained horses won six of the seven races, the score is now: Ireland 10-9 United Kingdom in the Betbright Cup.
Updated
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30) result
1 Cause Of Causes (Mr J J Codd) 9-2
2 A Good Skin (Mr M Legg) 14-1
3 Silvergrove (Mr Tom David) 16-1
4 Knock House (Ms N Carberry) 16-1
22 ran
Also: 4-1 Fav Doctor Harper
Non Runners: 23,24
CSF: 60.03
Tricast: 976.89
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
Cause Of Causes came from nowhere to win that race, zooming up the outside like a train to win at his leisure. A Good Skin was second and - I think - Silver Grove was third. Confirmation of that in a moment.
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
Amigo leaps the second last with Cause Of Causes surging up on his outside. Cause Of Causes hoses home to win by 15 or 20 lengths under Jamie Codd to give trainer Gordon Ellioott another winner. Cause Of Causes wins the Kim Muir.
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
They head out for the final circuit as Mon Perrain leads them along with Amigo upsides him. Mont Perrain starts going backwards as Amigo leads. Top Wood and Lost Legend fall as Amigo sets sail for home. Amigo leads by three lengths from Silver Grove ...
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
Splash Of Ginge, Silver Grove, Amigo, The Giant Bolster, Mon Parrain make the running, while Doctor Harper remains towards the back of the field. No fallers yet ....
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30) 3m 2f
Oh jayzus! They’re sent away in the Kim Muir and Doctor Harper gives the first fence a mighty clatter, but manages to stay on his feet. That’s got to have taken the wind out of his sails, in so far as he had any wind in his sails at that early stage. He’s among the rear four at the moment. Splash Of Ginge leads from Silver Grove, with Amigo in third and The Giant Bolster in fourth on the wide outside ...
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30) betting
- Doctor Harper 7-2
- Cause Of Causes 11-2
- Upswing 8-1
- The Giant Bolster 9-1
- Sambremont 14-1
- Silvergrove 16-1
- A Good Skin 14-1
- Knock House 16-1
- Indian Castle 16-1
Preview: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
A staying handicap chase for amateur riders which has had some significance as a Grand National trial. David Pipe reckoned Doctor Harper was his best chance of a winner this week, which is encouraging, in view of Pipe’s having had another winner already. Cause Of Causes won the four-mile novice chase at the last Festival and looks really quite improbably well treated at the weights. Upswing represents the Jonjo O’Neill / Derek O’Connor team that won Tuesday’s amateur race. Sambremont has won his last two and is the Mullins runner, being ridden by the trainer’s son, Patrick. At 20-1, Indian Castle runs from a 6lb lower mark than two years ago, when he started favourite for this. He wears cheekpieces for only the second time and comes from a yard that had a winner here on Tuesday.
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) result
1 Limini (R Walsh) 8-11 Fav
2 Dusky Legend (Wayne Hutchinson) 50-1
3 Bloody Mary (B J Geraghty) 7-1
16 ran
Also: 25-1 Robins Reef 4th
Non Runner: 13
CSF: 65.66
Tricast: 194.65
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) 2m 1f
Ruby gives Limini a squeeze and she leads over the last. She wins pulling a milk-float. Limini wins the Mares’ Novice Hurdle and there’ll be bookies throwing off the roof of the grandstand after that result. Dusky Legend was second and Bloody Mary was third.
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) 2m 1f
Smart Talk leads, but only just, from Tea In Transvaal, followed by Bloody Mary. Smart Talk is being ridden along, then it’s Ducky Legend and Limini. Robins Reef and Dusky Legend are coming into it and they’ve one to jump ...
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) 2m 1f
Smart Talk continues to lead from Transvaal, with Bloody Mary up in third. Limini is still fourth or fifth with three to jump ...
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) 2m 1f
They’re off and running in the first running of a race many have dismissed as ridiculous and one that should have no place at the Cheltenham Festival. I have no strong views one way or the other, but the pot of £42,000 for the winner is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Limini goes off favourite, as Tea In Transvaal and Smart Talk make the running. Limini is nicely placed in fourth ...
Mares' Novice Hurdle (4.50) betting
- Limini 4-7
- Smart Talk 7-1
- Bloody Mary 12-1
- CHocca Wocca 16-1
- Tea In Transval 22-1
- Whistle Dixie 33-1
- Robins Reef 25-1
The bookies are taking a hiding ...
“I just don’t know how the bookmakers can come back from this,” says professional punter and Racing UK betting analyst Dave Nevison, after the bookies took another pasting today. With Limini and a well-backed Martin Pipe horse to go off as favourites in the next two races, things could get a lot worse for them before they get better. Boo-hoo!
Another equine fatality being reported ...
Racing UK have extended their sympathies to the connections of Niceonefrankie, who they say has lost his life after falling in the Brown Advisory Plate. If true, that brings the number of fatalities in this year’s Festival to a rather depressing five.
