Cheltenham 2008 Live
Thursday
18:05 Well that's it, it's getting dark now but all ten races run - well done to Cheltenham.
What an afternoon - from the new kid on the block to the old man, every race told a story.
The sobering thought is we have another nine races tomorrow - with the highlight of this and probably any festival being the Gold Cup.
From Cheltenham good night and see you tomorrow.
18:00 Well guess what - Willie Mullins has won the Bumper, the only surprise being it wasn't the obvious first string, although his son, Patrick, was riding.
A massive reception, especially as the horse is owned by a syndicate.
| 5:50 | Wetherbys Champion Bumper | |||
| 1st | 8 Cousin Vinny | 12/1 | ||
| 2nd | 6 Corskeagh Royale | 7/1 | ||
| 3rd | 22 Zaarito | 3/1f | ||
| Tote | Win | £11.70 | ||
| Place | £3.40 | £3.10 | £2.20 | |
| Exacta | £113.50 | |||
| Distances | 3.25l 0.75l | |||
| 23 ran | NR No 20 | |||
5:35 Nearly there, nine down and just the bumper to go.
5:30 Yet another first time winner, this time James Tudor, who rode High Chimes to a stirling victory in the Kim Muir. Taking up the running coming down the hill the only danger as he approached the last was in front, rather than behind.
Despite tiring on the run in he never looked to be in any danger. It was a welcom win for the Evan Williams stable, which has been going through a lean spell recently.
| 5:15 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | ||||
| 1st | 21 High Chimes | 14/1 | |||
| 2nd | 18 Openide | 18/1 | |||
| 3rd | 19 Burntoakboy | 12/1 | |||
| 4th | 14 Noir Et Vert | 11/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £17.30 | |||
| Place | £4.40 | £4.80 | £3.30 | £3.20 | |
| Exacta | £430.30 |
||||
| Distances | 4l 7l | ||||
| 24 ran | |||||
17:15 I spoke too soon - a false start, the first of the festival.
And a second false start - I will shut up in future.
Now the tape is broken!!!
17:10 I have just seen a truck load of miners hats being delivered, presumably so the jockeys in the bumper will be able to see where they are going.
Cheltemham should be praised as they are still getting the races off on time.
17:05 Have finally managed to get some lunch, I was starting to flag. A lovely red hot chilli from the Mexican food stall outside the press room.
I'm feeling human again.
16:55 Well eight down two to go. There is an impromptu male voice choir outside and the rain is getting just a tad depressing. Nothing heavy, just incessant light rain, not enough to impact the going I would have thought.
| 4:40 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | ||||
| 1st | 16 Ballyfitz | 18/1 | |||
| 2nd | 15 Miko De Beauchene | 7/1jf | |||
| 3rd | 17 According To Pete | 33/1 | |||
| 4th | 6 Mobaasher | 12/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £22.60 | |||
| Place | £4.50 | £2.40 | £6.40 | £4.90 | |
| Exacta | £103.20 | ||||
| Distances | 3l 2.25l | ||||
| 24 ran | |||||
4:15 A shock result, the idea of a handicap is that the horses are suppose to be weighted to finish in a line - well they finished in a line in this race, although it was more like a washing line.
The Sue Smith trained Mister McGoldrick made a mockery of the handicap, slaughtering the field by 13 lengths. The trainers husband Harvey Smith, with his usual understatement, said the horse "is obviously not a 66/1 shot."
The well backed favourite, Don't Push It, took a crashing fall at the second last. Luckily both horse and rider were OK.
| 4:05 | Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase | ||||
| 1st | 5 Mister McGoldrick | 66/1 | |||
| 2nd | 13 Gwanako | 9/1 | |||
| 3rd | 4 Fundamentalist | 28/1 | |||
| 4th | 14 Bible Lord | 6/1 | |||
| Tote | Win | £147.00 | |||
| Place | £19.60 | £2.70 | £6.40 | £2.00 | |
| Exacta | £1,618.90 | ||||
| Distances | 13l 11l | ||||
| 22 Ran | |||||
4:04 We have had six races so far - a normal afternoon's quota - hard to believe we still have another four - and we are still running very much to time.
