This article titled “Cheltenham Gold Cup day – as it happened” was written by Tony Paley, Chris Cook, Steve Busfield, Barry Glendenning, Will Hayler, Greg Wood and Paul Hayward, for guardian.co.uk on Friday 18th March 2011 10.08 UTC
5.23pm:
Goodbye to All That
That is it for another year. Britain win 14-13 but still a record week for Irish winners. A great Gold Cup rounded off a superb meeting. Thank you all for reading and getting on board. The results of the tipping competition will be published on this blog later and for those of you new to Talking Horses we’re here every day.
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase: The Result
1 Oiseau de Nuit (S Clements) 40-1
2 Askthemaster (P T Enright) 50-1
3 Leo’s Lucky Star (Danny Cook) 20-1
4 De Boitron (G Lee) 8-1
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase: The Race
We’re off for the last time at the 2011 Festival: Channinbar left at the start . . . Tanks For That blunders at the first . . . Pepe Simo hit the third fence hard . . . Pigeon Island is struggling very badly . . . Shoreacres dropping back . . . Tanks For That leads for Nicky Henderson . . . Anquetta also there for Henderson . . . But Oiseau De Nuit takes it up and goes clear to win well.
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase: The Preview
Chris Cook:
Alas, the end is near. The last race at the Festival is the Grand Annual, a handicap chase over two miles. In recent years, it has been named after Johnny Henderson, father of Nicky, making it a particular target for the Lambourn trainer, who has already won it once with Greenhope in 2006.
Here’s an odd thing. The favourite is I’msingingtheblues, who hasn’t won a race for more than two years. It was 8-1 this morning but is now half that. It would have to be admitted that David Pipe’s yard are in form but there is little enough encouragement in this horse’s recent form and he is pretty high in the weights.
Shoreacres has a nice profile for this race, being a novice chaser who won last time out and surely has a bit in hand of the handicapper. He has Tony McCoy on board.
Oh Crick won this race two years ago but is a stone higher in the weights now and not in quite the same form.
De Boitron is a fascinating runner from the yard of Ferdy Murphy, who had a handicap chase win with Divers on Tuesday. This one won at the course last April and showed promise when second last time. As we have said already in the context of other races, Murphy can really get his horses ready for this week.
Henderson runs Anquetta and Tanks For That, both of which look the right type for this and they are possibly being underestimated by the betting market.
Betting
I’msingingtheblues 9-2
Shoreacres 7-1
Oh Crick 9-1
De Boitron 10-1
Anquetta 10-1
Tanks For That 12-1
4.52pm: Britain and Ireland 13-13 with one race to go
It could not be any tighter in the battle for racing supremacy at this year’s Cheltenham Festival as we go into the last heat with Britain and Ireland on 13 winners apiece.
Frank Keogh, BBC sports journalist, tweets here: Emmet Mullins wins on Sir des Champs for Willie Mullins to give Irish 13th win of 2011 #Cheltenham Festival. Ire 13 Eng 13 going to last.
4.48pm:
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle: The Result
1 Sir Des Champs (Emmet Mullins) 9-2 Fav
2 Son Of Flicka (Henry Brooke) 28-1
3 First Point (David Bass) 20-1
4 Indian Daudaie (James Cowley) 25-1
4.41pm:
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle: The Race
We’re off: Barazan leads . . . Mister Hyde has gone . . . Astracad has been up there . . . Shoegazer just behind . . . Indian Daudie is going very well . . . Sir Des Champs runs on strongly . . . Shalone fell on the flat . . . Son Of Flicka leads after the last but Sir Des Champs gets up close home to win for trainer Willie Mullins.
4.36pm: The punters’ pal gives Henderson helping hand
As you are no doubt aware trainer Nicky Henderson, who has just won the Gold Cup, has been in the news all week over the controversial issue of the vets’ handling of his horses back at his stables. You can read all about that here.
Our man Greg Wood went to the post-Gold Cup press conference and Claude Duval, the self-styled Punters’ Pal at The Sun where he is racing correspondent, was not keen for Wood to ask a question about that issue.
Greg Wood tweets here: Tried to ask a question re Henderson’s medication procedures in post race conf & got shouted down – by the man from the Sun.#funnyoldworld
4.29pm: Rebekah Wade has arrived at Cheltenham
News International executive Rebekah Wade is at the races with husband Charlie Brooks. He was a trainer once don’t you know.
He backed a winner.
4.25pm:
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle: The Preview
Chris Cook:
The Martin Pipe Hurdle has an illustrious three-year history. Named after a former champion trainer who would have loved exactly this kind of race, it’s a handicap hurdle over two and a half miles for conditional riders. A conditional is jump racing’s equivalent of the apprentice jockeys on the Flat. It’s a handicap but the difference in weights carried is less than a stone from top to bottom.