Preview: Mares Novice Hurdle (4.50)
A new race for this Festival which has been invented so that Willie Mullins can win something. And, oh look, he’s got the favourite. His Limini, unbeaten in two over hurdles, is handsomely bred, being by an Arc winner out of a half-sister to an Irish Oaks winner. Smart Talk is slightly higher in the ratings but has had six starts over hurdles and probably has less potential to improve on what she’s shown so far. Bloody Mary won well on her British debut last month, having run up a sequence of wins in her native France. Her trainer, Nicky Henderson, also has Chocca Wocca, the first foal out of Chomba Womba, who ran third at the Festival eight years ago.
A lot of falls in that race ...
And many of them were fairly unpleasant. Peter Carberry took quite a bad spill off Bear’s Affair and was still receiving treatment for sometime after the race ended, but was fit enough to walk back to the weighing room look little more than winded. There is one - as yet unidentified - horse still receiving veterinary attention on the course. Fingers crossed and more on that as we get it ...
Updated
Brown Advisory Plate (4.10) result
1 Empire Of Dirt (B J Cooper) 16-1
2 Tango De Juilley (J W Kennedy) 33-1
3 Kings Palace (T Scudamore) 11-1
4 Full Shift (M P Walsh) 7-1
22 ran
Also: 11-2 Jt Fav Johns Spirit, Stilletto
Non Runners: 2,21
CSF: 471.74
Tricast: 5978.41
Updated
Brown Advisory Plate (4.10) 2m 5f
Sew On Target continues to make the running as Nice One Frankie falls . Sew On Target from Kings Palace, with Bailey Green in third. Empire Of Dirt looks a big threat on the outside as he joins King’s Palace before going into the lead. Empire Of Dirt and King’s Palace take the final fence together, but Empire Of Dirt goes clear on the run-in to win for Gigginstown Stud under a fine, patient ride from Bryan Cooper. Empire Of Dirt wins the Brown Advisory Plate.
Brown Advisory Plate (4.10) 2m 5f
Stiletto falls early doors, unshipping Sam Twiston-Davies, as Sew On Target leads them along, followed by Nice One Frankie, Kings Palace and Darna. Darna falls and brings down another runner ...
Brown Advisory Plate (4.10) 2m 5f
We’re more than halfway through the 28-race card for this year’s Festival and the starter calls them back after several horses canter towards the tapes, leaving Robbie Supple , the man with the flag, with no choice but to call them back. After administering a bollocking to several riders for not obeying his instructions, he sends them on their way from a standing start ...
Jockey change
Mark Walsh rides Full Shift in place of Barry Geraghty, who can’t make the weight.
Brown Advisory Plate (4.10)
- Johns Spirit 11-2
- Fingal Bay 8-1
- Stilleto 8-1
- Full Shift 13-2*
- Kings Palace 12-1
- Art Mauresque 12-1
- Ballycasey 12-1
- Salubrious 16-1
- Empire Of Dirt 16-1
20-1 bar
Preview: Brown Advisory Plate (4.10)
Another tough handicap, in which two of the last three winners were returned at 33-1 and 50-1. The favourite is Johns Spirit, three times a winner round here, though he has yet to make an impact at the Festival. A series of poor runs have brought him down to a very reasonable weight. Fingal Bay is a Festival handicap winner over hurdles, fairly weighted and now sporting both blinkers AND a tongue tie, neither of which have been used on him before. He has not seemed a natural over fences, however. Stilletto has a classy and progressive profile, though this is a huge step up on the contests he has been in so far. Darna won this last year and is only 4lb higher now.
Updated
THISTLECRACK is imperious as he powers to win The World Hurdle at #CheltenhamFestival https://t.co/Zc5zxiWsvz
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) March 17, 2016
World Hurdle (3.30) result
1 Thistlecrack (T Scudamore) Evens Fav
2 Alpha Des Obeaux (B J Cooper) 8-1
3 Bobs Worth (D Bass) 33-1
12 ran
Also: 15-2 Cole Harden 4th
Non Runner: 12
Tote: win 1.70 places 1.10 2.70 6.90
Tote Exacta: 9.80
CSF: 8.82
Tricast: 170.82
Winning jockey Tom Scudamore speaks
“I spend my whole life running around in races like this: Gold Cups, Champion Hurdles ... and now this,” he says. “I never realised it could be so easy. What a horse! What a horse! Wherever he goes I’ll be following him, that’s for sure.”
Updated
World Hurdle (3.30) 3m
Thistlecrack pulls clear of Alpha Des Obeaux and pings the last to win the World Hurdle without coming off the bridle. He wins by eight lengths from Alpha Des Obeaux, with Bob’s Worth well back in third. Thistlecrack wins the World Hurdle at a canter.
World Hurdle (3.30) 3m
Cole Harden leads at the top of the hill with two to jump. Thistlecrack is looming on his shoulder, while Alpha Des Obeaux is also nicely placed ...
World Hurdle (3.30) 3m
Cole Harden, from Kilcooley, then Thislecrack and Martello Tower. At Fishers Cross has been pulled up ...
