Arguably the standard of this years Cheltenham Rehearsal meeting was not as good as last years, although events at the Festival itself may make a mockery of the observation.
The first race on the card was won last year by Witchita Lineman, who provided owner JP McManus with the winner of the Brit Insurance at the Festival. This years renewal again went to a McManus horse. This time Aigle D’Or was the winner, running a waiting race where Helens Vision was the early pacemaker, leading until the seventh. When Gauvian took up the running. As the runners approached the second last Marcus Foley gave Aigle D’Or his head and he eased into the lead despite flattening the last fence.
In the Trophy Chase Handicap the Nigel Twiston-Davis trained Patman Du Charmil was well backed into favouritism and led only at the first and faded to finish a disappointing sixth. The winner, Maljimar, settled mid division and despite making a mistake at the 14th ran out a convincing 11 length winner. The original favourite Nacarat drifted in the betting and after tracking the leaders pulled up three from home. Winning trainer Nick Williams said after the that Newbury was a more likely target than the Festival.
The big race of the afternoon was the Letheby and Christopher where Neptune Colonges and Old Vic vied for favouritism.
The grey Neptunes Colonges led from flag fall, however the 10 month absence since his last run, coupled with a mistake at the eighteenth, took its toll as he ran out of steam turning into the home straight. Turning out of the back straight Our Vic took up the running and it seemed he had the race at his mercy. However Knowhere lived up to his name and he seemingly came from nowhere to take the spoils. Trainer David Pipe says he has not discussed the Gold Cup with the horses owner John Hales and the Punchestown Gold Cup is still his main target.
Franchoek is fast becoming the hurdling revelation of the season. Today he put in a pillar to post performance to take the Juvenile Novices Hurdle beating Serabad and Tatenen by 6 and 17 lengths. He is fast becoming a Festival banker. However anyone seeing his antics in the pre-parade ring would have been loath to back him.
The Cleeve Hurdle is a rehearsal for the World Hurdle. I this race last year Blazing Bailey beat Inglis Drever, whist in the big one the tables were turned. Today it was the same two who fought out the finish with Inglis Drever coming out on top once again at 11/8f. Lough Derg on a three timer led for the first circuit, however his second race in a week proved to be too much and he finished a well beaten sixth.