Updated
Cheltenham Day One winners
Supreme Novice’s Hurdle (1.30): Klassical Dream (R Walsh) 6-1
Arkle Chase (2.10): Duc Des Genievres (P Townend) 5-1
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50): Beware The Bear (J McGrath) 10-1
Champion Hurdle (3.30): Espoir D’Allen (M Walsh) 16-1
Mares’ Hurdle (4.10): Roksana (H Skelton) 10-1
National Hunt Chase (4.50): A Plus Tard (Rachael Blackmore) 5-1
Novice Handicap Chase (5.30): Le Breuil (Mr JJ Codd) 14-1
Good news: Reports from Racing TV suggest all three stricken fallers from the last race are back on their feet. Fantastic.
- Sadly it later transpired that initial reports were false and there were actually four horses that needed treatment on the course after falling. The favourite Ballyward was one of those horses and later died. Here is our story …
Updated
Three horses being attended to: Following a seriously attritional race, three of the fallers are receiving veterinary attention out on the course. The favourite Ballyward, Just Your Type and Atlanta Ablaze all have screens up around them, which is never a good sign. Here’s hoping for the best. Patrick Mullins, the pilot on board Ballyward, is also receiving medical attention. Fingers crossed he’s OK. Ah, good news - two of the aforementioned three horses are back on their feet and being led back to the stables.
National Hunt Chase (5.30) result
1 Le Breuil (Mr J J Codd) 14-1
2 Discorama (Mr B O’Neill) 9-2
3 Jerrysback (Mr D G Lavery) 16-1
18 ran
Also: 9-4 Fav Ballyward, 125-1 Clondaw Cian 4th
Tote: win 14.70 places 3.90 2.20 4.40
Tote Exacta: 89.40
CSF: 72.37
Tricast: 1052.97
Updated
National Hunt Chase (5.30): Just four finishers in a race where 18 went to post. There was half a length between first and second, then 47 lengths back to Jerrysback in third place.
National Hunt Chase (5.30): Just Your Type leads by three lengths from Atlanta Ablaze and Le Breuil with two fences to jump. Le Breuil, Atlanta Ablaze, Just Your Type and Discorama. Le Breuil leads from Discorama, Le Breuil and Discorama jump the last side by side. Le Breuil wins under Jamie Codd by half a length from Discorama in arguably the best race of the day.
National Hunt Chase (5.30): Ballyward has fallen! The favourite is gone at fence number 17. Gun Digger falls at the next, badly hampering Warthog. Chef Des Obeaux is pulled up - this field has been seriously depleted. Johanos is also a faller.
National Hunt Chase (5.30) 4m
They’re away and running in the final race of the day, the National Hunt Amateur Riders’ Novice Chase. The favourite, Ballyward, has already survived a bad blunder, Skipthecuddles has unseated, while Warthog and Chef Des Obeaux have also made bad mistakes, but survived. Chef Des Obeaux has also made a mistake. Whisperinthebreeze currently leads the field. Gun Digger is second and Mulcahey’s Hill is third with a circuit to go ...
Chris Cook filed this report on the Champion Hurdle, which was won by the 16-1 outsider Espoir D’Allen.
A reminder regarding tomorrow’s racing With Wednesday’s card threatened by forecast high winds, there will be an inspection at 8am to see if racing can go ahead. In the event of a postponement, tomorrow’s card will be moved to Saturday.
National Hunt Chase (5.30) betting
- Ballyward – 11/4
- OK Corral – 4/1
- Discorama – 13/2
- Jerrysback – 12/1
- Le Breuill – 14/1
- Impulsive Star – 16/1
- Chef Des Obeux – 16/1
- Atlanta Ablaze – 20/1
- Whisperinthebreeze – 20/1
- Gun Digger – 25/1
- Mulcahys Hill – 33/1
- Just Your Type – 40/1
- Skipthecuddles – 66/1
- Beyond the Law – 80/1
- Warthog – 100/1
- Johanos – 150/1
- Clondaw Cian – 250/1
- Plantagenet – 250/1
- Monitor the market movers on Oddschecker.
Oddschecker is donating 5p of every bet to the Injured Jockeys Fund.
Updated
Preview: National Hunt Chase (5.30)
Perhaps the oddest race of the Festival, a four-mile novice chase for amateur riders. OK Corral has been all the rage for this for months, since the crack amateur Derek O’Connor came over to ride him at Warwick. O’Connor rides again but the horse’s stamina has to be taken on trust and he comes from a yard not known for producing stout stayers.
Ballyward finished strongly to score at Naas in January, though he has a little ground to make up with OK Corral on their hurdles form last year. Discorama may have beaten Ballyward that day, but for taking a shocking fall at the last.
Jerrysback runs as though a step up in distance may help and the rain is good news for him. Impulsive Star won a good-quality handicap at Warwick in January, albeit from a low rating. His stamina seems assured.
What a way to land your first Grade 1!
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) March 12, 2019
Roksana creates a landmark moment for brothers Harry and Dan Skelton as she wins the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle pic.twitter.com/hF8vnS6hRM
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50) result
1 A Plus Tard (Rachael Blackmore) 5-1 Fav
2 Tower Bridge (J J Slevin) 6-1
3 Ben Dundee (K M Donoghue) 33-1
4 The Russian Doyen (H Cobden) 20-1
20 ran
CSF: 34.82
Tricast: 939.62
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50): A Plus Tard romps to victory ahead of Tower Bridge. The favourite A Plus Tard wins, trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore.
Updated
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50): The Russian Doyen and A Plus Tard lead over the second last. A Plus Tard sprints clear at the last and wins by 20 lengths or more under Rachael Blackmore. A Plus Tard demolishes the field to give Rachael Blackmore, who is still challenging to be champion jockey in Ireland, a Cheltenham winner.
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50): Highway One O One makes the running as Riders Onthe Storm is a faller. They’re go at a very slow dawdle as Highway One O One continues to make the running. Walt and Dell Oro are pulled up. The Russian Doyen and Highway One O One share the lead three out ...
