Cheltenham Comments + HG Latest

Well what a week that was.
The Festival kicked off on Tuesday with the Supreme Nov Hurdle, 8/1 the Field, probably the most open betting heat in the Festivals History. I went for Mccoy who was on Binocular and i thought i was off to a winning start. They travelled well all through the race but after the last Captain Cee Bee (Mccoys cast off) wore them down to take the Opener in style.
After race 1 we knew that the ground was Soft and not what we had been told by Mr Claisse !!!!
The Arkle up next and Tidal Bay was a very impressive winner of a substandard renewal.
Champion Hurdle, and who would have thought it that the Irish wouldn't make the first 3 home !!
Katchit the 5yo bravely held off Osano to take the honours with Punjabi taking 3rd. A few valid excuses from the irish who will be back stronger than ever next year.
Onto the Handicaps with An Accordian, Garde Champetre and Crack Away Jack landing the spoils, the latter foiling Ashkazar in his quest to claim the Bonus from the previous Saturdays Imperial Cup.

Wednesday arrived and so did the High Winds. Cheltenham Abandoned. Called off around 8.30am. Around Midday the schedule for the remainder of the meeting came out, 10 races on Thursday and 9 on Friday. That meant the two best racing days EVER.

Thursday, winds had gone, racing was on for Bumper 10 race card.
The Four Miler started preceedings and Old Benny outstayed Over The Creek :(
SA Chase up next and we have our first winning FAV at the meeting where Albertas Run ran out a good winner.
Finger OnThe Pulse held the late challenge of the Queens Barber Shop in the Jewson Hcap.

Next was the Performance of the meeting. Master Minded, a 5yo blew the opposition away in The Champion Chase, sauntering home 19l clear of previous Champion Vor Por Estudes. At 5yo one wonders how many more Champion Chases he can win ?

Our Vic led from piller to Post in the Ryanair Chase for an easy success and boosted my flagging funds ;)
The World Hurdle up next and the amazing Inglis Drever arrives late on the scene to take the race for the Third time. He is the First Horse to record a Treble in this Grade 1 race.
Mister McGoldrick rolled back the years when routing his field in the RP Plate. His winning SP of 66/1 would be the biggest of the week.
Bally Fitz for Twiston-Davies took the Pertemps Final from Staying Chaser Miko De Beauchene.
High Chimes landed a competitive renewal of the Kim Muir from the fast finishing Openide.
Willie Mullins again landed the Bumper this time with Cousin Vinny who i think will be a very good winner of this race (some of them dont train on). Zaarito is better than his running here and was given an indifferent ride !!!!!

Friday was the day we had been waiting for. The Gold Cup match between Champion Kauto Star and The Pretender Denman. Before that though we had 5 races to get through. We had a new race this year. The first running of the Mares only event went to Whiteoak at 20/1. She travelled really well during the race and held off the late challenge of Refinement by a SH HD.
Fiveforthree stayed on strongly for Ruby Walsh as they took a strong renewal in the Ballymore Hurdle. There will be winners aplenty come out of this race and many will go Novice Chasing next season.
Naiad De Misselot came out best from Kicks For Free in a driving finish to the Coral Cup by a nose. Junior faded into 3rd and was matched for Thousands on Betfair at very short prices after leading at the last, Ouch.
The Triumph Hurdle looked a match pre race and thats how it turned out where Celestial Halo made all of the running to beat Fav Franchoek fairly comfortably.
Alan King's Nenuphar Collonges took the 3 mile Nov Hurdle from Liskennett and The Tother One who gave Sam Thomas a few steering problems going to the last. Will be interesting to see when the winner goes back over fences.

Onto the eagerly awaited Gold Cup. Kauto Star v Denman.
Kauto Star went off a shade of odds on and powerhouse Denman was a 9/4 shot.
Confidence had come for the reigning Champion but both horses looked a picture.
Paul Nicholls' other horse Neptune Collonges made the early running with Denman just behind and Kauto tracking him. With a circuit to go Denman takes up the running and Kauto gets in close to one. Away from the stands Denman leads form Neptune and Kauto with Halcon Genelardais,Exotic Dancer and Afistfullofdollars in behind. As Denman and Sam Thomas keep up the relentless gallop Kauto Star brushes through a couple more fences and you can sense he may be in trouble. Top of the hill and Denman is asked to quicken, Neptune Collonges still in second tries to follow and Ruby starts rowing away on Kauto Star, there is no initial response and Ruby gives him a crack. Denman rounds the home turn with a big lead and Kauto starts to run on, into second past Neptune he looks dangerous for a while but Denman puts it to bed with a good jump at the last and sails up the hill for a 7l victory. Kauto Star plugs on for second just holding off a resurgent Neptune Collonges close home for a memorable 1-2-3 for Paul Nicholls. Denman wins and in some style. Halcon Genelardais runs on from way back and is beaten only 16l at the line (remarkable because with 3 to jump he was well adrift).
Now my take on the race and having backed Denman is that there was not much left in the tank, where as Kauto Star didnt jump at his best and the ground softer than ideal for him .
Neptune Collonges ran with great credit and gives Nicholls a head ache where to campaign him from now on. Halcon Genelardais on this run will be hard to beat over extreme distances with his abundance in stamina.
We eagerly await the next installment and on quicker ground who knows, but on this day Denman was a worthy winner.

The foxhunters went to Amicelli, Tiger Cry a good winner of the Grand Annual and Silver Jaro took the finale The County Hurdle beating Psycho on whom Carberry over did the waiting tactics.

I showed a slight loss on the week. Tuesdays selections ran ok with a couple of places.
Thursday a small bet on Old Benny, a nice one on Our Vic and doubled up with Inglis Drever for a nice return.
Friday, small bet on Amicello (thanks to my work colleague) and with Denman doing the business in the Gold Cup i almost clawed it all back.

No winners this week at HG - recap

Weds
Fivo (1/6) 3rd in A2
Belle (1/12) 2nd in A6
Teddy (1/11) 4th in A3
Tom (0/5) 5th in A3

On Thursday Betty trialed back on after being made to retrial

Friday
Janey (2/8) 5th in A4
Lulu (1/9) 5th in A6
Lucy (2/8) 3rd in A4

Saturday
Russ (1/11) 2nd in A1 in his fastest time ever !!!!!
Marvin (4/14) 5th in A1
Fivo (1/7) 5th in A2
Teddy had a 6 bend trial before racing and went nicely

March 1/26
Year 13/96

Hopefully a winner wont be too far away. Next runners on Weds Bags are Lulu, Betty and Tom.

Only a couple of games of Poker lately and nothing to write home about, hope to be on the tables later tonight.

Thx and GL
Neil