Cheltenham 2010 Review – Day One

Only 51 weeks to Cheltenham 2011 and cold turkey has already set in with some jump racing fans. Don’t be too down though as we still have Punchestown and Aintree to sink our teeth into.

It was a brilliant four days, full of the usual thrills and spills. New champions were crowned and fewer re-crowned as the bookies took 60 million from punters. Altogether only four favourites won, with one of those being as short as 4-5. The majority lost but the buzz of the whole event was priceless. Cheltenham really is about the taking part!

Tuesday 16th of March

Supreme Novice Hurdle

As per usual, we kicked off the festival with the Supreme Novice Hurdle. The hopes of thousands rested with the Irish ‘banker’ of the meeting, Dunguib. This year’s favourite traded as low as 4-6 a couple of months ago but opened up even money on the track. The bookies really felt they could get Philip Fenton’s star beat and they did; he could only manage third behind the Philip Hobbs trained Menorah. The five year old just held off the late charge of Get Me Out Of Here and Tony McCoy. McCoy’s horse looked a little bit unlucky as he managed to get within a head of the winner. Dunguib was a length and three quarters behind the second as he made up a lot of ground in the last three-four furlongs. Much was made of Brian O’Connell’s ride on the favourite but personally I think a lot of people were talking through their pockets. It wasn’t a bad ride in the true sense of the statement but I do feel had he been closer to the pace, he would have won. A disastrous start for the Irish but the first two home look to have bright futures.

Arkle Chase

The second race was no better for punters as the ‘wrong’ Irish horse won. Captain Cee Bee was backed like defeat was out of the question but could only trail in 8th of 12 runners. He was later found to have burst a blood vessel. However victory did go to Ireland as Sizing Europe put up a super display to hold the late charge of Somersby. Henry De Bromhead’s horse jumped superbly throughout to land the spoils by three quarters of a length and erase the memory of his 2008 champion hurdle flop. He looks a genuine contender for next years Queen Mother Champion Chase. Second was the Henrietta Knight trained Somersby. The race panned out exactly how I thought it would for Choc Thornton’s mount as he jumped well but got outpaced at a crucial time. He stayed on nicely up the hill but couldn’t get to the winner. He’ll be seen in a better light over a longer trip and in my opinion will win next years Ryanair Chase if he’s not a Gold Cup horse. Eddy O’Gradys Osana ran another blinder at Cheltenham as he finished third. That’s twice now he’s been placed in Championship races at the festival. Surprisingly, there were no casualties in the race. Mad Max nearly went at the second last but Paul Carberry made a super sit and connections can count themselves very unlucky not to have gone a lot closer.

William Hill Handicap Trophy

It was in the third race of the afternoon where we finally saw Cheltenham at its most heart breaking. We had already lost 6 horses before they came to the second last and disaster struck for followers of Bensalem. The heavily fancied second favourite came down with the race at his mercy. You never truly know what “would have” happened but he would have gone close. Further heartache followed for favourite backers as The Package just failed to collar the winner, Chief Dan George. Timmy Murphy galvanised the David Pipe runner up the home straight but he just couldn’t get to the winner, going down by a rapidly diminishing head. It was great to see a ‘small time’ trainer have a festival winner, James Moffat, and the triumphant horse will now be aimed at the Grand National. Ogee took the third spot after looking the winner after the second last but just emptied near the line. Charlie Swan trained the other placed horse as Offshore Account belied his odds of 33-1 to run on into fourth.

Champion Hurdle

Tony McCoy will feel that Binocular should have been re-crowned but last years Cheltenham ‘flop’ should not feel so bad now. It was a breath taking performance by the J.P McManus owned horse as he swept passed his rivals after the second last. He travelled and hurdled like true champion before kicking on to beat Khyber Kim by three and a half lengths. There were a lot of disgruntled punters after the race though, many feeling Henderson had pulled off a prank. Two weeks before Cheltenham, Henderson stated that Binocular would not run as a muscle problem had been identified with the horse. Again, like most things in racing, I think many were talking through their pockets. The horse came right so they had to run him, its not like he landed a monster gamble to win the race, he actually drifted from 7s to 9s on course. Nigel Twiston Davies’ Khyber Kim was second after a nice run; Davies would have his day in the sun though. Third was another Nicky Henderson inmate, Zaynar. It was an encouraging run over a trip very much on the sharp side for the talented grey. I can’t wait to see him run over three miles, a leading contender for next years World Hurdle.

It was another very disappointing race for the Irish as the well backed favourite Go Native trailed in third last. Paul Carberry said the horse blundered very badly at the second flight and never travelled after. A million pound bonus eluded Noel Meade’s charge as well as the Champion Hurdle title. The bookies were very much ahead at this stage.

Cross Country Chase

Young Adrian Heskin announced his arrival to the big time with a well judged ride in the four o’clock race. For so many years, A New Story has had to play second fiddle to the likes of L’ami and Garde Champetre over the Cheltenham banks. 2010 was to be his year though as he was produced to lead after the last and ran on well for a two and a half length victory. There is no doubt in my mind that young Heskin was the catalyst for this victory. L’ami was second after running his usual consistent race but neither he nor Lacdoudal could live with Heskin or A New Story. Favourite and many peoples Cheltenham banker, Garde Champetre, was beaten six lengths into sixth. He didn’t do his cause any good as he blundered badly six out and never really recovered but you always felt it was going to be young Heskin’s day. He is well worth his seven pound allowance but securing his services isn’t easy, as his boss Michael Hourigan is hoping to preserve his allowance for his own wealth. He’s one for the future folks.

David Nicholson Mares Hurdle

Willie Mullins’ super mare, Quevega, was one of two champions to be re-crowned. She was electric as she scooted home by four and a half lengths. Her lengthy absence didn’t seem to hinder her and she jumped and travelled strongly throughout the two mile four furlong event. She has class in abundance and wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Champion Hurdle. The Mullins camp must be applauded for the training performance and I’m sure Willie took great satisfaction in the victory, especially as many didn’t give her a hope with the absence she had to overcome. Nicky Henderson’s Carole Legacy ran a cracker to finish second and also looks like an improving horse. This season she had mostly been applying her trade over fences but showed her class, consistency and ability to revert to hurdles and run a blinder. One to keep an eye on, especially in the ladies races. Irelands other leading hope in the race, Voler La Vedette, ran a nice race to finish third. She was beaten six lengths after travelling very well coming down the hill, but may have found the trip a bit stretching.