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50) 2m 4f
It’s false start number four out of six for the day, as the field set off at the second attempt, this time from a starting start. Ben Dundee leads them over the first couple of fences,Highway One O One is prominent, as is Shady Operator and Movewiththetimes ...
Mare’s Hurdle (4.10): Roksana was a fortuitous winner of the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle after the last-flight fall of hot favourite and clear leader Benie Des Dieux.
In an uncanny repeat of the circumstances in which the same owner Rich Ricci’s Annie Power fell at the last hurdle four years ago, Benie Des Dieux appeared to have her second victory in the race in safe keeping as she and Ruby Walsh went clear.
Instead, she crumpled on landing - leaving Dan and Harry Skelton’s Roksana to win by two and a quarter lengths at 10-1 from Stormy Ireland.
Updated
Novice Handicap Chase (4.50) betting
- A Plus Tard - 6/1
- Tower Bridge – 7/1
- Riders On the Storm – 9/1
- Springtownlake – 11/1
- Good Man Pat – 12/1
- Highway One O One – 12/1
- Shady Operator – 14/1
- Movewiththetimes – 16/1
- Lough Derg Spirit – 18/1
- Solumn Grundy – 20/1
- Cubomania – 20/1
- Red Indian – 20/1
- Roaring Bull – 22/1
- The Russian Doyen – 28/1
- Huntsman Son – 28/1
- Quamino – 28/1
- Walt – 33/1
- Ben Dundee – 40/1
- Del Oro – 66/1
- Milatarian – 80/1
- Monitor the market moves with Oddschecker
Post race reaction: Shades of Annie Power there from Ruby Walsh, asBernie Des Dieux clips the last hurdle and goes down, prompting a torrent of vitriolic abuse for the jockey from losers (in every sense of the word) talking out of their pockets on Twitter. Imbeciles. Here’s a small sample ...
Ruby Walsh at it again hahahahahaha, last fence on an odds on favourite, what an absolute fraud
— K (@KingKipre2) March 12, 2019
@Ruby_Walsh fucking fight me you little prick
— Connor Blackbird (@cblackbird_) March 12, 2019
@Ruby_Walsh you’re a fuckin bent little crook you. Stinks of another backhander that.
— Connor McMahon (@ConnorMc96) March 12, 2019
Looks like God had some tasty ante-post positions with BetBright too … #Festival #Benie
— Greg Wood (@Greg_Wood_) March 12, 2019
Preview: Novice Handicap Chase (4.50)
A tricky race to aim your horse at, given that he’ll have to be rated at least 138 to make the cut but no higher than 145, or he won’t qualify. Perhaps that’s one reason Irish trainers have a modest record, with just one success in the 14 years of this race, and that over a decade ago. But
the raiders have the top three in the betting this time, including Riders Onthe Storm from the Tom Taaffe yard that provided that sole Irish victory.
This one has shown steady improvement without suggesting he’s a star in the making and it’s not clear he’ll be suited by this distance. A Plus Tard is more convincing and offers Rachael Blackmore a fair chance of Festival glory. He ran into a quality rival when beaten last time but has talent himself and should have plenty more to offer.
Tower Bridge was a Grade One winner over hurdles who has been stealthily campaigned over fences and could be on a favourable rating. Good Man Pat might be the pick of the home defence and did enough in a small field last time to suggest he could be fairly weighted.
Corrections and clarifications: In a fit of lunacy I originally said (since corrected) Willie Mullins was the trainer of Roksana. The horse is of course trained by Dan Skelton. Apologies.
Mares' Hurdle (4.10) result
1 Roksana (Harry Skelton) 10-1
2 Stormy Ireland (P Townend) 7-1
3 Good Thyne Tara (Rachael Blackmore) 25-1
14 ran
Also: 10-11 Fav Benie Des Dieux, 12-1 Lady Buttons 4th
Non Runner: 11
CSF: 72.69
Tricast: 1726.76
Updated
Mares’ Hurdle (4.10): Disaster for Ruby Walsh at the last, when clear in front and looking a certainty to win. Roksana benefits from the mistake wins under Dan Skellton for Willie Mullins. “I was a lucky winner,” says Skelton, in an interview with ITV. “Today I was on the right side of it. I do it for days like this. We’ve had a bit of luck today and come out on top. I hope Ruby and Benie Des Dieux are OK.” I can report that both Ruby and his mount both appear to be fine.
Updated
Mares’ Hurdle (4.10): Benie Des Dieux jumps into the lead and goes clear as they approach the last. Benie Des Dieux falls at the last! Roksana is left in front and wins from Stormy Island. Good Thyne Tara finishes third.
Mares’ Hurdle (4.10): Stormy Island leads with Good Thyne Tara being restrained a length behind by her jockey Rachael Blackmore. Benie Des Dieux is third under Ruby Walsh and they’ve three to jump ...
Mares' Hurdle (4.10) 2m 4f
They’re off and running in the Mares’ Hurdle, with Stormy Ireland leading the way by about six lengths. Good Tyme Tara is second, with Jester Jet in third and Benie Des Dieux in fourth. The field is strung out and Champayne Lady is a faller ...
News re: tomorrow’s racing: There will be an 8am precautionary inspection at Cheltenham tomorrow to see if racing can go ahead. Forecast strong winds mean tomorrow’s racing is in doubt and in the event of a postponement, the card will be carried over to Saturday. Course officials are optimistic that racing will go ahead tomorrow.