Willie Mullins is trying to follow up his success in the County earlier with Sir Des Champs, an unexposed young hurdler from France who must surely be ahead of the handicapper.
Shoegazer is the interesting runner from the David Pipe yard that had a double here yesterday, ridden by the same enterprising rider, Conor O’Farrell, who was aboard Buena Vista.
Qaspal hacked up in the Imperial Cup at Sandown last year and must still be ahead of the handicapper, even though he’s a stone higher now. He hasn’t been seen since because of various leg problems, but is said to be ready to run his race.
Betting
Sire Des Champs 9-2
Shoegazer 8-1
Qaspal 10-1
King Of The Night 10-1
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase: Result
1 Zemsky 33-1
2 Mid Div and Creep 100-1
3 Oscar Delta 25-1
4 On the Fringe 3-1 JF
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase: The Race
We’re off: All safely over the first two fences in this 3m race…Baby Run leads from Herons Well….Just Amazing third…Baby Run still leads….Theatre Diva unseats rider….Baby Run, Herons Well, Just Amazing still leading as a group of five pulls away from the pack as they pass the stand…Herons Well unseats rider, who nearly clung on….Baby Run and Dante’s Storm are the clear leaders….Zemsky making good progress behind….Zemsky cutting back Baby Run’s lead….Baby Run unseats rider two from home….Zemsky wins (33-1)….
3.57pm:
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase
Chris Cook writes:
Ahem. The next race defines ‘after the Lord Mayor’s Show’. It is the Foxhunter Chase, over the same course and distance as the Gold Cup but with less talented horses and amateur riders. The families of those riders are the people who care most about this race. Many of the rest in the grandstand will be in the bar, chewing over what just happened.
But this is a big deal for the Twiston-Davies family, who field Baby Run, trained by Nigel and ridden by Willie. Last year, this horse won this race when ridden by Sam, also a Twiston-Davies, and he appears to be in similarly good shape this time.
There has been a lot of support for the Irish raider On The Fringe, trying to give some consolation to his owner J P McManus, whose Get Me Out Of Here narrowly failed in the County Hurdle earlier. This unexposed six-year-old must be a major threat and is trained by Enda Bolger, who does so well in the cross-country races (this isn’t one).
Gone To Lunch was beaten just half a length in the Scottish National a couple of years ago. Jaunty Flight has some good form to her name and represents shrewd connections.
Betting
On The Fringe 7-2
Baby Run 7-2
Dantes Storm 10-1
Gone To Lunch 10-1
3.52pm: Chris Cook reveals why Imperial Commander may have missed out on the big finish: “Racing UK report Paddy Brennan says Imperial Commander finished lame.”
3.48pm: The Gold Cup has been collected and the trainer speaks:
Paul Nicholls on Denman and Kauto:
“They were awesome in defeat. Long Run had a few years on them but they really put it up to him.”
3.43pm: The superlatives for that race are flooding in.
Greg Wood says:
What a spectacle. Kauto Star and Denman leading them down the hill was very special even before their young heir swept past
Clare Balding echoes those sentiments:
What a heroic run from Denman & Kauto Star but Long Run is the new king. A terrific Gold Cup
Timeform’s Simon Rowlands tweets:
That will go down as one of the greatest ever jumps races. Wish I could freeze that moment going to 3 out “a who’s who of Gold Cup history”
Long Run wins the Gold Cup. Sam Waley-Cohen does it for amateurs & dentists alike. Mighty Denman 2nd. Twiston-Davies & Imperial gob-smacked
3.35pm: And here is the reaction from the 11-year-old runner-up: “Bollocks.”
3.34pm: Long Run is Nicky Henderson’s first Gold Cup winner
3.20 Totesport Gold Cup: The Result
1 Long Run (Mr S Waley-Cohen) 7-2 Fav
2 Denman (S Thomas) 8-1
3 Kauto Star (R Walsh) 5-1
3.18pm:
3.20 Totesport Gold Cup: The Race
Imperial Commander and Long Run are joint-favourites at 4-1 with just a couple of minutes to go the start of a hugely anticipated Gold Cup.
