February 2018

Cheltenham Festival – Triumph Hurdle

This opening race on Day four of the Festival at Prestbury Park, was won last year by Defi Du Seuil. This year’s race on Friday, 16th March 2018 at 13.30 GMT is specifically for horses aged four years. Run over two miles over hurdles, this Grade 1 National Hunt race is taking place on the New Course.

 

Defi Du Seuil won the 2017 race at (5-2f) ridden by Richard Johnson the jockey, and trained by Philip Hobbs. Second place was Mega Fortune (7-1) and third Bapuame at (10-1). Apple’s Shakira is named as the favourite to win this year’s Triumph Hurdle, after winning three races at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson after moving to Seven Barrows from France.

 

As this race is only for horses at four years of age, it’s never been won twice by the same runner, however jockey Barry Geraghty has five victories to his name in this race, Ivanovich Gorbatov in 2016, Peace And Co in 2015, Soldatino in 2010, Zaynar in 2009 and Spectroscope in 2003.

 

This race, sponsored by JCB, has had the field size reduced in recent years, with currently 28 horses going to the post. There have been many outstanding horses beginning their jumping careers taking part in this Triumph Hurdle, where punters will watch with interest to see which novices have a promising future.

 

 

February 28, 2018 by Cheltenham Festival Races

Cheltenham Festival – Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle

This Grade 2 race on Thursday 15th March 2018 at 16.50 GMT is the youngest of all the races held over the four day festival at Cheltenham, having taken place for the first time in 2016. This 2 mile and 1 furlong Hurdle race is sponsored by Trull House Stud, hence the name of this Mares’ Novices Hurdle race.

 

This race is run on the New Course at Prestbury Park, and its run left handed across eight hurdles. Competitors are mares and novice fillies and for horses aged four and older, who haven’t won a race before this season began.

 

The 2017 winner of this Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle race was Let’s Dance trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh, with a prize purse of £80,000. As the race is only in its third year, it was also won by the same jockey, Ruby Walsh on Limini in 2016, once again trained by Willie Mullins.

 

The race is named after Dawn Run, who first won the Champion Hurdle in 1984, and then the Gold Cup in 1988 at the Cheltenham Festival. With the claim to fame as being the most successful racing mare in the history of National Hunt racing, this Irish Thoroughbred had this Novices’ Hurdle race named after her.

 

 

February 26, 2018 by Cheltenham Festival Races

Cheltenham Festival – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup

This Ungraded handicap race is run as the seventh on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival. Taking place on Thursday, 15th March at 17.30 GMT, the handicap chase is for horses over five years of age, and is run over 3 miles and one and a half furlongs over fences. This Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup is only open to amateur jockeys, and takes place on the New Course at Prestbury Park.

 

The 2017 winner was Domesday Book, at (40/1), with Pendra in second place at (16/1) and Premier Bond at (9/1) in third place.

 

Interesting facts about this Challenge cup are that there has not been, for more than 30 years, an Irish Trained winner of this race, while 10 of the previous 13 winners were unplaced in their earlier races. This year’s race has 74 scheduled runners, with the prize fund to the winning rider standing at £41, 972.00. Looking back at past winners, it obviously takes a very determined, tough, strong horse to win this race, especially given the distance of three miles and almost two furlongs.

 

Favourites have yet to be announced, but Jamie Codd, who has ridden 4 winners in recent years looks to have high stakes. Other contenders could be Abolitionist, Squouateur and Tintern Theatre.

 

February 25, 2018 by Cheltenham Festival Races

Cheltenham 2018 Gold Cup Preview

We are now just a few weeks away from the biggest event of the National Hunt season and excitement is reaching a fever pitch among punters.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup has long been the most prestigious race in the calendar and it always serves up an exhilarating spectacle. It is run over 3 miles 2½ furlongs at Cheltenham Racecourse, taking in 22 fences, and represents a real endurance test. The Gold Cup carries a prize purse of £625,000, and marks the high point of the most important festival of the season, so it always attracts a superstar field. They bid to join the likes of Arkle, Best Mate and Golden Miller in the history books by achieving legendary status. Here are the leading contenders for glory this year:

 

Might Bite

If you check out the horse racing spread betting at Sporting Index you will see that Might Bite is the frontrunner. He romped to victory in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, which is the crown jewel in the winter jumps events. It is an important race to win in its own right, but the King George also serves as an excellent barometer for Gold Cup success.

 

Best Mate, Kauto Star and Long Run all won the King George and then went on to claim the Gold Cup in recent years. Boxing Day was the last time we saw Might Bite and the victory extended his winning run to five races. He likes Cheltenham, as he won the RSA Chase in dramatic fashion here last week, so his favourite tag is understandable. Trainer Nicky Henderson won this Blue Riband event in 2013 with Bobs Worth and he knows he has another superstar on his hands here. “He has been three miles round Cheltenham and he has got up the hill,” said Henderson. “I see no reason why he won’t get it. It’s not much further and he is another year stronger.”

 

 

Native River

 

Colin Tizzard’s eight-year-old chestnut gelding won the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury in comfortable fashion on February 10 and instantly became the second favourite for the Gold Cup. He finished second in the Gold Cup last year, and this month’s victory is his only race since then. He has won four of his last five races and beaten some impressive chasers, and Tizzard believes he has got his big race preparation “dead right” ahead of next month’s showpiece. He will be extremely fresh and well-rested for the big race and could really threaten as they charge up the final hill.

 

Sizing John

Last year’s champion returns to defend his crown and he is currently third in the betting. Sizing John relished a step up in trip last season and went on to win a treble of Gold Cups at Leopardstown, Punchestown and Cheltenham. His performance at Cheltenham last year was sensational as he surged clear of Native River and won it by 2 3/4 lengths under Robbie Power.

 

Heading into the current season, Jessica Harrington’s Sizing John was seen as the one to beat, and he returned to action with a fantastic win in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown. However, he flopped in the Christmas Chase at Leopardstown on December 28, where he finished seventh, well behind the winner, Road To Respect. The vet described him as “clinically abnormal” after the race and he has not been since. If he recaptures the magic of last season he will have a great chance of winning another Gold Cup, but that is a big if right now.

 

Our Duke

 

Sizing John’s stablemate Our Duke is next in the betting and jockey Robbie Power said choosing which one to ride in the Gold Cup was extremely difficult. He likened it to Ruby Walsh having to choose between defending champion Kauto Star and the legendary Denman ahead of the 2008 Gold Cup. Walsh went for Kauto Star, and Denman defeated him. Power opted to remain on board Sizing John, but conceded that Our Duke could well dethrone him. The jockey has been on Our Duke during all 10 of his runs, and he has delivered some superb performances, including victory in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase this month. He is attracting a lot of ante post action and is likely to be in the mix at the end of this race.

 

The Rest

The field is studded with superstar talent and there are plenty of longer shots to look out for. Definitely Red, a 16/1 shot, has won two Grade 2 contests in a row ahead of the Gold Cup and has the legs to threaten here. Road To Respect conquered Sizing John in December and looks an interesting option, while Total Recall and Killultagh Vic are both strong runners. Further down the field, last year’s beaten favourite Djakadam stands out at 40/1, while the legendary Cue Card is another intriguing shout at 33/1.

February 23, 2018 by Cheltenham Legends

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