18:05 And that’s it from a fantastic afternoons racing here at Cheltenham and a great start to the “new” jumping season, which reaches a climax back here in March.
We were hoping to provide full coverage of all Cheltenham's fixtures this season but due to accreditation issues that may not, unfortunately, be possible.
We are back to the flat with our next coverage on Monday as we venture up north to Pontefract.
Meanwhile from a glorious Cheltenham good evening.
17:54 A bumper to finish proceedings and one of those races where you do despair about racing.
The starter let the field go despite one of the runners, Crime Don’t Pay, facing the wrong way when they were released and ending up conceding an impossible 15 lengths to his rivals. The gelding may have been a 33/1 outsider but he had been backed in from 40’s and his backers had no sort of a run.
An Open bumper both in name and execution, it was a tactical race which would have been a nightmare for in-running punters.
Romance Dancer set the pace, along with Seldom Fed and Fabian The Fox, the latter actually staying with the pace to grab third place.
As often happens it is horses coming from the pack who figure in the finish and it was the top two in the market who came through to take the first two places, although in reverse betting order.
According To Dick had the best turn of foot and Richard Johnson drove home the gelding to win by 4½ lengths. The favourite Eighteenfifty took the runners-up spot.
17:18 I am desperately trying to think of something really interesting to write about this sixth race but I can’t. So here is what happened.
Only three runners, Mister Gloss (opened 11/10 sent off 13/1) was on his toes and sweating before the race.
Favourite Ballyfitz (4/5 in to 1/2) and Thyne Spirit who has never won a race was sent off at 22/1.
Ballyfitz and Mister Gloss set the pace, then Mister Gloss took the lead.
Mister Gloss made loads of mistakes and Ballyfitz took the lead four out, Thyne Spirit was 25 lengths behind.
Mister Gloss made one mistake too many at the third last.
Ballyfitz hacked the last two and Thyne Spirit unseated at the last.
Ballyfitz walked up the run in.
Five minutes after Ballyfitz crossed the line Thyne Spirit was remounted and crossed the line to take second place.
The end.
16:48 A two mile conditional jockeys event for our fifth race and for a two mile contest the sixteen runners set off at a fair rather than frantic pace.
I suppose I don’t need to say the front running Prince Du Beury did not win the race, leading until approaching the second last when the field bunched up.
Coming out of the second last it was Leamington Lad who had his nose in front under David England. He wasn’t allowed to have his own was and approaching the last there were several in with chances if good enough.
One who lost his chance was Supreme Duke who gave rider Darren O’Dwyer no chance catapulting him into the ground and receiving a kicking for his troubles. He was on the ground for a long time but eventually he walked to the ambulance.
After the last flight it was a charge to the line with Leamington Lad holding on by a length and a half from the running on Motorway and Dishdasha back in third. The latter not showing the potential he showed two out.
16:28 From the stewards room - Paddy Brennan reported that Patman Du Charmil bled from the nose, which is why he pulled him up.
16:15 A three mile handicap which was spoiled by a big pile up at the second last.
Outsider Arnold Layne set the pace, accompanied by Valerius until half way. The outsider maintained his lead until the top of the hill on the final circuit.
It was then the race proper began to develop with Diablo taking the lead as they approached the third last.
Coming to the second last the field were well bunched and we looked to be heading for a good finish.
As they approached the flight at speed both the favourite Simondiun and Cullahill fell independently, interfering with several runners and bringing down Strong Rebel. Unfortunately Paul Nicholls Simondiun did not survive the fall.
This left a scrappy finish with Diablo leading at the last and maintaining the advantage until the line, he was followed home by Valerius and Indian Pipe Drean, with the front running Arnold Layne finishing fourth.
15:35 The big race of the afternoon was the Dick Francis “Silks” Handicap over an extended two and a half miles.
It was another good race with, once again, a front runner being there to be shot at. This time the pace setter was Yes Sir, having shared the lead with Cossack Dancer in the early stages.
There was disappointment for favourite backers relatively early on as Patman Du Charmil was pulled up by Paddy Brennan before they started out on the second circuit.
By the time they reached the top of the hill Cossack Dancer had lost his rhythm and Private Be became the one to keep Yes Sir company.
The pair kept to the fore as they tackled the downhill fences and as they approached the second last Ouzbeck, became the only serious challenger to the front pair.
Coming to the last it was a two horse race and Robert Thornton kicked Ouzbeck into the final fence to take a clear lead. Running on well up the hill Ouzbeck was never in any danger. Yes Sir stayed on to take second, five lengths behind the winner.
A running on Bible Lord denied Private Be third spot.
15:03 It may be a new season here at Cheltenham but some things never change with Paul Nicholls saddling a winner at the home of National Hunt racing.
If you ever have any doubts as to what the attraction of National Hunt racing is then I suggest you obtain a tape of this race and watch it again and again. It had thrills and spills (with all the horses and jockeys returning OK) and a finish where you could not call the winner as they ran up the home straight.
The first heart stopping moment came at the third fence where the popular Orpen Wide took a crashing fall, after lying still for what seemed an age he was again on his feet and you could feel the collective relief.
Going out on the final circuit it was the familiar sight of a David Pipe runner in the David Johnson colours leading the field, this time in the form of The Package.
At the water the favourite Poquelin dragged his hind legs through the water and lost momentum.
As they reached the first of the ditches we lost Crysander.
As they approached the trick downhill fences The Package was still in the lead but Asudo was snapping at the leaders heels, as was Oh Crick with Poquelin attempting to make up the lost ground.
Coming to the last and The Packet jumped right, an indication he was getting tired. Oh Crick who approached the fence in second looked tired as well, whilst French Saulaie and Roman Villa both looking fresh jumped to join the leader.