We’re off: Long Run back in to clear favourite at 7-2 at the off . . . Midnight Chase goes off fast and Neptune Collonges is already being bustled along at fence two . . . Kauto Star is prominent in third and Carruthers is held up . . . Long Run hits the fence . . . China Rock jumps up into second . . . Weird Al has dropped back and Tidal Bay is pushed along for a stride . . . Long Run is pulling hard and makes an error . . . Imperial Commander is well placed . . . Kauto Star is in the lead now and going well . . . Denman just behind the leaders . . . China Rock up there too . . . Denman just being niggled to keep in touch . . . Kauto Star and Imperial Commander go clear with Long Run just behind . . . Denman coming up now . . . Denman and Kauto Star could fight it out .. Long Run comes up and takes the lead to go past Denman and Kauto Star who weakened into third with What A Friend a close fourth.
3.15pm: Greg Wood live from the paddock for the Gold Cup
Greg Wood sends us his paddock report via Twitter here: “In the paddock for the Gold Cup, imperial commander looking well, Kauto Star too. Long Run has a real gleaming about him. What a Friend looks full of himself, wonder if Sir Alex will be too in 20 minutes time.”
3.13pm: The real Denman is out there – TheRealDenman is on twitter
Denman, who trainer Paul Nicholls says he has never had looking better, is going out there to win back the Gold Cup he last won in 2008. He has been placed the last two years and is one of the most popular horses of recent years. If you have a yen for Denman you must follow @TheRealDenman on Twitter here. Great fun.
3.05pm: Long Run the new favourite as money pours on Henderson horse
Tony Paley: Long Run is the new favourite for trainer Nicky Henderson at 7-2 having taken over from Imperial Comander (4-1). There is support for Kauto Star (6-1). Tony McCoy’s mount Kempes has been well supported all day (7-1) while Denman is very weak (9-1). Pandorama is going out in the betting and Sir Alex Ferguson’s What A Friend is 25-1.
If Henderson does win it will be more relief today at the end of a troubled week. Read Paul, Hayward here on the trainer’s travails.
(Father) Ted Walsh (Ruby’s dad) on the TV does not the look of Carruthers. Not many do – he is 66-1. John Francome said: “Bloody hell – Denman looks magnificent.” That is important. Denman runs well when he looks well. Pity the rain has not arrived for him.
2.57pm:
Sir Alex Ferguson has arrived at Cheltenham
Sir Alex Ferguson is here in order to see his horse What A Friend run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Because of the touchline ban he will be watching from the top of the stands.
His runner is currently on offer at around 25-1.
3.20 Totesport Gold Cup: The Preview
Chris Cook:
It’s the Cheltenham Gold Cup! The greatest horse race in the world, according to the Daily Racing Form! And the rest of us.
For the first time in more than 50 years, we have three previous winners in the field: Imperial Commander, Denman and Kauto Star. And the opposition to those three is strong. We’re in for a race to remember.
Imperial Commander powered away from Denman to win last year and was a comfortable winner of the Betfair Chase on his first run this season. That has also turned out to be his only run this season, thanks to an infected cut in his leg that kept him out of the King George, but he goes well fresh and has won five of his six starts over fences at Cheltenham.
Kauto Star is trying to win his third Gold Cup and the roof would come off if he managed it. But at 11 years, he is older than any Gold Cup winner since 1969 and has not shown his best form since the end of 2009, when he won his fourth King George. He fell in last year’s Gold Cup when it already looked as though he was beginning to struggle and he was beaten into third place in the latest King George.
Denman has won just one of his last eight races and is also 11, which makes him look too old for this. He put in an epic performance to beat Kauto Star in the 2008 Gold Cup but it took its toll. He had heart problems later that year and has not been quite the same horse since. He was a very respectable third in the Hennessy in November on his only run this season.
Long Run is the youthful challenger, having hacked up in the King George with Kauto Star trailing behind. He’s been beaten in both previous visits to Cheltenham, so the question is whether he is one of the many horses who is just not suited by this track. To my mind, he has legitimate excuses for those efforts and remains a six-year-old who is still improving. A heavy defeat today, however, would leave little room for doubt. He’s trained by Nicky Henderson, who has only ever had six runners in the Gold Cup in a 30-year career and who breathed a huge sigh of relief when getting a 1-2 in the Albert Bartlett just now.
Kempes, winner of the Irish Gold Cup, is another young improver who may have the quality to push his elders aside. He comes from the Willie Mullins yard that has had three winners this week.
Midnight Chase goes well here but is probably going to be outclassed. Pandorama has the necessary class but probably won’t be suited by the fast racing surface. Tidal Bay would be a lively outsider if he could keep himself in touch through the first half of the race, but he has a bit of an attitude problem and his jumping is not always clean.
Weird Al impressed in winning a couple of novice chases here last season. He flopped in the Hennessy but could get involved if over whatever was affecting him that day.
What A Friend, running in the colours of Sir Alex Ferguson, has won a couple of Grade Ones but looks a bit of a softie in the very toughest races.