"I was never happy"@Ruby_Walsh & some of the defeated jockeys in the Unibet Champion Hurdle share their experiences after a remarkable race here at @CheltenhamRaces
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2019
Watch the #CheltenhamFestival LIVE on @ITV pic.twitter.com/vL4DHUW9q0
Mare's Hurdle (4.10) betting
- Benie des Dieux – 1/1
- Roksana – 17/2
- Limini – 11/1
- Stormy Ireland – 11/1
- Momella – 18/1
- Lady Buttons – 16-1
- Elimay – 20/1
- Cap Soleil – 28/1
- Jester Jet – 33/1
- Good Thyne Tara – 40/1
- Slowmotion – 66/1
- Alletrix – 100/1
- Lackaneen Leader – 100/1
- Champayne Lady – 125/1
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-
Oddshcecker is donating 5p of every Cheltenham bet to the Injured Jockeys Fund
Champion Hurdle (3.20): Espoir D’Allen was a shock winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle after Buveur D’Air fell. Gavin Cromwell’s five-year-old scored by a commanding 15 lengths at 16-1 - providing owner JP McManus with the winner in any case despite the departure of his Buveur D’Air, who was bidding to become the sixth horse to win the great race three times.
Espoir D’Allen, ridden by Mark Walsh, was far too good as he strode clear of Melon and Silver Streak - with the top three in the betting all unplaced.
Updated
Mare's Hurdle (4.10) preview
Benie Des Dieux won this last year and connections have indicated she’s their best chance of a winner all week, but that’s easily said when the horse is odds-on. She scrambled home last year after a couple of prep-runs
and it’s a source of concern that she hasn’t run for 11 months this time.
Roksana is an obvious alternative, having run second in a Grade One against males as a novice last spring. She fared respectably behind Buveur D’Air on her reappearance last month. Stormy Ireland set a strong pace in last year’s Triumph and was again on pace-setting detail when last seen, for Laurina. The odds are that something will go past her in the straight.
Lady Buttons has had a very productive season, mostly over fences, but this looks ambitious for her. Mia’s Storm could have done without the rain. Cap Soleil chased home Laurina in the Dawn Run when last seen, 18 lengths
behind the winner. She’ll be sharper for a racecourse gallop at Newbury.
Champion Hurdle (3.30) result
1 Espoir D’Allen (M P Walsh) 16-1
2 Melon (P Townend) 20-1
3 Silver Streak (Adam Wedge) 80-1
10 ran
Also: 7-4 Fav Apple’s Jade, 5-2 Laurina 4th
CSF: 251.60
Tricast: 22067.60
Updated
Champion Hurdle (3.30): Espoir D’Allen wins the Champion Hurdle by a distance under Mark Walsh for trainer Gavin Cromwell. It’s the trainer’s first winner at Cheltenham and he’s done it for owner JP McManus.
Updated
Champion Hurdle (3.30): Melon continues to lead with three to jump, Laurino is second and Apple’s Jade is struggling. Melon leads over the third from home, a length clear from Laurina. Espoir D’Allen is coming with a good run - they’ve one to jump. Espoir D’Allen leads over the last by five lengths. Espoir D’Allen wins by 20 lengths or more under Mark Walsh.
Updated
Champion Hurdle (3.30) 2m
They get away at the first time of asking and gallop away at a fair old lick. Melon leads over the first. Melon, Apple’s Jade are a couple of lengths clear of Laurina with Buveur D’Air in fourth. Global Citizen is next is next ahead of Sharja. Buveur D’Air is a faller!!! The reigning champion is gone ...
Cheltenham could extend meeting ...
The Cheltenham Festival will plan to extend the meeting until Saturday if the course is forced to cancel Wednesday’s card as a result of high winds, a spokesperson for the track said on Tuesday afternoon.
Sophia Dale, Cheltenham’s communications manager, said that she could “confirm [that] Saturday would be the plan if we had to reschedule the whole card”. Seven races are scheduled for Wednesday on the track’s Old course, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase, one of the feature events of the meeting.
The second day at the Festival was cancelled for the same reason of high winds in 2008, but the meeting still concluded as planned on Friday evening with none of the races on the programme lost. The cards on Thursday and Friday both started at 12.30, rather than the current start time of 1.30, with 10 and nine races respectively.
There were just 19 races scheduled for the final three days of the meeting 11 years ago, however, while the current Festival has 21. As a result, the course is aware that welfare concerns could arise if it decides to stage so many races over the course of just two days, for instance in ensuring that all horses are thoroughly checked by a vet prior to competing as is mandatory for the first time this year.
Racing on Saturday would also pose significant logistical problems, for example in finding sufficient casual staff for bars and restaurants – and would also require the co-operation and approval of emergency services.
Champion Hurdle (3.30)
Current betting: Apple’s Jade 2-1, Laurina 5-2, Beveur D’Air 11-4.
Winner alright. Hats off to Guardian tipster Chris Cook, who gave Klassical Dream as his nap for the day, with Beware The Bear as his second best pick. That’s a 76-1 double for anyone who follows our resident soothe-sayer.
Confirmed: a Saturday at the #Festival will be the plan if #Cheltenham is forced to cancel Wednesday’s card due to forecast high winds. #CheltenhamFestival #Festival2019
— Greg Wood (@Greg_Wood_) March 12, 2019
A date with destiny awaits Buveur D'Air in the @Unibet Champion Hurdle...#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/dOi2yH4p0G
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 12, 2019
Champion Hurdle (3.30) betting
- Apples Jade- 9/4
- Laurina - 13/5
- Buveur D’Air – 11/4
- Espoir D’Allen -18/1
- Melon – 22/1
- Sharjah – 22/1
- Brain Power – 33/1
- Verdana Blue – 40/1
- Global Citizen – 66/1
- Silver Streak – 100/1
- Monitor the market moves with Oddschecker
Updated
What is it like to look after a two-time Champion Hurdler?
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) February 26, 2019
We caught up with his racing groom @_hannahmaria to find out why she loves working in racing. pic.twitter.com/bAPZkG1a2d
Champion Hurdle (3.30) preview
Is this the coronation for Apple’s Jade? Her connections wanted to run her in the race after this, until she bolted up in the Irish equivalent last month. The winner of 10 Grade Ones, including a memorable one at Aintree
when she hosed up by 41 lengths, she is all class and it would be no surprise were she to win this handily. Still, she is one from three at Cheltenham, underperforming last year because she was in season; can she show her best here at last?
