Cheltenham 2008 Live
Last Updated:- Friday, 14 March, 2008 17:38
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17:38 Well that brings us to the end of the 2008 Festival, a festival memorable in so many ways.
It is too soon to evaluate the festival in a detached way, let us do that in the next few days.
Tonight lets just savour a fantastic Festival.
The Festival bandwagon now moves on to Aintree in three weeks time then Punchestown at the end of April.
From a noisy and buzzing Cheltenham - good night.
17:35 Well the festival began with an Irish 1-2 and in an act of symmetary it ended with an Irish 1-2, however the hot favourite Psycho only finished second to a 50/1 outsider Silver Jaro
| 5:20 | Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle | ||||
| 1st | 13 Silver Jaro | 50/1 | |||
| 2nd | 18 Psycho | 5/1 | |||
| 3rd | 7 French Saulaie | 40/1 | |||
| 4th | 28 Rio De Janeiro | 66/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £65.60 | |||
| Place | £9.80 | £2.10 | £9.10 | £15.20 | |
| Exacta | £623.70 | ||||
| Distances | 0.75l 2.25l | ||||
| 22 ran | NR's 1, 2, 6, 20, 24 & 25 | ||||
| 4:40 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | ||||
| 1st | 16 Tiger Cry | 15/2 | |||
| 2nd | 18 My Petra | 3/1f | |||
| 3rd | 7 Calatagan | 50/1 | |||
| 4th | 1 Andreas | 10/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £8.90 | |||
| Place | £2.20 | £1.60 | £10.90 | £2.50 | |
| Exacta | £36.40 | ||||
| Distances | 3l nk | ||||
| 17 Ran | NR's 5 & 13 | ||||
| 4:05 | Christies Foxhunter Chase | |||
| 1st | 3 Amicelli | 33/1 | ||
| 2nd | 6 Bon Accord | 15/2 | ||
| 3rd | 4 Arctic Times | 40/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £51.30 | ||
| Place | £12.30 | £3.40 | £15.70 | |
| Exacta | £477.30 | |||
| Distances | 6l 1.5l | |||
| 23 ran | NR 22 | |||
16:10 Wow what a race, I have to admit I have never felt so tense before a race before. There were knots in my stomach, goodness know how the connections must have felt.
With the big race over, many are heading for the exits - I don't know why we still have three good races including the Foxhunters next.
15:55 Many predicted that Kauto Star and Denman would fill the first two places in the Gold Cup.
Few would have predicted that Denman would have beaten his stable mate by 7 lengths.
Those who expected a close race were disappointed as the writing was on the wall from two out.
Neptunes Collonges, Paul Nicholls third string set the pace on the first circuit, closely attended by Denman with Kauto Star happy to track the leaders.
After the first circuit Denman took over the running and set a strong pace to take the sting out of the opposition and the tactic worked.
Once in the lead Denmans power told. Kauto Star looked to be closing but he had too much to do, indeed on the run-in Neptunes Collonges managed to get a second wind and really pushed Kauto Star for second place as once again the judge had to earn his money.
So Paul Nicholls great season continues with a very impressive 1-2-3 in the Gold Cup.
At the winners enclosure they are packed 30 deep.
Another race where people will say "I was there."
Just as a footnote in a festival of "firsts" this was a first Festival win for jockey Sam Thomas.
| 3:30 | totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup | |||
| 1st | 5 Denman | 9/4 | ||
| 2nd | 6 Exotic Dancer | 10/11f | ||
| 3rd | 12 Neptunes Collonges | 25/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £3.30 | ||
| Place | £1.30 | £1.20 | £4.40 | |
| Exacta | £4.90 | |||
| Distances | 7l sh | |||
| 12 ran | NR's 13, 14 & 15 | |||
| 2:50 | Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle | |||
| 1st | 11 Nenuphar Collonges | 9/1 | ||
| 2nd | 18 Liskennett | 16/1 | ||
| 3rd | 15 The Tother One | 9/2jf | ||
| Tote | Win | £11.10 | ||
| Place | £3.10 | £8.40 | £2.00 | |
| Exacta | £380.90 | |||
| Distances | 2.75l 0.75l | |||
| 18 ran | NR 2 | |||
14:30 Dare I say yet another tight finish and one for the bookmakers with the very well backed Franchoek being beaten by Celestial Halo.
The winner provided a first festival winner for Andy Stewart, one of the most popular owners on the circuit.
It was also a good victory for Ruby Walsh over arch rival Tony McCoy.
| 2:15 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | |||
| 1st | 3 Celestial Halo | 5/1 | ||
| 2nd | 6 Franchoek | Evens fav | ||
| 3rd | 15 Won In The Dark | 16/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £6.10 | ||
| Place | £2.10 | £1.10 | £3.40 | |
| Exacta | £11.50 | |||
| Distances | 2.25l 2.25l | |||
| 14 ran | NR 4 | |||
14:03 I have just retreated back to the press room - it is almost impossible to move out there. Will give the result of this one, then will set off to try and find a pitch to watch the big one, so the Albert Bartlett result will have to wait until later on.