Betting
Imperial Commander 4-1
Long Run 9-2
Kauto Star 13-2
Kempes 8-1
Denman 10-1
Midnight Chase 12-1
Pandorama 14-1
Tidal Bay 20-1
Weird Al 20-1
What A Friend 28-1
China Rock 33-1
Neptune Collonges 33-1
Carruthers 66-1
2.50pm: Get Me Out Of Here controversy rumbles on
Tony Paley: The controversy surrounding Get Me Out Of Here’s run at Ascot earlier this season when many thought he was not given the best of rides rumbles on.
Here is Chris Cook on the background to the affair.
On Racing UK the two sides were summed up.
Jonathan Neesom said: “This is the first time [this season] he has given it the proper works. The jockey didn’t give him a hard race when the chance was there.”
Nick Luck said: “He was mindful not to give him a hard race once his chance had gone.”
2.40 Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle: The Result
Cheltenham 2.40
1 Bobs Worth (B J Geraghty) 15-8 Fav
2 Mossley (A P McCoy) 12-1
3 Court In Motion (Jack Doyle) 9-1
2.40 Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle: The Race
We’re off: Quick start and off very fast . . . No Secrets and Radetsky March are off like hounds out of hell . . . Bobs Worth makes a minor error at the 4th hurdle . . . Court In Motion makes ground . . . and then makes an error as does Gagewell Flyer . . . No Secrets leads with a circuit to go . . . Start Me Up is towards the rear and Jetnova not going all that well . . . Our Island struggling and Bobs Worth makes a move . . . Join Together struggling badly . . . Bobs Worth makes a mistake 3 out . . . No Secrets still leads but Bobs Worth is back in with a chance . . . Bobs Worth going very well on home turn . . . Mossley challenges from the same yard but Bobs Worth holds on to beat Mossley and give trainer Nicky Henderson a one-two in the race.
2.30pm: Tommo loses his job to Katie Price
Tony Paley: Channel 4 presenter Derek Thompson, true professional that he is, managed to get a few words from her on the box just now.
Katie said she had backed the first two winners. “I backed the one in the first [Zakandar] because he had a pink shirt. I bet on Final Approach because that’s me, I’m always on the Final Approach.”
She then gave us her idea of the winner of the next: “I’m going for Champion Court because I’m due in court next month. I think I’m going to win in court . . . so Champion Court.”
Thompson then gave her the microphone and she looked at him and announced: “Welcome to Channel 4 – he’s just lost his job.”
Tommo proceeed to kiss her twice.
2.21pm:
2.40 Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle: The Preview
Chris Cook:
Backed by a company that calls itself “Britain’s leading grower and packer of potatoes”, the Albert Bartlett is a three-mile race for novice hurdlers that is now in its seventh year. You would think that novices who can see out three miles at Cheltenham would be few and far between, which should help us, though last year’s race was won by a 33-1 shot.
Bobs Worth is the latest beast to be saddled with the diminishing hopes and expectations of Nicky Henderson’s yard. Unbeaten over hurdles, including two wins here, he has a strong chance if he sees out the extra three furlongs. He was bought by Barry Geraghty, who sold him on to Henderson and now rides him today.
Join Together runs for Paul Nicholls, who has been the man to follow in novice hurdles this week. He won the Supreme (Al Ferof) and the Triumph (Zarkandar) and was beaten a short-head in the Neptune (Rock On Ruby). Join Together was impressive last time at Chepstow but had previously been beaten by both Mossley and Court In Motion, who are available at bigger odds today.
Mossley flopped on heavy ground at Warwick when last seen but will be more at home on this faster surface.
Betting
Bobs Worth 11-4
Jojn Together 15-2
Kilcrea Kim 8-1
Court In Motion 9-1
Gagewell Flyer 9-1
2.17pm:
Katie Price has arrived at Cheltenham
Racing For Change eat your heart out. Katie Price has come racing . . . with some Argentinian bloke.
Has he backed a winner?
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle: The Result
1 Final Approach (R Walsh) 10-1
2 Get Me Out Of Here (A P McCoy) 7-1
3 Nearby (C J Davies) 66-1
4 Cockney Trucker (R Johnson) 33-1
2.05pm:
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle: The Race
We’re off: Ellerslie Tom, Hunterview and Ski Sunday at the front . . . Alarazi was towards the rear . . . Salden Licht made a mistake at 2nd . . . Zanir and Grey Soldier untidy at the next . . . At flight five Cockney Truck mistake and ridden along . . . Alaiavan is going well . . . Inventor being pushed along . . . Dirar moving well . . . Alaivan moves up strongly . . . Get Me Out Of Here in it . . . and he and Final Approach go past together . . . Photo finish and the winner is . . . Final Approach, who nabs the victory on the line under Ruby Walsh from Tony McCoy on Get Me Out Of Here.