World Hurdle (3.30) 3m
Knockarra Beau is already struggling and is being scrubbed along by Liam Treadwell, while COle Harden continues to make the running. Thistlecrack is handily placed in fourth with sixth to jump. Cole Harden leads from Kilcooley and Martello Tower ...
World Hurdle (3.30) 3m
The starter gets them away in the feature race of the day, with last year’s winner Cole Harden making the running alongside Knockarra Bow. It’s Knockarra Beau and Cole Harden, lead from Kilcooley, with Saphir Du Rheu, Martello Tour and and Whisper also prominent ...
World Hurdle (3.30) betting
- Thistlecrack 11-10
- Cole Harden 7-1
- Alpha Des Obeaux 8-1
- Whisper 10-1
- Saphir Du Rheu 11-1
- Aix Ptits Soins 16-1
- Kilcooley 20-1
- Martello Tower 20-
Reckon Mullins now trails Nicholls by appx £270,000 in NH trainer’s title race. Gold Cup win would take him into the lead as things stand.
— Greg Wood (@Greg_Wood_) March 17, 2016
Vautour takes flight in Ryanair
Vautour justified the late decision to bypass the Timico Gold Cup by running away with the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham. Scoring at the Festival for the third time in a row, the even-money favourite was giving trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh their sixth winner of the 2016 meeting.
Village Vic did the majority of the donkey work until Walsh asked Vautour to go about his business after the fifth-last fence. Road To Riches, who was also switched from the Gold Cup, tried to serve it up to the Rich Ricci-owned Vautour but it cost him second place. Six lengths away, Valseur Lido snatched the runner-up spot for Mullins and Gigginstown House Stud by half a length from Road To Riches, also carrying the colours of Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary. Al Ferof ran a creditable race in fourth.
“We went a good old gallop, he travelled well and jumped like a buck,” said Ruby Walsh.
“He lengthened his stride off the bend and while he was tight at the last two, he was deadly at them. He’s a pleasure to ride - we’ve had a fair battle with him since Christmas, but he was spectacular today.”
On Vautour’s well-being leading up to the meeting and the decision to swerve the Gold Cup, Walsh said: “If you were watching him at home I’m not sure you’d even have run him in the Ryanair. He worked half alright on Saturday morning, I wouldn’t say he worked well. If you’d watched him up until then - I’d written him off in my mind, but Willie gets it right doesn’t he?”
Updated
Preview: World Hurdle (3.30)
One possible source of concern for fans of Thistlecrack, the hot favourite, is a stat published by Narrowing The Field this week, noting that his jockey, Tom Scudamore, has never ridden a Festival winner over hurdles, despite having had eight successes over fences. His losing run over hurdles is now into the 90s, apparently, though his hurdles record around Cheltenham for the rest of the year is perfectly acceptable. I’d say it’s not a very meaningful stat but it’s still a bit of an eyebrow-raiser. Thistlecrack is massively improved this year and ought to win. He has established form on this sort of surface. Cole Harden made all to win this last year and has excuses for his two defeats this season, but you’d imagine the others won’t let him off the leash this time. Paul Nicholls fields a classy pair in Saphir Du Rheu, second last year, and Aux Ptits Soins, unseen since winning a handicap at the last Festival.
Ryanair Chase (2.50) result
1 Vautour (R Walsh) Evens Fav
2 Valseur Lido (D J Mullins) 11-1
3 Road To Riches (B J Cooper) 7-1
15 ran
Also: 9-1 Al Ferof 4th
CSF: 10.23
Tricast: 56.78
Ryanair Chase (2.50) 2m 5f
Vautour destroys the opposition in the Ryanair Chase, leaping like a gazelle as he gave Ruby Walsh an armchair ride. The big question: would he have won the Gold Cup if he hadn’t been switched to this race?
Ryanair Chase (2.50) 2m 5f
Vautour takes up the running at the fourth from home and Road To Riches shadows him on his outside. They’ve two to jump and Vautour pulls away to jump the second last. Vautour clears the last four lengths clear of Road To Riches and Al Ferof. Vautour wins the Ryanair by eight ... nine ... 10 lengths.
Ryanair Chase (2.50) 2m 5f
VIllage Vic leads from Vautour, who’s travelling well. Vautour is also up there with five to jump, Village Vic from Vautour, from Road To Riches and Al Ferof. Ruby hasn’t moved a muscle on Vautour ...
Ryanair Chase (2.50) 2m 5f
Like Davy Russell in the first, I was facing the wrong way when they started, but unlike him I haven’t been thrown out the side of my conveyance (an office chair) and have managed to catch up). Village Vic leads a well-strung field from Road To Riches, Smashing, Josses Hill, Al Ferof and Vautour with 11 to jump ...
Updated
Ryanair Chase (2.50) betting
- Vautour 10-11
- Road To Riches (15-2)
- Valseur Lido 12-1
- Al Ferof 12-1
- Taquin Du Seuil 16-1
- Smashing 20-1
- Josses Hill 20-1
- VIllage Vic 20-1
- Dynaste 25-1
If you backed If In Doubt in the Pertemps ...