3:50 Just over an hour ago we were lauding the new kid on the block, now we are lauding an old campaigner.
Inglis Drever joind the elite club of three time festival winners by taking the World Hurdle in typical style. A horse who idles in front Denis O'Regan rode a patient ride keeping the favourite well back. Coming to the last he had only two in front then, up the run-in, he was unleashed to the biggest roar of the Fesival so far.
This second winner for O'Regan was his only ride of the day.
French raider, Kasbah Bliss was a valliant runner up, with Kazal taking third.
Lough Derg as is his wont, set the pace and led, until tiring as they came down the hill.
| 3:30 | ladbrokes.com World Hurdle | |||
| 1st | 7 Inglis Drever | 11/8f | ||
| 2nd | 8 Kasbah Bliss | 9/1 | ||
| 3rd | 9 Kazal | 12/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £2.30 | ||
| Place | £1.20 | £3.10 | £3.50 | |
| Exacta | £16.40 | |||
| Distances | ||||
| 17 ran | ||||
3:13 Five races down and still five to go this really is turning into a marathon. We have seen some fantastic racing so far. Can it get any better?
3:05 Our Vic has been called many names in his time, a large number of them not fit for mixed company.
However, not for the first time this season, the application of blinkers by David Pipe has worked the oracle.
Putting in a pillar to post performance Our Vic, under Timmy Murphy (his first Festival win since 2003) he never looked in any danger.
Mossbank was the running on second, having been happy to track his rivals for most of the race. It could be argued that Mossbank's jockey Davey Russell left his challenge to late.
Favourite, The Listener was not very impressive, getting in too close to too many fences.
| 2:55 | Ryanair Chase | |||
| 1st | 7 Our Vic | 4/1 | ||
| 2nd | 5 Mossbank | 4/1 | ||
| 3rd | 11 Turko | 7/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £5.10 | ||
| Place | £1.80 | £1.90 | £2.40 | |
| Exacta | £21.40 | |||
| Distances | 5l 7l | |||
| 9 ran | NR's 6 & 9 | |||
2:26 Wow - that was not even a race, it was a demolition job.
Master Minded returns to almighty cheers after demolishing a high class field to win by 19 lengths - and he is only a five year old. Defending Champion Voy Por Ustedes lost nothing in defeat, running to his best form and fininshing 16 lengths ahead of the third.
Winning owner Clive Smith, who also owns Kauto Star had the biggest smile at Cheltenham - what a lucky owner.
Alan King, trainer of the runner-up described Master Minded as "awesome". There were "no excuses" for Voy Por's defeat and he will look at running him over 2.5 miles in future.
Tamarinbleu, who was strongly fancied trailed in a disappointing last.
| 2:20 | Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Chase | |||
| 1st | 6 Master Minded | 3/1 | ||
| 2nd | 11 Voy Por Ustedes | 5/2 | ||
| 3rd | 3 Fair Along | 12/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £3.90 | ||
| Place | £1.60 | £1.30 | £2.50 | |
| Exacta | £10.10 | |||
| Distances | 19l 16l | |||
| 8 ran | NR's 1, 2 & 4 | |||
2:03 They are now in the parade ring ready for the delayed Queen Mother. The runners all look relaxed and fit so there should be no excuses on the attitude front.
1:53 Forgot to mention it is raining, not a lot, more drizzle than anything.
We have had three good races and we still have seven to go. Next is yesterdays big race The Queen Mother
1:50 You could sense the excitement as there was almost a fairytale finish to the Jewson. Coming to the last it looked, briefly, that the Queen's first Cheltenham runner was going to be a winning one.
The Irish however spoiled the party and Tom Taaffe's Finger On The Pulse managed to fight off the battling Barbers Shop for a neck victory.
It was the third Irish victory of the week and the first today.