2.02pm: Daryl Jacob breaks his duck at Cheltenham Festival
Greg Wood reports here on Twitter after the opening race: “Jacob was riding his first Festival winner, on Ruby Walsh’s castoff. It’s a big relief to get one on the board, every jockey’s dream.
Jacob added: “he was travelling great all the way, it was a quick-run race and we just picked them off when we wanted to pick them off.
Jacob again: “He’s well-related [1/2-brother to Zarkava], he’s got class and stamina.” Is 16-1 for 2012 Champion Hurdle with Hills
1.56pm:
Lily Allen has arrived at Cheltenham
Lily Allen does cricket. Now she does racing.
She is not the only celeb at the races this afternoon. Watch this space.
1.49pm:
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle: The Preview
Chris Cook:
The County Hurdle is probably my favourite handicap of the year, even though it’s a few years since it did me any financial good. It’s a thrilling two-mile race which doesn’t often throw up ridiculous, unpredictable results, though the last two winners have been a healthy 20-1.
Dirar, the favourite, won the Ebor, a major handicap on the Flat, at York in August and it would be pretty remarkable if he could add this. But he’s trained by that noted shrewdie Gordon Elliott, who’s already had two winners this week, and I’d bet this one is ahead of his handicap mark. He is also, alas, owned by Marcus Reeder, who has twice been warned off by the British Horseracing Authority for gambling-related corruption. When Reeder asked to be re-registered as an owner after the end of his latest ban, he was refused, but the Irish authorities still welcome him, so he is allowed to own the Irish-trained Dirar.
Alarazi won the Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday and will earn his connections a £75,000 bonus from Paddy Power if he can add this. It’s tough to recover from that race in time to run well at the Festival but he’s the right type for a big-field handicap.
It was only a two-horse race that Alaivan won last time but the horse he beat, Carlito Brigante, won the Coral Cup at Cheltenham a couple of days ago.
Get Me Out Of Here, the mount of Tony McCoy, was narrowly and unluckily beaten in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at last year’s Festival, splitting Menorah and Dunguib, who both tried their luck in the Champion Hurdle this year. They were unplaced but you would think Get Me Out Of Here has enough quality for this race if recovering his form, which he has not shown all season.
Betting
Dirar 13-2
Alarazi 15-2
Alaivan 10-1
Final Approach 12-1
Get Me Out Of Here 12-1
Ski Sunday 14-1
1.47pm: Zarkandar very impressive in the Triumph
Greg Wood is very impressed with the winner of the first and has tweeted here: “Quite a performance by #Zarkandar. Travelled like a monster behind the pace and smooth as you like when Daryl Jacob let him go. #cheltenham”
1.43pm: Shambolic start to the Triumph
One of the features of the jumps season has been some poor starts to races and the Triumph was another poor example. Barry Glendenning tweets here: “Shambolic start to first at #cheltfest. About 15 lengths between first and last as they set off.”
1.40pm: Gary Neville is grumpy shock
Colleague Owen Gibson has spotted Mr Gary Neville and he doesn’t look happy apparently. He tweets thus: “Gary Neville just bustled past. He already looks vaguely annoyed about something.”
1.36pm:
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle: The Result
1 Zarkandar (D Jacob) 13-2
2 Unaccompanied (P Townend) 11-2
3 Grandouet (B J Geraghty) 13-2
1.31pm:
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle: The Race
A Media Luz pulling hard . . . Architrave is prominent . . . Brampour and Zarkandar are handy . . . Houblon Des Obeaux is leading . . . Smad Place not travelling and Sam Winner going back fast . . . Sailors Warn now takes up the running . . . Brampour getting closer . . . Mister Carter fell and Grandouet goes very well . . . Zarkandar at the last in the lead and is kicked out to go clear with Unaccompanied second.
1.18pm:
Here’s today’s line-up at Cheltenham and our tipsters’ selections:
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle
Will Hayler: Zarkandar; Top Form: Zarkandar (nap)
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle
Will Hayler: Alarazi; Top Form: Ski Sunday
2.40 Albert Barlett Novice Hurdle
Will Hayler: Moonlight Drive: Top Form: Bobs Worth
3.20 Totesport Gold Cup
Will Hayler: Imperial Comander (nap); Top Form: Imperial Commander
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase
Will Hayler: Baby Run; Top Form: Baby Run
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Will Hayler: Rose Of The Moon (nb); Top Form: Sir Des Champs
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
Will Hayler: Shoreacres Top Form: Shoreacres (nb)
We want your tips and thoughts and views on Gold Cup day
The first race is off in 15 minutes. Share your thoughts and tips in our competition on Gold Cup day below the line. Or if you wish you can email me at tony.paley@guardian.co.uk, or tweet me @tonypaley if that’s your preferred means of communication.