Buveur D’Air seeks to become the first since Istabraq to win three Champion Hurdles and it is possibly surprising that such a reliable horse doesn’t have a bigger fan base. He pulverised Samcro at Newcastle in December but that rival has been disappointing all winter and may have had a lung infection at the time. Laurina is a second Irish mare standing in the way of Buveur D’Air. It’s hard to know how good she is and this is a big step up in class but she could not have been more impressive in the Dawn Run last year. Chasing could be her future.
Sharjah has the talent to run above his odds and has won Grade Ones at this distance in his most recent two races, though the rain is a possible problem for him. That also applies to Verdana Blue, who mugged Buveur D’Air on the line at Christmas.
Updated
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) result
1 Beware The Bear (J McGrath) 10-1
2 Vintage Clouds (Danny Cook) 16-1
3 Lake View Lad (Henry Brooke) 25-1
4 Big River (D R Fox) 28-1
24 ran
Also: 8-1 Co Fav Coo Star Sivola, Mister Whitaker, Up For Review
CSF: 147.53
Tricast: 3914.77
Updated
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50): Beware The Bear wins under Jerry McGrath for trainer Nicky Henderson. He pricked his ears coming towards the line and thought his day’s work had done, but rallied to repel a late effort from Vintage Clouds.
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50): O O Seven and Vintage Clouds lead over the third last, Up For Review makes a mistake but stays up ... O O Seven is being pressed by Vintage Clouds ... Vintage Clouds and Beware The Bear hit the last toegether. Beware The Bear wins by a length from Vintage Clouds. Lake View Lad was third.
Updated
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50): With five to jump, O O Seven continues to lead from Vintage Clouds, Up For Review, Lake View Lad and Beware The Bear. Last year’s winner Coo Star Sivola is being scrubbed along by Lizzie Kelly ...
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50): They’re fairly tightly bunched as O O Seven leads them over the 12th fence from home. At the back of the field, Minella Rocco is pulled up. O O Seven continues to lead from Activial, then Vintage Clouds and Coo Star Sivola ...
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) 3m 1f
They get away and Activial, Vintage Clouds, Big River, General Principal and Coo Star Sivola are all prominent in the early stages ... O O Seven gets upsides the leaders and takes up the running from Vintage Clouds, Coo Star Sivola and Activial ...
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) 3m 1f
It’s three from three on the false start front, as the 24 runners and riders are flagged by starter Robbie Supple as they jig-jog towards the tapes a little too quickly for his liking. We’ll have another standing start ... eventually, once all the horses are facing the right direction.
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) betting
- Up for Review – 7/1
- Mr Whittaker – 8/1
- Coo Star Sivola – 9/1
- Give Me a Copper – 10/1
- Minella Rocco – 12/1
- Beware of the Bear – 14/1
- Noble Endeavour – 14/1
- Singlefarmpayment – 18/1
- Vintage Clouds – 22/1
- General Principle – 22/1
- Calipto – 22/1
- Crucial Role – 22/1
- Lake View Lad – 25/1
- Big River – 28/1
- Magic of Light – 33/1
- Flying Angel – 40/1
- Royal Vacation – 40/1
- Willie Boy – 50/1
- Activial – 50/1
- O O Seven – 66/1
- Shantou De Seuil – 80/1
- Oldgrangewood – 100/1
- Sizing Codelco – 125/1
- Monitor market moves with Oddschecker
ITV presenter Ed Chamberlain: “If you love your racing, you should support the Injured Jockeys Fund, in my eyes, it’s as simple as that”
Oddschecker is donating 5p for every single bet over £1 placed on Cheltenham Festival to the Injured Jockeys Fund throughout the entirety of the Festival.
Mullins notches quick-fire double
Duc Des Genievres made it two wins out of two for WIllie Mullins at the 2019 Festival, with an even more convincing success in an eventful Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.
Paul Townend was the jockey this time, with Walsh watching on, as the grey surged clear to win by 13 lengths at 5-1 from Us And Them. Several of the Grade One race’s main contenders fell by the wayside early, Glen Forsa exiting at the fourth fence and Ornua then falling and bringing down Kalashnikov - while Lalor was pulled up in rain-soaked conditions which were not to his liking.
Updated
Preview: Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50)
The first handicap of the Festival is often one of the most solvable, but this is not saying a great deal. The betting market seemed to think Give Me A Copper was the one, even though his only win over fences was against just one other horse; “delicate but talented” in the words of the Racing Post, he spent yesterday drifting from 11-2 to 8-1. Mister Whitaker could take over as favourite and many will have happy memories of him winning a shorter race at the last Festival. He’s a stone higher in the weights this
time.
Willie Mullins has never won a handicap chase at the Festival but Up For Review gives him a chance of putting that right, having been a fair third in the Thyestes last time. Minella Rocco was second in the Gold Cup just two years ago and would be on a very lenient weight if he could run to that level again but that seems in doubt, as he has had a series of physical problems and hasn’t won for three years. Coo Star Sivola sloshed through the mud to win this last year and ran well at the two previous Festivals, so another placed effort would be no surprise.
Lake View Lad has talent but a lot of weight. Another Scottish runner, Big River, could have snuck in on a handy weight if he can finally show the talent his connections believe he has. Beware The Bear, a winner here in January, will do for me, in the hope that the blinkers continue to help.
Arkle Trophy (2.10) result
1 Duc Des Genievres (P Townend) 5-1
2 Us And Them (J J Slevin) 14-1
3 Articulum (D J Mullins) 25-1
12 ran
Also: 10-3 Fav Hardline, 33-1 Clondaw Castle 4th
CSF: 67.92
Tricast: 1606.79
Updated
Arkle Trophy (2.10) 2m Duc Des Genievres hoses up under Paul Townend to win pulling a cart.
Arkle Trophy (2.10) 2m There’ll be no fairytale, as Lalor is pulled up without ever getting going. Knocknanuss , Clondaw Castle and Duc Des Genievres are contesting at the sharp end two out ... Duc Des Genievres wins the Arkle for jockey Paul Townend and trainer Willie Mullins.
