Cheltenham Festival 2015: Friday summary

There was to be no farewell Festival finale for jockey AP McCoy on Friday. He could only finish fourth on Ned Buntline (4/1jf) in his final ride in the AP McCoy Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

• Coneygree (7/1) set a pace that his rivals couldn't live with in the Betfred Gold Cup and he got into a rhythm that produced a solid round of jumping to see him home by 1 1/2 lengths from Djakadam (10/1) and Road To Riches (8/1)
• Peace And Co (2/1f) led home a Nicky Henderson 1-2-3 in the JCB Triumph Hurdle
• Wicklow Brave (25/1) sulked at Sandown last weekend when he didn't get his way in the race but turned it round to win the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths
• Willie Mullins ended the Festival 2015 with a record-breaking eight wins over the four days

Cheltenham Festival 2015: Thursday summary

A great afternoon of racing with some fine front running performances and big winning margins, including a winner for retiring jockey AP McCoy.

• Vautour (6/4f) was very impressive in the JLT Novices' Chase and his jumping was near faultless, bringing him home in front by 15 lengths - another winner for Mullins and Walsh
• AP McCoy made all aboard Uxizandre (Alan King, 16/1) to win the Ryanair Chase by 5 lengths from Ma Filleule
• Cole Harden also led from start to finish (14/1) to give trainer Warren Greatrex and jockey Gavin Sheehan a first Festival success in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle
• Trainer Kim Bailey was back in the winner's enclosure at the Festvial once again with Darna (33/1), who won the Brown Advisory and Merriebelle Stable Plate (Handicap Chase)
• The veteran 12-year old The Package (9/1) popped up to win the amateur riders' chase by 12 lengths for David Pipe

Cheltenham Festival 2015: Wednesday summary

After Willie Mullins stole the show on Tuesday, it was the chance of a few other trainers to get on the scoreboard on Wednesday.

• Three winners for Paul Nicholls (the first two ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, the third by Nick Scholfield): Aux Ptits Soins (9/1), Dodging Bullets (9/2) and Qualando (25/1)
• A double for jockey Davy Russell: Windsor Park (9/2) and Rivage D'Or (16/1)
• A winner for the David Pipe-Tom Scudamore partnership in the Champion Bumper - Moon Racer (9/2f)
• Willie Mullins notched up another winner in Don Poli (13/8f) in the RSA Chase

Cheltenham Festival 2015: Tuesday summary

Surely one of the most dramatic opening days of a Cheltenham Festival for a long while.

• Four winners for trainer Willie Mullins: Douvan (2/1f), Un De Sceaux (4/6f), Faugheen (4/5f), Glens Melody (6/1)
• Mullins saddles the first three home in the Stan James Champion Hurdle: Faugheen, Arctic Fire and Hurricane Fly
• Three winners for jockey Ruby Walsh and a double for Paul Townend
• AP McCoy draws a blank on Jezki, Jollyallan et al.
• Annie Power falls at the last flight in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle when leading and on her way to a sure victory
• The Druids Nephew (8/1) wins the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase - a first Cheltenham Festival winner for trainer Neil Mulholland
• Owner JP McManus has a Festival winner on his birthday in the form of Cause Of Causes (8/1)

Bookies fearful of Mullins mauling

Bookmakers could take a battering on the opening day of the 2015 Cheltenham Festival if all four of the Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh combination of favourites are victorious.

Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Faugheen Annie Power have the potential to get the Festival off to a winning start for the punters.

Ladbrokes' David Williams explained: "The Ruby Walsh 'acca' [accumulator] has the potential to do untold damage."

"It's going to be the most popular accumulator bet we've ever known. If all four horses win we'll never have known a day like it at Cheltenham. It could run to tens of millions of pounds."

"We'll be desperate to see one of them beaten. Anything more than that will be a luxury but we dare not dream."

"We simply want to get through the opening day in one piece and there's no guarantee it will happen."

Bookmakers' bleatings about how much they stand to lose (or have lost) should always be taken with a large dose of salt. In any case, they have three further days to win it all back.

Turf notes 9 March 2015: Cheltenham Festival updates

Mark Bradstock said he was "edging towards" the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup as the preferred race for Coneygree at this week's Cheltenham Festival.

Speaking on At The Races Bradstock said that he will inspect the course early on Tuesday morning before having to make a decision before 10am, when declarations are due for his other option, Wednesday's RSA Chase.

The decision will be influenced by the ground conditions and rain is forecast over the course of the week before the main event on Friday.

Green Party seeks to ban commercial horseracing

The Green Party has been holding its conference in Liverpool this weekend. But the party might not be welcome back in the city if the Greens were ever able to implement one of their policies - banning the Grand National at Aintree.

More broadly, the Green Party also seeks to impose an ban on "the exploitation of animals in horse racing ..".

The full policy statement is set out below:


AR425: The Green Party will end the exploitation of animals in horse racing, greyhound racing and all situations where animals are commercially raced. There would be an immediate ban on the use of the whip in horse racing and in jumps racing, and on the use of a non-linear track in greyhound racing. A single regulatory authority would be put in place for each sport, tasked with establishing and enforcing strict welfare standards. There would be a requirement for full traceability of all animals involved in racing  throughout their lives (using microchip technology where applicable) and full publication of injury and  death statistics. These statistics would be used as evidence to close dangerous tracks and ban trainers with poor records. Breeding and import of animals for racing will be tightly regulated and monitored to  improve welfare and prevent over-breeding. There would be regulation on the conditions and times of  transportation of animals used in sport as well as the housing of all animals. A high level of compulsory levy  would be imposed on all betting, to be used solely for welfare improvements.

Turf notes 7 March 2015: Cheltenham Festival updates

Rock On Ruby has been taken out of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle after "working poorly" on Saturday morning, according to his trainer Harry Fry.

Fry now hopes to have Rock On Ruby back fit for Aintree in April.

Turf notes 3 March 2015: Cheltenham Festival update

Cue Card has been ruled out of competing in the Ryanair Chase at the 2015 Cheltenham Festival.

Cue Card won the race in 2013 and was 6/1 second favourite for the 2015 running.

Trainer Colin Tizzard has said the horse should be fit for Aintree in April.