1.04pm: Celebs and costumes
Stand by for some celeb pictures this afternoon, for Gold Cup day brings them flocking: from Katie Price (and new boyfriend) to Sir Alex Ferguson. Word is that there are quite a few Old Trafford alumni at the Festival.
There’s also plenty for fashion experts to decode/deride. How about these chaps?
1.01pm: Paul Nicholl on the Gold Cup, Kauto Star and Alex Ferguson
Barry Glendenning reports:
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who saddles Denman, Kauto Star, What A Friend and Neptune Collonges in today’s Gold Cup, has been talking in the parade ring. He was happy to concede that 11-year-olds Denman and Kauto Star aren’t getting any younger or faster, but defended the latter’s poor run in the King George at Kempton in January, saying “it wasn’t as bad as some people made out”. He added that he thinks Kauto was feeling poorly at the time and may have been suffering from an infection.
Nicholls went on to describe Sir Alex Ferguson’s Gold Cup contender What A Friend as “an enigma” (translation: an unpredictable, cantankerous and contrary old bugger, not unlike its owner) saying “the ground will definitely suit him and he could run a great race.” So if you fancy an each-way on a long-priced outsider, Fergie’s horse could be the one to go for, but be warned. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him finish in the first three,” said Nicholls. “But by the same token, he could also finish last.”
12.54pm: Another weather update from the course: racing blogger Paul Ostermeyer tweets:
The spits and spots have stopped now, white cloud, with some patches of blue . . . still a chill wind, behind in home straight
12.50pm:
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle: Preview
The Triumph Hurdle kicks off our final card of the week. A race for fast, precocious four-year-old hurdlers, it has been won by a clutch of quality types in recent years in Detroit City, Katchit, Celestial Halo and Zaynar. That development may be connected to the invention of 2005 of the Fred Winter, which absorbs a number of horses who might otherwise have tried their luck in the Triumph. Fields for this race have tended to be smaller, making it a less intimidating test for a young horse and encouraging trainers to run their quality animals rather than save them for the future.
That’s the theory, anyway, but we’ve got 23 runners today and the favourite is as big as 6-1. We’ve got little form to go on but the last six winners have all been returned at single-figure odds, suggesting the market is adept at judging quality here.
Sam Winner would be a stronger favourite, but for getting bogged down in the Chepstow mud last time. You would think he could do better on faster ground today, back at a course where he has already won twice.
Grandouet trailed him by 15 lengths in November. Nicky Henderson’s runner has won twice since but at Newbury and Ascot in races which didn’t tell us much more about him. He’ll have to have improved a lot to turn round the Sam Winner form.
His stablemate A Media Luz was well beaten by Grandouet at Newbury in December and, again, it would be a bit surprising if she could turn that round. Henderson wanted to run her in the Fred Winter but she was going to have too much weight in that race.
Zarkandar is a fascinating contender, having made his hurdling debut last month when he won well at Kempton. That race has proved a good trial for the Triumph and Zarkandar is bred to be good, as a half-brother to the unbeaten Arc winner Zarkava.
Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride Sam Winner over Zarkava but that may mean little in the context of this race. His choice was reportedly made because he thinks Sam Winner will be a fine chaser for next year.
Betting
Sam Winner 6-1
Unaccompanied 6-1
Zarkandar 7-1
Grandouet 8-1
A Media Luz 10-1
Smad Place 10-1
12.38pm: Barry Glendenning adds: Raining here at #cheltfest Think any juice in the ground will suit Denman in Gold Cup
12.34pm: So what is the atmosphere like on Gold Cup Day?
Barry Glendenning reports that there’s been music:
“Hey #cheltfest, are you ready to rock? We were in Chepstow last night and they said you were pussies!” http://t.co/FS2TRK
Look. At. That. Samba at the #cheltfest It’s bloody cold too twitpic.com/4amyzb
More or less dignified than yesterdays ireland cozzy? A kick in the classifieds can’t be far away http://t.co/8myNUr
And:
Who wouldn’t want to win a trophy like this? #cheltfest http://t.co/BHIMPw
12.00pm: “There’s nothing wrong with a Brazilian Dave”
Here’s a quick trawl through twitterland from our correspondents at the track:
It may not be hot but our man Barry Glendenning has found them warming up with a samba at the track via his twitpic here. As Racing UK viewers will be aware “There’s nothing wrong with a Brazilian, Dave.” And here is another for good measure via Barry’s lens.