Arkle Trophy (2.10) 2m
For the second race in a row, we have a false start, due in no small part to the excessive enthusiasm of the runners and riders. They’re going to go at a ferocious gallop over these two miles and the fairytale result would be a win for Lalor, whose former trainer Richard Woollacott took his own life just over a year ago. His wife, Kayley, now trains the horse. At the second time of asking, they get away. Glen Forsa unseats Jonny Burke early doors, while Lalor looks to be struggling with the ground at the back. Ornua is a faller and Kalashnikov is brought down ...
Ruby Walsh on Klassical Dream’s victory in the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle. “He was always travelling, he jumped like a stag and stayed at it well,” he said. “We looked at the forecast and plumped for this race. We were a bit anxious this morning when there was no rain, but it came in tankfuls.”
Updated
Arkle Trophy (2.10) betting
- Glen Forsa – 9/2
- Hardline – 5/1
- Duc des Genievres – 6/1
- Lalor – 15/2
- Kalashnikov – 8/1
- Paloma Blue – 11/1
- Ornua – 14/1
- Us and Them – 14/1
- Knocknanuss – 28/1
- Articulum – 28/1
- Clondaw Castle – 33/1
- Slate House – 80/1
- Monitor the market moves with Oddschecker
Updated
Klassical Dream reigns Supreme
Klassical Dream was an emphatic winner of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The five-year-old powered through the soft ground in the Grade One Festival opener as jockey Ruby Walsh registered his 59th success at National Hunt’s showpiece meeting.
Trainer Willie Mullins was also off to a winning start for Ireland as 6-1 shot Klassical Dream passed the post six lengths in front of Thomas Darby. The runner-up and third Itchy Feet were both trained by Olly Murphy.
Updated
Preview: Arkle Trophy (2.10)
This novice chase has a fine past but a modest present, today’s field lacking a runner with obvious star potential, unless it be Lalor, who could have done without the rain.
A Grade One winner over hurdles, he impressed on his chasing debut here in November and had excuses for his defeat the next month but has not been seen since. Glen Forsa might go off favourite by default and I’m reluctant to believe that he’s good enough, given that he was in a handicap on a rating of 125 just two starts ago.
Kalashnikov didn’t run his race when stuffed by Glen Forsa last month but returning to a left-handed track may help and he was second in last year’s Supreme. Hardline was a bit lucky to win a Grade One at Limerick over Christmas, when his main rival made a late mistake, but these conditions should suit.He’ll appreciate it if Ornua and/or Knocknanuss take them along at a brisk pace. Duc Des Genievres won tidily last time but it was only a beginners chase and this is much tougher.
Updated
Supreme Novice's Hurdle (1.30) result
1 Klassical Dream (R Walsh) 6-1
2 Thomas Darby (R Johnson) 28-1
3 Itchy Feet (G Sheehan) 25-1
16 ran
Also: 9-2 Jt Fav Al Dancer, Fakir D’Oudairies 4th
Non Runners: 6, 16
CSF: 167.89
Tricast: 3918.88
Updated
Supreme Novice’s Hurdle (1.30): It’s an emphatic win for Klassical Dream under Ruby Walsh for Willie Mullins.
Supreme Novice’s Hurdle (1.30): Klassical Dream leads them up the hill towards the last, two or three lengths clear. Klassical Dream won’t be caught here. Klassical Dream and Ruby Walsh win the Supreme Novice’s Chase!
Supreme Novice’s Hurdle (1.30): Klassical Dream takes up the running under Ruby Walsh with three to jump, but they’re closely bunched. Al Dancer is second, then The Big Bite. They’ve two to go ...
Supreme Novice's Hurdle (1.30)
Brandon Castle is making the running after three hurdles, four or five lengths clear of the rest of the field. Klassical Dream is next, then The Big Bite. Brandon Castle has been reeled in as they race towards flight number four ...
Supreme Novice's Hurdle (1.30)
The roar goes up from the grandstand and they’re off and running it’s a false start in the opening race of this year’s Festival. In the starter’s opinion, the hosrses didn’t trot towards the tapes slowly enough and it is fair to say that Klassical Dream was threatening to pull Ruby Walsh’s arms out of his shoulder sockets. To another loud roar, they go off at the second time of asking from a standing start.
Supreme Novice’s Hurdle (1.30) betting
- Al Dancer – 9/2
- Klassical Dream – 11/2
- Angels Breath – 11/2
- Fakir D’Oudairies – 7/1
- Vision D’Honneur – 12/1
- Aramon – 14/1
- Mister Fisher – 16/1
- Grand Saucy – 16/1
- Thomas Darby – 25/1
- Felix Desjy – 25/1
- The Big Bite – 25/1
- Brandon Castle – 28/1
- Itchy Feet – 33/1
- Beufort West – 200/1
- The Flying Sofa – 200/1
- Norman Norman – 250/1
- Monitor market moves on Oddschecker
#CheltenhamFestival: clear there’s considerable concern about potential day two weather conditions; inspection for Tuesday AM likely to be called later today plus plans to restage races on Saturday if necessary
— Cornelius Lysaght (@CorneliusRacing) March 12, 2019
Day Two of the Festival under threat
Simon Claisse, clerk of the course, has given an update amid concerns that tomorrow’s racing may fall victim to the weather.
“The forecast is looking challenging with strong, gusting winds throughout the day,” he said. “We are monitoring the situation and we will keep racegoers informed as the conditions present themselves.”
Update from Simon Claisse, Clerk of the Course ahead of racing. It’s currently wet with no issues expected today, but we are monitoring the gusts forecast for tomorrow. #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/j2jpvIOlf1
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 12, 2019
Updated
Preview: Supreme Novice's Hurdle (1.30)
The Festival opens with a top-class contest that has identified plenty of future stars, including Altior, Brave Inca and, if you go all the way back to 1964, Flyingbolt. I always used to say it was a good race in which to not have a bet, because then you’d be better off than most folk in the stands five minutes later, which certainly felt like good advice when Ebaziyan won at 40-1.