At the same time Sam Thomas kicked Poquelin into gear and asked for an effort, to which the gelding responded.
For a brief period they were four abreast running for home but Thomas got the favourites head in front. He was challenged by French Saulaie but managed to hold on by half a length.
Front running The Package held on to take third, 3¼ lengths behind the front two.
Wow – it’s ten minutes after the race and I am only just getting my breath back.
14:29 The action is finally underway with a 2 mile 5 furlong hurdle and we saw a typical Cheltenham finish with the race being won and lost coming up the hill.
Once the field settled down it was Fair Along who took the field along and, apart from a slight mistake at the eighth, hardly put a hoof wrong.
However he was there to be shot at. The first to have a go was Bantry Bere who launched a challenge two out but it was to no avail.
As they approached the last a more determined challenge appeared in the shape of Mirage Dore who put in a perfect jump at the last and slipped clear in the run in.
Fair Along attempted to fight back, to little avail, and in the end had to fight of the late running challenge of Tot Of The Knar to retain the runners-up spot.
Tony McCoy opted to ride Thunder Rock for Jonjo O’Neill rather than the McManus runner Pearl King. Although in with the mix half way he was never a danger another who was never a danger was the favourite Pacha D'Oudairies who finished 10th.
For each-way backers Lordsbridge took fourth.
13:52 The Clerk Of The Course, Simon Claisse, is reporting the ground is riding slightly faster than yesterday but he is still calling the going good. I'm prepared to go odds-on it will be good to firm before the end of the afternoon.
13:04 There is something about Cheltenham that makes it so different than other courses. The females in my family will tell you I am no lover of shopping but I have just spent a most enjoyable half hour strolling round the shopping village here.
At one stand Sir Peter O’Sullevan and Lord Oaksey were signing books, how good it was to see the two of them looking in rude health. If I didn't already own copies of the books they were signing then I would have been up there.
Meanwhile Lady Oaskey was manning (or should that be womaning in these PC times) the Injured Jockeys Fund stall and it was good to see it doing such a great trade.
The IJF do sterling work, please visit their web site and support their good work
www.ijf.org.uk/
12:15 Forgive me for waxing lyrical but I struggle to find a better way of spending a Saturday afternoon than at Prestbury Park in the Autumn sunshine, looking out over the natural amphitheatre that is Cheltenham racecourse. Especially on this particular Saturday, which I always consider to be the start of the jump season.
Anyway back to the reason why we are here. The official going is Good with a going stick reading of 7.2.
We currently have four non-runners, details on the right.
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Non-Runners
2:50
5 Chaninbar (stiff)
12 Tatenen (knocked joint)
3:25
12 Coach Lane (withdrawn)
4:35
7 Font (ran yesterday)
5:10
3 Best Actor (going)
4 Big Fella Thanks (going)
5:45
10 Kaladan (bruised foot)
Results
Race times are unofficial and hand recorded.
2:20
1st 8 Mirage Dore 10/1
2nd 1 Fair Along 9/1
3rd 4 Tot Of The Knar 8/1
4th 14 Lordsbridge 12/1
16 Ran
Distances 2 , neck & 4
Fav 3 Pacha D'Oudairies 4/1 (10th)
Tote
Win £11.00
Place £2.50 £1.50 £2.00 £4.00
Exacta £60.70
CSF £51.93
Tricast £389.47
Time 5' 02.4"
2:50
1st 7 Poquelin 5/2 fav
2nd 8 French Saulaie 17/2
3rd 11 The Package 9/2
10 Ran NR's 5 & 12
Distances 1/2 & 3 1/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.20
Place £1.60 £3.10 £2.20
Exacta £31.90
CSF £22.98
Time 3' 53.2"
3:25
1st 3 Ouzbeck 8/1
2nd 14 Yes Sir 14/1
3rd 7 Bible Lord 9/1
4th 5 Private Be 6/1
17 Ran WD 12
Distances 5 , 3 1/4 & neck
Fav 6 Patman Du Charmil 11/2 (pu)
Tote
Win £7.90
Place £2.00 £3.80 £2.60 £2.20
Exacta £185.70
CSF £106.27
Tricast £1,048.46
Time 4' 58.7"
4:00
1st 5 Diablo 9/1
2nd 4 Valerius 5/1
3rd 2 Indian Pipe Dream 11/4
10 Ran
Distances 2 3/4 & 5
Fav 2 Simondiun 2/1 (fell)
Tote
Win £14.00
Place £2.50 £1.80 £1.70
Exacta £53.30
CSF £55.03
Time 6' 25.7"
4:35
1st 4 Leamington Lad 12/1
2nd 2 Motorway 7/1
3rd 3 Dishdasha 20/1
4th 5 Mutual Friend 20/1
16 Ran NR 7
Distances 1 1/2 , 1 3/4 & 1
Fav 10 Prince Du Beury 9/2 (upl)
Tote
Win £9.40
Place £1.70 £2.60 £4.50 £2.60
Exacta £147.20
CSF £94.83
Tricast £1,725.57
Time 3' 53.47"
5:10
1st 2 Ballyfitz 1/2 fav
2nd 5 Thyne Spirit 22/1
3 Ran NR's 3 & 4
Distances Distance
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.60
Exacta £9.80
CSF £5.70
Time 6' 32.9"
5:40
1st 3 According To Dick 7/2
2nd 1 Eighteenfifty 3/1 fav
3rd 7 Fabian The Fox 50/1
17 Ran NR 10
Distances 4 1/2 & 1
Fav second
Tote
Win £5.10
Place £2.00 £1.90 £11.60
Exacta £15.20
CSF £14.30
Time no time recorded
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