He has found the hottest band at the track here: “Hey #cheltfest, are you ready to rock? We were in Chepstow last night and they said you were pussies!” twitpic.com/4amt4g
He has also found the trophy you don’t want to win today here: “Who wouldn’t want to win a trophy like this? #cheltfest http://t.co/BHIMPwI
Barry also caught up with charity race winner here: “Lorna Fowler, winner of yesterday’s Charity Race, goes back to her day job http://t.co/LnDOL6T
Greg Wood has walked the course and tweets thus: “Walked the Gold Cup course this am,shame public can’t do the same these days. In excellent condition & good, good to soft in places exactly right.”
11.53am:
British Horseracing Authority turn up heat on Henderson
Tony Paley: If you’ve been following the travails of Nicky Henderson of late you will be interested in today’s article from Daily Mail diarist Charles Sale here who continues to keep up the pressure on the Lambourn trainer.
11.31am:
Whether the weather be hot . . .
Will Hayler:
Nobody’s perfect but, once again, John Kettley seem to have hit the post – and that’s putting it politely – with his weather forecasting for Cheltenham this week.
Having done enough to assure clerk of the course Simon Claisse that there were “strong signals” for 4-5mm of rain overnight or this morning, so far a grand total of 0.2mm has arrived. That’s about a drop, isn’t it?
Claisse and Mr Ketley still reckon a further 1-3mm might arrive before racing, but I wouldn’t be so certain. I have no meteorology experience whatsoever, but it just doesn’t feel like a rainy day.
In the meantime, the ground has predictably dried out to good on the chase course, with the hurdle track remaining good, good to soft in places.
Meanwhile, I’ve had about the third or fourth-biggest bet of my life on Imperial Commander at 9-2.
I might be wrong. The odds suggest that there’s about a 4 in 5 chance that I am. But everything just feels right for another top-drawer performance today.
If I’m right, I shall be hurtling up the M6 to watch the Levellers in Manchester with a celebratory ale or two. If I’m wrong, I’ll probably be curled up in a corner, rocking slowly with a bottle of cooking sherry.
11.25am: Big Mac hard at work on his stats ahead of Gold Cup afternoon
Our man Barry Glendenning has been busy in the press room at Cheltenham watching the other press slaving away. Here is Barry’s twitpic of Channel 4′s Big Mac hard at work and his tweet on the subject: John McCririck, genuinely the hardest working man in the press room #cheltfest http://t.co/12QCeu3
11.19am:
If the Guardian bought a racehorse . . .
Barry Glendenning:
While out for a bit of grub with a few proper racing reporters the other night, there was a discussion about a racehorse one tabloid had bought so they could raffle it off in a competition for their readers. While the newspaper in question paid the training fees and vet bills, whichever lucky reader won the horse for the year got VIP treatment at the races any time it ran, as well as any prize-money it won.
It didn’t win any.
Talk soon turned to what would happen if the Guardian decided to follow suit and it was quickly decided that any racehorse raffled off by this left-leaning publication would have to be fed on organically grown, ethically sourced hay and ridden by a female jockey wearing silks fashioned from hemp. She would not be allowed to hit the horse, or even carry a whip. Our steed would only have to go on the gallops if it wanted to and would be encouraged to take occasional sabbaticals, in order to find opportunities and sample other ways of life – working for the police or a rag-and-bone man, perhaps – before deciding it definitely wanted to be a racehorse. Any money it won would go to charity.
Have we missed anything obvious? What kind of racehorse would other newspapers give away? What would we call ours? Feel free to post your suggestions below the line.
11.12am:
Paddy Power’s tipping competition
You could win a £50 bet from Paddy Power by proving your tipping prowess on today’s races. All you have to do is give us your selections for all of today’s races at Cheltenham.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price. Non-runners count as losers.
Please post all your tips in a single posting, using the comment facility below, before the first race at 1.30pm. There are seven races at Cheltenham today and you must post a single selection for each race.
Our usual terms and conditions, which you can read here will apply, except that this will be a strictly one-day thing. If we get a tie after all the races have been run, the winner will be the one who posted their tips earliest out of those with the highest score.
If you don’t win today . . . despair! Because the Festival ends today and there is no tomorrow.
There will, of course, be a next week and the usual Talking Horses tipping competition will return on Monday, regular as sunrise.
Congratulations to chiefhk, winner of yesterday’s competition. He was the only one to pick Buena Vista (he slightly mis-spelled it but the intention was clear) and nobody had Holmwood Legend (25-1). We have sent you an email, sir, regarding your prize.
10.53am: What is the world’s greatest race?