Give up! Just stop betting, because you’re luck’s well and truly out. Replays show that he was interfered with on three separate occasions in the closing stages of the race and he still came with a great late surge. According to Channel 4’s Mick Fitzgerald, If In Doubt’s jockey Richard Johnson, who has yet to get off the mark this week, is suitably “gutted”.
Mall Dini digs deep for Pertemps glory
Davy Russell quickly made amends for being dumped at the start of the opening race when landing a narrow success on Mall Dini in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Final at Cheltenham.
Russell had been unseated from Zabana who was sideways on when the tape went up for the JLT Novices’ Chase, but was smiling again when scoring on Patrick Kelly’s six-year-old. Flintham set a good pace until headed after the second-last by Join The Clan, who tried to set sail for home.
His challenge was short lived as the pack closed in to produce a thrilling and dramatic finish. Mall Dini (14-1) came out on top by three-quarters of a length from Arpege D’Alene (14-1) with the unlucky If In Doubt (10-1) a head away third and top-weight Taglietelle (14-1) fourth.
It was no surprise when a stewards’ inquiry was called following such a tight end to the race, but the result was soon confirmed. “He’s still a novice, all credit goes to Pat Kelly,” said Russell. “What a man. Not many people know him, he’s a very shrewd man from Galway. The tongue strap has definitely helped him, he was over-doing things a bit and not breathing properly. It’s all Pat Kelly’s doing, he knew what the horse wanted. He’s a genius. He pricked his ears at the last, when I landed I had to change my stick and he just wandered about a bit. He’s a very good horse, without a doubt.”
Preview: Ryanair Chase (2.50)
So, here it is, the most annoying race of the week, if you take a dim view of Vautour running here instead of the Gold Cup. This is certainly the easier option for him, since there is no question that he can cope with the distance. We’ll see if there is any real basis for the concern expressed by connections that he has not been sparkling in his work. I imagine it’s hard to get a big horse like him fully fit and it’ll get harder as he gets older. Road To Riches is also here, despite having run a fine third in the last Gold Cup, because his owner has other more convincing prospects for Friday’s race. This distance ought to be too sharp for him. Dynaste won this in 2014, while Taquin De Seuil won a novice race at this distance at the same Festival but both have lost their way since. Valseur Lido may have won the Irish Gold Cup last time, had he not unseated Ruby Walsh at the last. Walsh rides Vautour this time and will not want to see Valseur Lido moving up alongsides at a late stage.
Stewards' Enquiry
There’ll be a stewards’ enquiry into that race, which is unlikely to affect the winner. Interesting fact: It’s owned by Phillip Reynolds, who is the son of former Irish Taoiseach (translation: Prime Minister) Albert Reynolds. His winning horse is trained by Pat Kelly, who trains five horses in a small village outside Galway.
Pertemps FInal (4.10) result
1 Mall Dini (D N Russell) 14-1
2 Arpege D’alene (Sean Bowen) 14-1
3 If In Doubt (R Johnson) 10-1
4 Taglietelle (J W Kennedy) 14-1
24 ran
Also: 11-2 Fav Leave At Dawn
CSF: 171.98
Tricast: 2083.47
Pertemps Final (2.10) 3m
Mall Dini wins for Davy Russell, who makes up for his misfortune in the opener. If In Doubt looked all over the winner, but appeared to stumble. Mall Dini wins for trainer Patrick Kelly in the colours of JP McManus.
Pertemps Final (2.10) 3m
Join The Clan takes up the running, with Rathpatrick and If In Doubt challenging. If In Doubt stumbles and goes backwards ... Mall Dini hits the front ...
Updated
Pertemps Final (2.10) 3m
Flintham continues to lead by 10 lengths, turning the screw. Rolling Maul is next, while All Hell Let Loos is prominent at the front of the bunch behind, while Box Office is held up at the back. Un Ace, Join The Clan, Rathpatrick and Saddlers Encore are also prominent. If In Doubt is moving through the pack ...
Pertemps Final (2.10) 3m
They’re away and running without incident this time around, the 24 runners led by Flintham, who was playing up in the parade ring. He bowls along under Charlie Deutsch about 15 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. ROlling Maul is second and there’s another length or two back to a fairly tightly bunched field ...
Pertemps Final (2.10) betting
- Leave At Dawn 5-1
- Cup Final 9-1
- Our Kaempfer 9-1
- Missed Approach 10-1
- If In Doubt 10-1
- Arpege Dalene 14-1
- Taglietelle 14-1
- Sadlers Encore 16-1
If you backed Zabana ...
Assorted bookmakers have been falling over themselves to get the word out that they’ll be repaying punters who backed Zabana in the first, but many of those “generous” offers come with no end of terms, conditions and general small print attached. Any bookie with a shred of decency ought to unconditionally pay back all bets on the horse, which was left with no chance. “You might as well have thrown your money on the fire,” says Channel 4 betting analyst Brian Gleeson, who urges bookies to do the decent thing because ... let’s face it, they’ll probably get the money back again later anyway.
