For National Hunt aficionados the entire season centres around four days in the Gloucestershire countryside in the third week of March. Just in case you reside on a different planet I am, of course, referring to the Cheltenham Festival.

Whilst the festival is the premier meeting, the early season Open Meeting is fast becoming a “mini festival”. High quality racing, without the oppressive crowds. By a strange coincidence, the Open Meeting was staged this weekend.

As always the racing was of the usual high quality, however the racing was, unfortunately, overshadowed by the equine fatalities and the injury suffered by Ruby Walsh.

The meeting started on a relatively quiet note on Friday, with the highlight being the somewhat unique cross country race, which 14 year old Spot Thedifference has made his own. Winning the race for the fourth consecutive year, it could be argued he was a fortunate winner as many of his rivals came to grief in an incident packed race. The greatest drama, however, came after the race when Spot Thedifference stumbled and fell. Many at the course feared the worse when the screens were erected, however the brave fighter did get back on his feet and the cheers from the crowd were the loudest of the day as he made his way to the winners enclosure.

Saturday was the highlight of the meeting, with four class one races.

The opener, the Ryman Novice Hurdle, may only have been a class three race, however it produced an exciting finish with 2/1 favourite Kia Kaha, under champion jockey Tony McCoy, just prevailed after being headed by Irish challenger Roman Villa.

McCoy was again the victor in the Novice Chase, the second of the afternoon, on Albertas Run, however the victory was overshadowed by the fatal fall of the promising Willyanwoody at the third last fence, a fall the resulted in pilot Ruby Walsh being taken to hospital with a broken collarbone. Although it initially looked as though he had been more seriously injured.

The next race, the first of the big ones, featured the novice hurdlers and this seasons new sensation Franchoek, won by a facile eight lengths, with plenty in hand. Successful on the flat over the summer this three year old gelding is seemingly taking to obstacles without a thought and this Alan King charge must be in the notebooks for greater glory next March.

The big race of the afternoon was the Paddy Power Chase. One of the best early season races this race usually sees a combination of seasoned chasers and promising newcomers and this renewal was no exception. The record books will say that L’Antartique trained by Ferdy Murphy, ridden by Graham Lee beat Alan King’s Il Duce by a neck. However the race will be overshadowed by the fatal fall of favourite Granite Jack, at the second last fence, when in serious contention and looking like the winner. Granite Jack, winner of last years Supreme Novice had been well backed for this years Queen Mother. The fatality has, once again, raised a question about the safety of the second last fence. Statistics show, over recent years, that this fence has accounted for 30% of fallers on the chase course.

The long distance hurdle has a disappointing turnout for the prize money. Of the nine runners only three were in the handicap proper. The form is called into question even more so by the fact the places were filled by three runners out of the handicap and the field was strung out like the washing.

The final race on the card was the Servo Chase, which looked to be a cracking race on paper. As often happens, however, the reality was something of a disappointment as the race turned into a procession. As the challenges of the fancied runners failed one by one, the veteran Sir Rembrandt plodded on to take the spoils by a convincing 13 lengths.

 

Sunday’s fixture turned out to be very much a case of “after the Lord Mayor’s Show”. The abysmal weather conditions resulted in very small crowds and the jockeys saying the conditions were some of the worse they have ever encountered.

The “highlights” of the afternoon were the Paddypower.com Handicap Chase and the Greatwood Hurdle.

The former saw the long awaited seasonal debut of last years Queen Mother winner Voy Por Ustedes. Sent off the 8/11 favourite he was giving weight to all his rivals, including almost two stone to the talented Kalca Mome. The weight concession proved to be decisive as Kalca Mome headed the front running Voy Por Ustedes in the run in to win by a neck. Bookmakers, however, took no chances and shortened Voy Por Ustedes price for this years Queen Mother.

The Greatwood hurdle, is usually one of the best early season two mile hurdle races. This renewal was run in appalling conditions with the ground deteriorating rapidly. The form of this race must, therefore, be questionable. Osana put in a valiant effort to try and maintain the excellent record of top weights in this race. In the end the weight concession, in soft going, proved to be too much as Sizing Europe, in receipt of six pounds, wore down the top weight to win by a comfortable four months.

It seemed somewhat appropriate that the final race was Cancelled as conditions worsened considerably.