Tony Paley: The answer to the question will have many different answers depending on your predilection for Flat racing or jumps, what part of the world you hail from and if you have regularly backed the winner no doubt.
The Arc de Triomphe, the Grand National, the Melbourne Cup, the Kentucky Derby, THE Derby, the Dubai World Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic must all be in the mix. Respected American racing writer Alan Shuback has attempted to answer the conundrum and he is firmly of the opinion that it is the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Here is his reasoning in a very readable article in America’s equivalent of the Racing Post, the Daily Racing Form.
10.45am:
The Festival Song – day four
Tony Paley: On Gold Cup day it only seems right to tip our hats to Himself, the greatest chaser ever who won three successive Gold Cups from 1964 and who is so central to the myths and iconography associated with the great race.
Dominic Behan, the youngest of the four famous Behan brothers, of whom the most notable, and the most notorious, was the oldest brother Brendan, as fabled for his drinking exploits as for his very popular plays.
Dominic was a notable writer of folk music as well as drama and here is his tribute to Arkle.
It certainly beats that mournful dirge that used to accompany Best Mate after his three successes.
10.25am:
Gold Cup rich with possibilities
Greg Wood reports from the track on a day that promises so much:
It’s standard practice before a big race like the Gold Cup to spend a little time working out which potential winners are proper “story” horses and which might be, well, a little less spectacular from a reporter’s point of view.
On that basis, it’s difficult to remember a Gold Cup that is quite as rich with possibilities as this afternoon’s renewal. A third victory for Kauto Star would, of course, be a moment to rank with some of the most famous in Festival history, while a second success for Denman, for many the epitome of what a steeplechaser should be and do, would also be wildly popular.
Imperial Commander, another grand Cheltenham type, will have an army of supporters too. Midnight Chase would be a bittersweet winner as Dougie Costello, his regular rider, broke his leg on the eve of the Festival, while Kempes could add a first Gold Cup to the JP McManus trophy list after his first Grand National 11 months ago.
And then there is Long Run, with amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen on his back and, perhaps, the status of favourite by off-time. He too would achieve a Gold Cup first, in this case both for his rider and for trainer Nicky Henderson, and after that week that Henderson has had, it is starting to feel pre-ordained.
The sudden exit of Binocular from the Champion Hurdle due to a medication problem was one of the lowest moments of Henderson’s career, and the horses from his yard that have actually made it to the track this week have done little to lift his spirits. Tuesday brought a series of near-misses, while Wednesday and Thursday little but thumping defeats and another cruel setback with Lush Life, who had to be put down after pulling up.
Henderson’s lack of a series of credible contenders in the Gold Cup, never mind an actual winner, has long been one of National Hunt’s great puzzles. Every horse in his yard is bought with chasing in mind. When you see them trotting out to exercise in the morning, it would be difficult to say for sure which of them are already running over fences, and which are still biding their time over hurdles.
But Long Run, the King George winner, is very credible indeed, and his momentum in the market could well carry him to clear favouritism by 3.20pm today.
10.12am:
Gold Cup day preview
Welcome to day four of the Cheltenham Festival. Today is Gold Cup day and the highlight of the week.
Barry Glendenning will be reporting live on the action off the track in the bars and amongs the crowd. Here is his Diary from yesterday with a report on Henry Cecil’s triumph in the charity race.
Our tipster Will Hayler guides you through today’s races with his best bets from this afternoon’s TV coverage here.
Ever been to Cheltenham Festival? Here is a Comment is free piece from colleague Julian Glover which will ensure you get there as soon as possible.
Nicky Henderson will be hoping to land the Gold Cup for the first time today with Long Run. Paul Hayward looks here at the trainer’s troubles as his horse prepares to line up for the race.
Here is Paul’s profile of Long Run’s amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen.
Don McRae went to see Imperial Commander’s trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies and here is his feature on the trainer of the Gold Cup favourite.
Greg Wood reports here from yesterday’s races on the Big Buck’s triumph and the near-disaster in the Ryanair Chase.
Here’s today’s line-up at Cheltenham and our tipsters’ selections:
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle
Will Hayler: Zarkandar; Top Form: Zarkandar (nap)
2.05 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle
Will Hayler: Alarazi; Top Form: Ski Sunday
2.40 Albert Barlett Novice Hurdle
Will Hayler: Moonlight Drive: Top Form: Bobs Worth
3.20 Totesport Gold Cup
Will Hayler: Imperial Comander (nap); Top Form: Imperial Commander
4.00 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase
Will Hayler: Baby Run; Top Form: Baby Run
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Will Hayler: Rose Of The Moon (nb); Top Form: Sir Des Champs
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase
Will Hayler: Shoreacres Top Form: Shoreacres (nb)
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