Updated
No labours about Hercules victory
Ruby Walsh recorded his 50th career Cheltenham Festival success when lifting Black Hercules home in the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham. Never far off the pace, the 4-1 co-favourite showed plenty of grit and determination as he gave Walsh and trainer Willie Mullins their fifth win at the meeting this week.
But there was high drama as the field got on its way when Zabana unseated Davy Russell ahead of a standing start, appearing to be cannoned into by Outlander and carrying on loose with the rest of the field. Bristol De Mai made most of the running, but faced a strong challenge after both Garde La Victoire and Outlander came down at the fourth-last. L’Ami Serge came through strongly and was upsides
Black Hercules at the final fence, with Bristol De Mai and Three Musketeers just behind. Black Hercules proved the strongest up the hill as he landed the spoils by three lengths from a rallying Bristol De Mai. L’Ami Serge was a length away in third.
“I thought he was gone at the second-last - he seemed to be wavering around a bit,” said Willie Mullins. “But once Ruby got him balanced, he just powered up the straight. He would have been too free in the four-miler, so that’s why we changed [target].” [PA Sport]
Updated
Preview: Pertemps Final (2.10)
One of the trappiest of handicaps, eight of the last 10 winners having been returned at 14-1 or bigger, up to 50-1 in one case. That klaxon you hear is a ‘Charles Byrnes alert’ because that sharpest of trainers has the favourite, Leave At Dawn, a winner here in November who can almost certainly be forgiven his Christmas defeat at Leopardstown. Arpege D’Alene is interesting, having scored cosily but by a narrow margin last time on his first run after a wind op. Missed Approach hosed up in a Newbury handicap in November but has been raised 20lb in consequence. Flintham represents the tiny yard of Mark Bradstock that won the last Gold Cup with Coneygree, a half-brother to Flintham, who wears blinkers for the first time.
That botched start ...
Davy Russell is on board the chestnut facing 90 degrees, blocking Outlander.
Been on the cards this week. Steve Mellish said on @Racing_UK: "Starter mucked up" #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/MRqzEShTA4
— Tony Paley (@tonypaley) March 17, 2016
Updated
Davy Russell speaks ...
A very forlorn looking Davy Russell has been speaking to Channel 4’s Mick Fitzgerald: “It’s a poor show,” he says. “I feel very sorry for the trainer and the owner because we thought the horse was going to run a big race today.” He goes on to say that because one horse had cantered towards the starting tapes, they had to get the horses off said tapes and the only way he could do that was by taking a turn. That’s what he did and while facing the wrong way, the tapes went up and his rivals all set off.
In the Channel 4 studios, Graham Cunningham thinks Russell was very hard done by, while Jim McGrath can’t see that the starter did a whole lot wrong, because it seems Russell just assumed he’d have to take a turn, without necessarily being told to. We’ll know more when we get a statement from the starter.
Zabana unseats Davy Russell at the start ...
The start of that opener was a complete joke. Having failed at his first attempt to get them away, the starter was obliged to call for a standing start. With Outlander and Zabana both facing the wrong way, the tapes went up and the rest of field set off. On Zabana and Outlander, Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper clearly thought they were being allowed to take a turn and had to whip their horses around to get going. Russell was unshipped, looked stunned to see that the race was going ahead in his absence and promptly stood up and flung his whip to the ground in the fury, before storming off back to the weigh room, minus the horse he’d arrived on. Priced up at 10-1 he may have been, but a lot of people fancied Zabana.
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) result
1 Black Hercules (R Walsh) 4-1 Co Fav
2 Bristol De Mai (D A Jacob) 4-1 Co Fav
3 L’Ami Serge (Nico de Boinville) 8-1
9 ran
Also: 4-1 Co Fav Garde La Victoire, 8-1 Three Musketeers 4th
Non Runner: 5
CSF: 20.27
Tricast: 120.65
Updated
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) 2m 4f
It was an incident-packed race from start to finish, but Ruby Walsh has won another - his fifth of this Festival - for trainer Willie Mullins. “I’ve been as lucky as a cut cut around here,” he says. I have no idea what that means.
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) 2m 4f
Garde De La Victoire falls, as does another whose identity I didn’t get., Black Hercules looms up on the outside of Bristol De Mai as they approach the second last. L’Ami Serge jumps the last in the lead, with Black Hercules alongside him. BNlack Hercules leads the way up the hill to win by five lengths. Black Hercules wins the JLT Novices Chase for Ruby Walsh - that’s his 50th Festival winner.
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) 2m 4f
With the loose horse galloping along in front, Bristol De Mai continues to lead, followed by Black Hercules and L’Ami Serge. They’ve four to jump ...
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) 2m 4f
Outlander was also held up at the start, but has recovered well. Bristol De Mai leads from Mount Gunnery, from Black Hercules and Outlander, while the loose horse, Zabana, is also up with the leaders but staying wild ...