This year’s race looks as tricky as ever, with three horses proving hard to separate at the top of the betting. Al Dancer is unbeaten in four over hurdles and won the Betfair last time, the winners of which have gone close in this a handful of times.
They’ve left his usual hood off and will trust in ear plugs to keep him calm. Angels Breath has long been fancied for this but there were only four hurdles to jump when he won in December and he managed to get beaten at odds-on when last seen, so he has a lot to prove. Klassical Dream is a progressive sort who’ll be suited by softening ground and represents the Mullins/Walsh axis that has won this three times in six years.
Fakir D’Oudairies could be a rare winning four-year-old, having stormed around here in January; the rain will make this a stern physical test for a young horse. Felix Desjy could go well from the front at a big price while The Big Bite, from the yard that won this last year, appears to be attracting support.
Richard Johnson update
Good news for the Champion Jockey, who took a heavy fall at Taunton yesterday, but has been cleared to ride today.
Richard Johnson has been cleared by the racecourse Doctor to ride @CheltenhamRaces after being stood down yesterday following a fall at Taunton.
— BHA Press Office (@BHAPressOffice) March 12, 2019
Festival going has officially eased to soft on all courses as the rain continues to fall at @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/IUgmYKtR8i
— PA Racing (@PAracing) March 12, 2019
Making a difference
A change of headgear or a minor procedure to their breathing apparatus can make a big difference to a horse, or can at least indicate a determined effort by the trainer to elicit improvement. Here’s today’s list of horses that might take a step forward on their known form.
1.30: Vision D’Honneur (tongue tie worn for the first time)
2.50: O O Seven (blinkers worn for the first time), Vintage Clouds (wind op since he last ran), Catamaran Du Seuil (visor worn for the first time)
3.30: Melon (cheekpieces worn for the first time)
4.10: Mia’s Storm (cheekpieces first time)
4.50: Tower Bridge (cheekpieces first time), Dell Oro (cheekpieces first time)
5.30: Beyond The Law (hood worn for the first time), Clondaw Cian (first run for trainer Sophie Leech), Gun Digger (tongue tie worn for the first time), Just Your Type (cheekpieces first time)
Here's Greg with the weather II
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s clerk of the course, spoke at 9.15am, on the outlook for the next few hours.
“As expected last night, we had some strong gusts of wind, although nothing that would give us any concern about public or racing safety,” he said. “Although we were forecast a few millimetres of rain falling through the night, that didn’t materialise. We are still expecting now a band of rain to come through in the next couple of hours.
“The going on the Chase and Hurdle courses is Good to Soft, Soft in places. We could get up to half an inch, 12mm, between [up until noon]. Then it clears through and it’s a much drier afternoon.
Preview: National Hunt Chase (5.30)
Perhaps the oddest race of the Festival, a four-mile novice chase for amateur riders. OK Corral has been all the rage for this for months, since the crack amateur Derek O’Connor came over to ride him at Warwick. O’Connor rides again but the horse’s stamina has to be taken on trust and he comes from a yard not known for producing stout stayers.
Ballyward finished strongly to score at Naas in January, though he has a little ground to make up with OK Corral on their hurdles form last year. Discorama may have beaten Ballyward that day, but for taking a shocking fall at the last.
Jerrysback runs as though a step up in distance may help and the rain is good news for him. Impulsive Star won a good-quality handicap at Warwick in January, albeit from a low rating. His stamina seems assured.
Preview: Novice Handicap Chase (4.50)
A tricky race to aim your horse at, given that he’ll have to be rated at least 138 to make the cut but no higher than 145, or he won’t qualify. Perhaps that’s one reason Irish trainers have a modest record, with just one success in the 14 years of this race, and that over a decade ago. But
the raiders have the top three in the betting this time, including Riders Onthe Storm from the Tom Taaffe yard that provided that sole Irish victory.
This one has shown steady improvement without suggesting he’s a star in the making and it’s not clear he’ll be suited by this distance. A Plus Tard is more convincing and offers Rachael Blackmore a fair chance of Festival glory. He ran into a quality rival when beaten last time but has talent himself and should have plenty more to offer.
Tower Bridge was a Grade One winner over hurdles who has been stealthily campaigned over fences and could be on a favourable rating. Good Man Pat might be the pick of the home defence and did enough in a small field last time to suggest he could be fairly weighted.
Preview: Mares' Hurdle (4.10)
Benie Des Dieux won this last year and connections have indicated she’s their best chance of a winner all week, but that’s easily said when the horse is odds-on. She scrambled home last year after a couple of prep-runs
and it’s a source of concern that she hasn’t run for 11 months this time.
Roksana is an obvious alternative, having run second in a Grade One against males as a novice last spring. She fared respectably behind Buveur D’Air on her reappearance last month. Stormy Ireland set a strong pace in last year’s Triumph and was again on pace-setting detail when last seen, for Laurina. The odds are that something will go past her in the straight.
Lady Buttons has had a very productive season, mostly over fences, but this looks ambitious for her. Mia’s Storm could have done without the rain. Cap Soleil chased home Laurina in the Dawn Run when last seen, 18 lengths
behind the winner. She’ll be sharper for a racecourse gallop at Newbury.
Preview: Champions Hurdle (3.20)
Is this the coronation for Apple’s Jade? Her connections wanted to run her in the race after this, until she bolted up in the Irish equivalent last month. The winner of 10 Grade Ones, including a memorable one at Aintree
when she hosed up by 41 lengths, she is all class and it would be no surprise were she to win this handily. Still, she is one from three at Cheltenham, underperforming last year because she was in season; can she show her best here at last?
Buveur D’Air seeks to become the first since Istabraq to win three Champion Hurdles and it is possibly surprising that such a reliable horse doesn’t have a bigger fan base. He pulverised Samcro at Newcastle in December but that rival has been disappointing all winter and may have had a lung infection at the time. Laurina is a second Irish mare standing in the way of Buveur D’Air. It’s hard to know how good she is and this is a big step up in class but she could not have been more impressive in the Dawn Run last year. Chasing could be her future.