14:00 Well we have finally run all of Wednesday's races - next up the big hurdle of the day
13:50 This is getting unbelieveble - for a moment we thought we were going to have a dead heat. Three close finishes, is this setting the tend for later - we all hope so.
It is very crowded outside, everyone still waiting for the big one.
One watching the race with mixed feelings must be the injured Graham Lee who would have been on the winner had he not had an horrific fall earlier this year.
| 1:40 | Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle | ||||
| 1st | 22 Naiad Du Misselot | 7/1 | |||
| 2nd | 1 Kicks For Free | 11/1 | |||
| 3rd | 15 Junior | 12/1 | |||
| 4th | 18 Mendo | 14/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £9.20 | |||
| Place | £2.80 | £2.40 | £3.20 | £4.30 | |
| Exacta | £74.40 | ||||
| Distances | nose 1.5l | ||||
| 24 ran | NR's 4, 6, 12 & 28 | ||||
13:21 Well an Irish 1-2-3-4 in our second and if there had been a roof on the Guiness stand it would have been roared off.
Another close finish although the judge was able to call it straight away this time with Willie Mullins, Fiveforthree holding off the dogged challenge of Venalmar.
Both these bright runners look to have promising futures.
| 1:05 | Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle | |||
| 1st | 3 Fivefiorthree | 7/1 | ||
| 2nd | 15 Venalmar | 11/1 | ||
| 3rd | 14 Trafford Lad | 9/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £7.90 | ||
| Place | £2.50 | £2.50 | £4.00 | |
| Exacta | £107.70 | |||
| Distances | nk 4l | |||
| 15 Ran | NR 10 | |||
12:44 Well we thought yesterday was exciting, today seems to be continuing in the same way.
As the runners cleared the second last an almighty roar emerged from the cown as the favourite Chomba Womba under Mick Fitzgerald jumped into the lead. However as they turned into the straight the Donald McCain trained Whiteoak emreged from the pack to effectively make the favourite look flat footed.
That was not all the excitement, as Refinement under a kitchen sink ride from AP McCoy also emerged from the pack to take the lead in the run in. It was looking like a McCoy victory, however Whiteoak obviously doesn't have the word defeat in her equine lexicon and she surged back to foce a photo.
After what seemed like ages the winner announced Whiteoak the winner.
| 12:30 | David Nicholson Mares Hurdle | |||
| 1st | 12 Whiteoak | 20/1 | ||
| 2nd | 4 Refinement | 10/1 | ||
| 3rd | 2 Chomba Womba | 10/3f | ||
| Tote | Win | £26.30 | ||
| Place | £4.00 | £2.60 | £1.80 | |
| Exacta | £252.00 | |||
| Distances | sh 2.5l | |||
| 13 Ran | ||||
12:00 Half an hour to the first and the first course of this afternoons feast.
11:36 Celeb spotters are having a field day. Spotted so far is Kate Middleton and Alex Ferguson. Also George Cluney is said to be lurking somewhere.
11:00 Loads more non-runners, we now have 18.
10:39 Well I have just done a straw poll amongst racegoers here at Cheltenham asking who will win the big race and amongst the 252 racegoers I spoke to the result is:-
Kauto Star 48%
Denman 35%
Exotic Dancer 6%
Kauto Star or Denman 8%
Others 3%
9:55 Well they have opened the doors early and the punters are streaming in for today’s nine race card.
The going still looks to be on the easy side.
In the press room they have Kauto Star and Denman rosettes, I am wearing one of each - I just cannot decide.
9:25 Analogies are abounding about this afternoons race - Coe vs Ovett, Ali vs Foreman - who cares? This is Kauto Star vs Denman - The Champion vs The Pretender.
However by concentrating on just the top two in the betting, are we not doing a disservice?
There are eight other contenders and whilst some could be dismissed as no-hopers, there are still some quality runners.
In any other era, sans Kauto Star, Exotic Dancer would have been a Gold Cup winner.
Celestial Gold, Halcon Genelardais, Knowhere and Neptune Collonges are no mugs.
Whilst we are all concentrating on the top two, only a fool would discount the remaining runners.9:10 Have just grabbed some breakfast - this is the time to shop etc., no queues. Barrels of beer, mostly the black stuff, are being delivered to the various bars. It is a hive of activity here before the doors open in under an hour.
8:55 News of the non-runners, nine so far, however no real surprises as they are mostly horses who have already run this week.
8:40 Well here we are again and I still have not ecovered fom yesterday.
What a day in prospect, with the "big one" due off at 3:30.
Other good news, no rain, little wind and the sun is shining.