JLT Novice Chase (1.30) 2m 4f
At the second attempt, they’re off and running from a messing standing start in the first race of the third days of this year’s Festival, with Garde La Victoire, Bristol De Mai and Black Hercules hard to separate in the betting. Zabana unseats Davy Russell as the tapes go up, leaving the jockey flat on his back on the ground as the rest of the field hares off into the distance. Russell won’t like that one bit - a farcical way to start the race ...
JLT Novices Chase (1.30) betting
- Garde La Victoire 4-1
- Black Hercules 5-1
- Bristol De Mai 9-2
- Outlander 11-2
- L’Ami Serge 8-1
- Zabana 9-1
- Three Musketeers 12-1
- As De Mee 28-1
- Mount Gunnery 66-1
You could say Ted Walsh is a fan of Cheltenham. "If I was going to die, I'd like to drop dead right here!" pic.twitter.com/3mT7LICLdv
— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) March 17, 2016
Today's non-runners
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1.30: 5 Kings Odyssey
-
3.30: 12 Un Temps Pour Tout
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4.10: 2 Tenor Nivernais 21 La Vaticane
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5.30: 23 Your Busy 24 Waldorf Salad
RSPCA will wait to make "informed comment" on fatalities
The Govaness, Rezorbi and Pont Alexandre suffered fatal injuries on the opening day of the meeting, while No More Heroes was put down after damaging a tendon in the RSA Chase on Wednesday.
RSPCA in no rush to make "informed comment" about #TheFestival fatalities >>> https://t.co/8jtNLCWn1o pic.twitter.com/pF9AYDa075
— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) March 17, 2016
Preview: JLT Novice Chase(1.30)
Few Festival races are essentially a reprise of a Uttoxeter beginners’ chase but that could be said here. On that occasion, Garde La Victoire gave 9lb and a seven-length beating to Bristol De Mai. However, Bristol De Mai has thrived for being stepped up to today’s distance, winning a Grade One at Sandown last time. Garde La Victoire has kept to two miles over fences and has continued to win, including round here in November. Today, they meet at levels and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top. But it is hardly a two-runner race, Outlander being a Willie Mullins runner with Grade One-winning form. Black Hercules drops in distance and these fences may be a challenge for him at the likely pace, considering he hasn’t relished Cheltenham in previous visits. Zabana ought to appreciate this drying surface.
Some pre-race viewing, with jockeying's Davy Russell
While looking for something else on YouTube, I stumbled across this interview with Davy Russell, in which he explains some of the finer points of race-riding for those of us - like Ms Pendleton - who don’t get paid to do it for a living. I thought it was fascinating, perhaps you will too. Note: Davy uses the word “squezzed” quite a lot here, which is Cork/Irish for “squeezed” .
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Tomorrow is Victoria Pendleton Day
Despite laughable concerns that her ride in an amateur race at Cheltenham tomorrow might be overshadowed by the Gold Cup, jump racing’s Blue Riband event which takes place a couple of hours previously, former Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton is primed and ready to take her chance in the Foxhunter Chase tomorrow.
A year ago, she had never sat on a horse. Tomorrow, she will line up for one of the most demanding tests for amateur riders there is, taking on far more experienced jockeys who have been accomplished in the saddle since childhood. Chris Cook has spoken to the major players who have helped her on the way to find out the highs and lows of her journey. As lunchtime reading goes it’s superb - you won’t read a better article on any subject in the Guardian this week. Enjoy.
Preview: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir (5.30)
A staying handicap chase for amateur riders which has had some significance as a Grand National trial. David Pipe reckoned Doctor Harper was his best chance of a winner this week, which is encouraging, in view of Pipe’s having had another winner already. Cause Of Causes won the four-mile novice chase at the last Festival and looks really quite improbably well treated at the weights. Upswing represents the Jonjo O’Neill / Derek O’Connor team that won Tuesday’s amateur race. Sambremont has won his last two and is the Mullins runner, being ridden by the trainer’s son, Patrick. At 20-1, Indian Castle runs from a 6lb lower mark than two years ago, when he started favourite for this. He wears cheekpieces for only the second time and comes from a yard that had a winner here on Tuesday.
Preview: Mares Novice Hurdle (4.50)
A new race for this Festival which has been invented so that Willie Mullins can win something. And, oh look, he’s got the favourite. His Limini, unbeaten in two over hurdles, is handsomely bred, being by an Arc winner out of a half-sister to an Irish Oaks winner. Smart Talk is slightly higher in the ratings but has had six starts over hurdles and probably has less potential to improve on what she’s shown so far. Bloody Mary won well on her British debut last month, having run up a sequence of wins in her native France. Her trainer, Nicky Henderson, also has Chocca Wocca, the first foal out of Chomba Womba, who ran third at the Festival eight years ago.