Sharjah has the talent to run above his odds and has won Grade Ones at this distance in his most recent two races, though the rain is a possible problem for him. That also applies to Verdana Blue, who mugged Buveur D’Air on the line at Christmas.
Updated
Preview: Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50)
The first handicap of the Festival is often one of the most solvable, but this is not saying a great deal. The betting market seemed to think Give Me A Copper was the one, even though his only win over fences was against just one other horse; “delicate but talented” in the words of the Racing Post, he spent yesterday drifting from 11-2 to 8-1. Mister Whitaker could take over as favourite and many will have happy memories of him winning a shorter race at the last Festival. He’s a stone higher in the weights this
time.
Willie Mullins has never won a handicap chase at the Festival but Up For Review gives him a chance of putting that right, having been a fair third in the Thyestes last time. Minella Rocco was second in the Gold Cup just two years ago and would be on a very lenient weight if he could run to that level again but that seems in doubt, as he has had a series of physical problems and hasn’t won for three years. Coo Star Sivola sloshed through the mud to win this last year and ran well at the two previous Festivals, so another placed effort would be no surprise.
Lake View Lad has talent but a lot of weight. Another Scottish runner, Big River, could have snuck in on a handy weight if he can finally show the talent his connections believe he has. Beware The Bear, a winner here in January, will do for me, in the hope that the blinkers continue to help.
Preview: Arkle Trophy (2.10)
This novice chase has a fine past but a modest present, today’s field lacking a runner with obvious star potential, unless it be Lalor, who could have done without the rain.
A Grade One winner over hurdles, he impressed on his chasing debut here in November and had excuses for his defeat the next month but has not been seen since. Glen Forsa might go off favourite by default and I’m reluctant to believe that he’s good enough, given that he was in a handicap on a rating of 125 just two starts ago.
Kalashnikov didn’t run his race when stuffed by Glen Forsa last month but returning to a left-handed track may help and he was second in last year’s Supreme. Hardline was a bit lucky to win a Grade One at Limerick over Christmas, when his main rival made a late mistake, but these conditions should suit.He’ll appreciate it if Ornua and/or Knocknanuss take them along at a brisk pace. Duc Des Genievres won tidily last time but it was only a beginners chase and this is much tougher.
Preview: Supreme Novice's Hurdle (1.30)
The Festival opens with a top-class contest that has identified plenty of future stars, including Altior, Brave Inca and, if you go all the way back to 1964, Flyingbolt. I always used to say it was a good race in which to not have a bet, because then you’d be better off than most folk in the stands five minutes later, which certainly felt like good advice when Ebaziyan won at 40-1.
This year’s race looks as tricky as ever, with three horses proving hard to separate at the top of the betting. Al Dancer is unbeaten in four over hurdles and won the Betfair last time, the winners of which have gone close in this a handful of times.
They’ve left his usual hood off and will trust in ear plugs to keep him calm. Angels Breath has long been fancied for this but there were only four hurdles to jump when he won in December and he managed to get beaten at odds-on when last seen, so he has a lot to prove. Klassical Dream is a progressive sort who’ll be suited by softening ground and represents the Mullins/Walsh axis that has won this three times in six years.
Fakir D’Oudairies could be a rare winning four-year-old, having stormed around here in January; the rain will make this a stern physical test for a young horse. Felix Desjy could go well from the front at a big price while The Big Bite, from the yard that won this last year, appears to be attracting support.
Updated
Cheltenham Festival 2019: Top Jockey
Ruby Walsh has been top Festival jockey for nine of the last 11 years and his career total nearly matches the next two on this list put together. He’d already put two wins on the board before breaking a leg early on Day Two at last year’s meeting, which allowed Davy Russell to be top rider at the Festival for the first time, with four wins.
At 39, Walsh doesn’t bounce back from injuries like he used to and has been sparing in the rides he takes this winter; he hasn’t ridden for more than a fortnight, which is not your orthodox preparation for the biggest week of the year, but at least it’s saved him from doing a collar bone or similar. His strike-rate in Ireland this season has been 28%, suggesting there’s nothing much wrong with him when he shows up.
His British counterpart, Richard Johnson, is in a similar position, having had only three rides in the past 10 days, and he must pass the doctor in order to take part today after a Taunton tumble on Monday. “Only a couple of stitches, a couple of bruises,” he tweeted. Hopefully
there’s a skilled team of medics in the weighing room area to put both men back together in between races.
Walsh was odds-on to be top jockey at this stage a year ago but he’s only taking three rides on Day One, which is why he’s a much bigger price this time. Rachael Blackmore is 100-1 to be top jockey with Bet365, a bet you could lay off straight away at about half those odds on Betfair, as I type. Go figure.
Ruby Walsh (58)
Barry Geraghty (36)
Richard Johnson (23)
Davy Russell (22)
Tom Scudamore (10)
Bryan Cooper (8)
Paul Townend (8)
Jamie Codd (7)
Nico De Boinville (7)
Sam Twiston-Davies (7)
Paddy Brennan (6)
Noel Fehily (6)
Top jockey betting
- Barry Geraghty 7-2
- Ruby Walsh 7-2
- Davy Russell 11-2
- Jack Kennedy 6-1
- Nice De Boinville 12-1
- Paul Townend 12-1
- Mark Walsh 16-1
- Harry Cobden 16-1
Cheltenham Festival 2019: Top Trainer
Willie Mullins became the most successful trainer in Festival history last year and his career tally of 61 wins is more than twice that achieved by any other trainer based in Ireland, ever. It’s an extraordinary achievement. That said, Mullins and Gordon Elliott are making great strides
up this table every year, in a way that would not have been possible in the past, when there were only 18 races at each Festival and trainers had fewer horses.
Until 2009, it was unheard of for a trainer to get five winners at a single Festival; Martin Pipe, Fred Winter and Tom Dreaper went through their whole careers without ever doing that. Last year, Mullins and Elliott had 15 between them. Elliott starts the week as favourite to be top trainer for the third year in a row. Henderson last came out on top in 2012, Nicholls in 2009.