The well backed favourite Mr Strachan was a 5th fence faller.
| 1:40 | Jewson Novices Handicap Chase | |||
| 1st | 9 Finger On The Pulse | 9/1 | ||
| 2nd | 2 Barbers Shop | 12/1 | ||
| 3rd | 17 Possol | 25/1 | ||
| 4th | 10 Fleet Street | 66/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | |||
| Place | ||||
| Exacta | ||||
| Distances | Nk 1.5l sh | |||
| 20 ran | ||||
1:35 Mr Strachan is a very well backed favourite in the next - there must be a lot of Holby City fans here
1:20 A double for Trevor Hemmings and a Festival win for Tony McCoy as the favourite Albertas Run romps home under a typical patient McCoy ride.
Joe Lively took them along until a blunder at the 6th, when the lead was handed to Denman's full brother Silverburn. However Silverburn didn't stay the 3 miles 1 furlong and coming down the hill it was Battlecry who took up the running. However McCoy was lurking and coming to the last the champion jockey made his decisive move.
Battlecry tired in the run in and Roll Along took the runners up spot.
Fancied rench challenger Pomme Tiepy, under Ruby Walsh fell at 9th but both were OK.
| 1:05 | Royal and Sun Alliance Chase | |||
| 1st | 2 Albertas Run | 4/1f | ||
| 2nd | 7 Roll Along | 20/1 | ||
| 3rd | 4 Battlecry | 25/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £4.00 | ||
| Place | £1.80 | £4.60 | £7.50 | |
| Exacta | £69.90 | |||
| Distances | 4.5l 3.5l | |||
| 11 ran | NR 10 | |||
12:45 The four mile amateur chase was run at a much more sensible pace than uasual and coming down the hill there were several in with chances.
However it came down to two at the finish with Old Benny, in the Trevor Hemmings colours and trained by Alan King, battling it out with Over The Creek in the David Johnson colours, with the former ultimately taking he honours by 7 lengths, although coming to the last it seemed as though it would be Over The Creek who would take the spoils.
Winning jockey Charlie Huxley was riding his first festival winner.
Ornais was the disappointing 9/2 favourite.
| 12:30 | Peter O'Sullevan National Hunt Chase | |||
| 1st | 17 Old Benny | 9/1 | ||
| 2nd | 5 Over The Creek | 7/1 | ||
| 3rd | 15 Back On Line | 8/1 | ||
| Tote | Win | £10.60 | ||
| Place | £3.60 | £3.00 | £3.00 | |
| Exacta | £67.90 | |||
| Distances | 7l 4.5l | |||
| 20 ran | ||||
11:45 MIchael O'Leary of Ryanair is speaking to the press, owner ot Mossbank in the Ryanair chase he is saying if Mossbank wins then Ryanair will put 1,000,000 free seats online at 17:00 this evening. He obviously fancies The Listener to win.
11:15 Just over an hour to the first race and the crowds are still flocking in. People are grabbing their pictches by the parade ring.
Another non-runner, this time in race 10 - how often do we say that?
11:05 It is Ladies Day here at the Festival and Ann Saunders and Lady Chicky Oaksey have been given special awards which recognise the contribution of ladies to racing. Ann Saunders has worked for the Jockeys Association for over 30 years, providing backroom support for jockeys. Chick Oaksey is the senior Almoner for the Injured Jockeys Fund, which does so much to help those in need in racing. Well done to them both and it is good to see the backroom people recognised.
10:30 Time to manage expectations here. With a combination of ten races, only 35 mins between races and a crowd of 65,000 - getting around is going to be difficult this afternoon.
We will provide results of all the races shortly after the runners cross the line. In terms of reports we will get reports of all the major races online as soon as possible after the race, for the other races reports will be added as time allows.
10:15 Well the doors are open and the black stuff is starting to flow. The Irish band next door is already bashing out the tunes. The atmosphere is light and friendly. Also you can sense the anticipation at the racing ahead.
10:00 Six non-runners so far, details on the right.
09:50 Just ten minutes before the doors open. I've managed to grab some breakfast before the doors open and the rush starts.
There is a good crowd queuing outside. Bring it on.
09:25 What is it they say about an ill wind?
We have a veritable feast of racing today, ten high class races - it is going to be a marathon slog, but bring it on .
The traffic in town is already chunky.
More impotant the weather news, verry little wind and although it is grey there is no sign of any rain - yet.