Preview: Brown Advisory Plate (4.10)
Another tough handicap, in which two of the last three winners were returned at 33-1 and 50-1. The favourite is Johns Spirit, three times a winner round here, though he has yet to make an impact at the Festival. A series of poor runs have brought him down to a very reasonable weight. Fingal Bay is a Festival handicap winner over hurdles, fairly weighted and now sporting both blinkers and a tongue tie, neither of which have been used on him before. He has not seemed a natural over fences, however. Stilletto has a classy and progressive profile, though this is a huge step up on the contests he has been in so far. Darna won this last year and is only 4lb higher now.
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Preview: World Hurdle (2.30)
One possible source of concern for fans of Thistlecrack, the hot favourite, is a stat published by Narrowing The Field this week, noting that his jockey, Tom Scudamore, has never ridden a Festival winner over hurdles, despite having had eight successes over fences. His losing run over hurdles is now into the 90s, apparently, though his hurdles record around Cheltenham for the rest of the year is perfectly acceptable. I’d say it’s not a very meaningful stat but it’s still a bit of an eyebrow-raiser. Thistlecrack is massively improved this year and ought to win. He has established form on this sort of surface. Cole Harden made all to win this last year and has excuses for his two defeats this season, but you’d imagine the others won’t let him off the leash this time. Paul Nicholls fields a classy pair in Saphir Du Rheu, second last year, and Aux Ptits Soins, unseen since winning a handicap at the last Festival.
Preview: Ryanair Chase (2.50)
So, here it is, the most annoying race of the week, if you take a dim view of Vautour running here instead of the Gold Cup. This is certainly the easier option for him, since there is no question that he can cope with the distance. We’ll see if there is any real basis for the concern expressed by connections that he has not been sparkling in his work. I imagine it’s hard to get a big horse like him fully fit and it’ll get harder as he gets older.
Road To Riches is also here, despite having run a fine third in the last Gold Cup, because his owner has other more convincing prospects for Friday’s race. This distance ought to be too sharp for him. Dynaste won this in 2014, while Taquin De Seuil won a novice race at this distance at the same Festival but both have lost their way since. Valseur Lido may have won the Irish Gold Cup last time, had he not unseated Ruby Walsh at the last. Walsh rides Vautour this time and will not want to see Valseur Lido moving up alongsides at a late stage.
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Preview: Pertemps Final (2.10)
One of the trappiest of handicaps, eight of the last 10 winners having been returned at 14-1 or bigger, up to 50-1 in one case. That klaxon you hear is a ‘Charles Byrnes alert’ because that sharpest of trainers has the favourite, Leave At Dawn, a winner here in November who can almost certainly be forgiven his Christmas defeat at Leopardstown. Arpege D’Alene is interesting, having scored cosily but by a narrow margin last time on his first run after a wind op. Missed Approach hosed up in a Newbury handicap in November but has been raised 20lb in consequence. Flintham represents the tiny yard of Mark Bradstock that won the last Gold Cup with Coneygree, a half-brother to Flintham, who wears blinkers for the first time.
Preview: JLT Novice Chase (1.30)
Few Festival races are essentially a reprise of a Uttoxeter beginners’ chase but that could be said here. On that occasion, Garde La Victoire gave 9lb and a seven-length beating to Bristol De Mai. However, Bristol De Mai has thrived for being stepped up to today’s distance, winning a Grade One at Sandown last time. Garde La Victoire has kept to two miles over fences and has continued to win, including round here in November. Today, they meet at levels and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top. But it is hardly a two-runner race, Outlander being a Willie Mullins runner with Grade One-winning form. Black Hercules drops in distance and these fences may be a challenge for him at the likely pace, considering he hasn’t relished Cheltenham in previous visits. Zabana ought to appreciate this drying surface.
Top jockeys after Day Two
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Ruby Walsh 4
- Nico De Boinville 2
- Sam Twiston-Davies 2
- Aidan Coleman 1
- Ryan Hatch 1
- Davy Russell 1
- Brian Hughes 1
- Mr Derek O’Connor 1
- Tom Scudamore 1
It’s turning into a huge Festival for Nico De Boinville, in his first season as Nicky Henderson’s top jockey. Two of the weighing room’s biggest names are still waiting to score. Barry Geraghty is 0/7, having gone close in the Champion Hurdle and the Neptune. He took a nasty fall in the penultimate race on Wednesday and looked lame as a duck after his final race. He partners Leave At Dawn, the favourite for the Pertemps, today’s second race. Richard Johnson is 0/8, which is not all that surprising in view of the SPs some of his mounts have gone off at. He has the splendid Garde La Victoire in today’s opener.
Top trainers after Day Two
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Willie Mullins 4 wins
- Nicky Henderson 2
- Nigel Twiston-Davies 2
- Jonjo O’Neill 1
- David Pipe 1
- Ian Williams 1
- Paul Nicholls 1
- Gordon Elliott 1
- Martin Keighley 1
As has tended to be the case in recent years, Mullins’ pace has slackened after the early explosion from the blocks. There are plenty of familiar ‘name’ stables on that list now, with only Keighley and Williams really counting as blows struck for the ordinary mortals.