- Willie Mullins (61 career wins)
- Nicky Henderson (60)
- Paul Nicholls (43)
- Jonjo O’Neill (26)
- Gordon Elliott (22)
- Philip Hobbs (19)
- Edward O’Grady (18)
- Nigel Twiston-Davies (17)
- Alan King (15)
- David Pipe (15)
- Jessica Harrington (11)
Top trainer betting
8-5 Gordon Elliott
11-4 Willie Mullins
3-1 Nicky Henderson
16-1 Paul Nicholls
20-1 Joseph O’Brien
33-1 any other
Today's races and our tips
- Supreme Novice Hurdle (1.30) Klassical Dream 9-2
-
Arkle Trophy (2.10) Hardline 5-1
-
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) Beware The Bear 16-1
-
Champion Hurdle (3.30) Buveur D’Air 11-4
-
Mares Hurdle (4.10) Roksana 7-1
-
National Hunt Chase (4.50) Tower Bridge 8-1
-
Novice Handicap Chase (5.30) Discorama 13-2
Nothing bigger than 16-1 ... hmm. I must be going soft, or else I’m desperate for a winner. But then you’ll remember that the biggest winning SP on this day a year ago was just 9-1, even though the going was heavy and we all thought there would be shocks aplenty.
If, by some wonderful chance, all seven of these romped home, that would be a 4-3 lead to Ireland at the end of Day One, which sounds about right, and there’d be
winners for Mullins, Elliott and Henderson among others.
I can’t see Lalor winning on this ground, which is a pity because who wouldn’t want to see Kayley Woollacott in the winner’s enclosure, but there could be a Good News
story in the last, as Discorama is part-owned by Andrew ‘Paisley Park’ Gemmell, who has been written about at length recently.
Here's Greg with the weather ...
Right on cue at around 10am, the rain arrived with a vengeance and just now, Cheltenham is a distinctly unpleasant place to be. The gates do not open for another 15 minutes and there will be some very bedraggled early arrivals heading into the track when they do. Hot whiskeys rather than Guinness could be the biggest seller today.
Our Betfair tipping competition is here
It’s just a matter of hours until the famous roar from the stands greets the start of the first race at this year’s Festival, the Supreme Novice Hurdle at 1.30pm. Good luck to all of you and remember, winning today is not more important than being able to come back tomorrow.
You could win a £100 account credit from Betfair 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.
And finally, if you don’t win today, don’t despair. We are running an identical competition on each day of the Festival.
Our racing correspondent sets the scene
The earliest arrivals into Cheltenham this morning were lucky enough to escape the rain that had been forecast any time from 6am. By the time my train pulled into the station at around 8.45 it was starting to come down more heavily, however, and my crafty plan to beat the crowds and bike it to the course – thank you, the good people of The Bicycle Hub - suddenly seemed rather less cunning.
Still, it was a bracing way to start the day and even on a dull day, Cheltenham looks magnificent, as ever, for the opening day of the Festival. Heavier rain is still forecast from about 10am, and it is impossible to say at this stage whether it will be enough to affect the going on day one. But the ground was officially good-to-soft, soft in places overnight and a general description of soft all over could seem very tempting for all concerned as the first race at 1.30 draws ever closer. The bigger worry, meanwhile, is the high winds forecast for tonight, given that similarly strong winds were enough to blow away a day at the Festival 11 years ago.
The general themes ahead of this year’s meeting are broadly similar to those of recent years, with one obvious question being whether Willie Mullins will enjoy another week to remember. He has not, of course, finished the meeting as the leading trainer since 2016 and has a slightly smaller team this time around, but Mullins has been shortening steadily in the “Top Trainer” betting having been a 7-2 chance on Saturday and is now a clear second favourite, splitting Gordon Elliott (2.5) and Nicky Henderson (7-2) at around 11-4.
Personally, I’m a big fan of week-long bets like these as a way to get an interest in pretty much every race and even at his latest price, Mullins still looks fair value ahead of a day when he has a good team for the opening Supreme Novice Hurdle – where I still don’t understand how Aramon can be 14-1 to beat stablemate and 5-1 joint-favourite Klassical Dream when they were a neck apart last time - and several more live chances through the card including an apparent banker in Benie Des Dieux in the Mares’ Hurdle.
And talking of bankers and Benie Des Dieux, there will be plenty of interest in the reception for her owner Rich Ricci, formerly of Barclays’ investment arm, if she does the business later on. The recently defunct bookie BetBright, of which Ricci was formerly chairman, left hundreds of punters in the lurch last week when it cancelled all outstanding ante-post bets without even offering a chance to cash out. While 888.com, which bought BetBright’s tech but not the customer book, has agreed to stand Cheltenham bets, the anger still festers and we could be in for the first hostile reception for a Cheltenham winner since Top Cees.
Elliott, Henderson and Mullins go head-to-head-to-head in the Champion Hurdle with Apple’s Jade, Buveur D’Air and Laurina and it is a race that could, even at this stage, prove to be pivotal in deciding the ultimate winner this week. These three trainers have saddled a majority of the winners at the last two Festivals and this year’s is unlikely to be any different.
Updates on the latest rainfall situation - using technical terms like damp and wet but hopefully not biblical - will be here all morning, and the runners in the Supreme are due to be sent on their way with the traditional roar - ideally at the first time of asking - at 1.30. My colleague Chris Cook’s tips for the first day are here and the very best of luck to all!
Cheltenham Festival 2019 Day One
Greetings all and welcome to our rolling coverage of the this year’s Cheltenham Festival. With several hours to go before the tapes go up for today’s opener, the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle, the week remains full of promise, optimism, and hope ... emotions that will almost certainly be replaced by pessimism, panic and weary resignation before close of play on Friday evening.
We’ll be here throughout, bringing you news, commentaries, previews, tips, going reports, results and post-race reaction on what promises to be a wonderful week of racing in which punters are expected to bet up to £200m as they wage war against the bookmakers. Let battle commence!