Today’s races and our tips
1.30 JLT Novice Chase: Zabana 10-1
2.10 Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Arpege D’Alene 16-1
2.50 Ryanair Chase Josses Hill 25-1
3.30 World Hurdle Thistlecrack 5-4
4.10 Brown Advisory Plate Stilletto 11-1
4.50 Mares Novice Hurdle Limini 4-5
5.30 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Upswing 9-1
Another mares-race victory for Willie Mullins would surprise no one and I’d think Limini will be popular for that reason, even at a shade of odds-on. Thistlecrack is clearly another safe option in the big race and how he fares will be seen as a pointer to the Gold Cup chance of his stablemate, Cue Card, since they’ve both been in great form through the winter but must now extend their runs into spring, which is not easily done. Paul Nicholls could get a double through Arpege D’Alene and Stilletto.
The BetVictor Cheltenham Festival tipping competition
Congratulations to Bigboozer, who won yesterday’s competition on a final score of +19.50, thanks to Diamong King, Sprinter Sacre and Diego Du Charmil. Second place fell to another Diamond King fan, Geoff Staddon (+16). Bigboozer, we’ll be in touch by email before the end of the week.
You could win a £50 bet from BetVictor by proving your tipping prowess on today’s races. All you have to do is give us your selections for all of today’s races at Cheltenham. As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional stakes of £1 at starting price on each tip. Non-runners count as losers.Please post all your tips in a single posting, using the comment facility below, before the first race at 1.30pm.
There are seven races at Cheltenham today and you must post a single selection for each race. Our usual terms and conditions will apply, except that this will be a strictly one-day thing. If we get a tie after all the races have been run, the winner will be the one who posted their tips earliest out of those with the highest score. If an entrant has to repost their selections because of a non-runner, we will use the time of their later posting for tiebreak purposes.
If you don’t win today, don’t despair. There will be one more chance to win tomorrow.
Going, going ...
It’s another bitter day at Cheltenham, though obviously you won’t notice that if you’ve had a couple of good winners. Personally, I’m wishing I’d brought the scarf. The going remains ‘Good, good to soft’ in places after 4mm of irrigation overnight.
My thanks to Will Hayler, formerly of this parish, who pointed out this quote from Simon Claisse last night, carefully delineating the parts of the track that would benefit from “selective” watering: “The quicker parts of the course are the turn away from the home straight, most of the back straight and all the way back to the home straight. We might do a little bit of the home straight if necessary as well.” All of which reminds me of the old line from Blackadder: “Christmas has an ‘h’ in it, Baldrick. Also an ‘r’, an ‘i’, an ‘s’, a ‘t’, an ‘m’, an ‘a’ and another ‘s’. Oh, and you’ve missed out the ‘C’ at the beginning.”
I think the gist of this is that the entire track has been watered, bar the chute from which they start the 2m5f races like today’s Ryanair Chase. That 4mm has probably done no more than prevent the track from drying out any further, so it should still be too dry for your mudlovers. On the other hand, we are on the New Course today after two days on the Old Course and the New is rather more of a stamina test.
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St Patrick's Day scene-setter ...
Could a winning favourite actually attract some boos at Cheltenham? Well, probably not, because winners are a precious resource here, but it is a possibility at least ahead of Vautour’s controversial run in the Ryanair Chase this afternoon.
The last - in fact, probably only - decidedly mixed reception for a winner here was when Top Cees took the Coral Cup in 1998, shortly after he had played a leading role in a High Court libel case which centred on a controversial run in a Flat race at Newmarket.
The upset caused by Rich Ricci’s decision to run in today’s race rather than the Gold Cup does not even come close in terms of notoriety or drama, but it came after he made it as clear as anyone can that Vautour would either run “in the Gold Cup, or stay at home”. He said it at a Cheltenham preview evening sponsored by BetBright, the online bookmaker of which he is the chairman, and the simple fact of it is that he put everyone away and cost people money.
He also caught anyone who had backed, say, Al Ferof or Valseur Lido for the Ryanair completely by surprise, as well as supporters of Taquin Du Seuil, who was added to the field at the supplementary stage when it seemed 99 per cent certain that Vautour would be running tomorrow. If Vautour wins, as he really should, anyone who backed the runner-up at a shorter price a couple of weeks ago may need a few deep breaths or a couple of stiff drinks to regain their composure.
Victory for Vautour would be a welcome one for the punting fraternity as a whole, however, following a second day when most of the winnings from day one went back over the counter. There would then be something to roll onto Thistlecrack, who is the strong favourite for the World Hurdle and just on the right side of odds-on from a betting point of view. A double for the market leaders in the two big races is currently a shade under 4-1 at best prices.
The going here remains good, good-to-soft in places. The racing switches to the New course for the last two days of the meeting and Simon Claisse, the clerk of the course, put on 4mm of water on part of the course overnight.
“We had a dry night and the forecast is for a dry, sunny day with temperatures of up to 10 degrees centigrade,” Claisse said this morning.
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