- 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
Showing posts with label Cheltenham Festival 2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cheltenham Festival 2015. Show all posts
13 March 2015
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.
12 March 2015
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
10 March 2015
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)
09 March 2015
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.
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.
07 March 2015
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.
Fry now hopes to have Rock On Ruby back fit for Aintree in April.
03 March 2015
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.
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.
28 February 2015
Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: Betfred Gold Cup
Solving the puzzle of the 2015 running of the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup partly revolves around the emphasis that is placed on Cheltenham form versus current season form.
Silviniaco Conti (Paul Nicholls) is the clear 3/1 favourite and has had a strong season but his record at the Cheltenham Festival reads 3F4, with the last two runs being in the Gold Cup itself. So, with a win record of 0/3, there has to be a strong argument made that something is different this time around.
In recent history, no horse has come back to win the Gold Cup having failed to win it in a previous year.
Kauto Star won the race in 2007, was defeated in 2008, and then returned to win again in 2009.
The argument that it will be third time lucky in the race for Silviniaco Conti is based in the claim that the horse was suffering from gastric ulcers last season – although he was able to win at Aintree a month after losing at Cheltenham.
Paul Nicholls has told Sportinglife.com: “What he’s doing this year, which he didn’t do last year, is finishing off his races strongly. We found out after he won at Aintree last year that he was suffering from gastric ulcers. We’ve been on top of that now and it’s obviously made a difference, along with the cheekpieces which have got him jumping sharper and stopped him being lazy.”
He also views the horse’s record at Cheltenham as “unlucky”:
“He’s been very unlucky at Cheltenham in a lot of ways. He ran very well once there in the Bula, was going very well when he fell at the third last in the Gold Cup two years ago and last year he jumped the last in front, so you can’t say he doesn’t act there.”
By contrast, Lord Windermere’s win record at the Festival is 2/2 and is 14/1 for this year’s Gold Cup. But his form this season has been lacklustre – although this is no different to his performances before last season’s Gold Cup - and reigning Gold Cup champions have struggled to retain their title in the following season.
The money this week has been for Djakadam (Willie Mullins), who is in from 16/1 to 12/1. He won a foggy running of the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park in January 2015 but was beaten a long way in 8th in the Hennessy Gold Cup behind Many Clouds (8/1 for the Gold Cup) in his seasonal debut in November 2014. He is only six years old, however, and there has been only one winner of that age since 2004 (2009: Long Run).
Silviniaco Conti (Paul Nicholls) is the clear 3/1 favourite and has had a strong season but his record at the Cheltenham Festival reads 3F4, with the last two runs being in the Gold Cup itself. So, with a win record of 0/3, there has to be a strong argument made that something is different this time around.
In recent history, no horse has come back to win the Gold Cup having failed to win it in a previous year.
Kauto Star won the race in 2007, was defeated in 2008, and then returned to win again in 2009.
The argument that it will be third time lucky in the race for Silviniaco Conti is based in the claim that the horse was suffering from gastric ulcers last season – although he was able to win at Aintree a month after losing at Cheltenham.
Paul Nicholls has told Sportinglife.com: “What he’s doing this year, which he didn’t do last year, is finishing off his races strongly. We found out after he won at Aintree last year that he was suffering from gastric ulcers. We’ve been on top of that now and it’s obviously made a difference, along with the cheekpieces which have got him jumping sharper and stopped him being lazy.”
He also views the horse’s record at Cheltenham as “unlucky”:
“He’s been very unlucky at Cheltenham in a lot of ways. He ran very well once there in the Bula, was going very well when he fell at the third last in the Gold Cup two years ago and last year he jumped the last in front, so you can’t say he doesn’t act there.”
By contrast, Lord Windermere’s win record at the Festival is 2/2 and is 14/1 for this year’s Gold Cup. But his form this season has been lacklustre – although this is no different to his performances before last season’s Gold Cup - and reigning Gold Cup champions have struggled to retain their title in the following season.
The money this week has been for Djakadam (Willie Mullins), who is in from 16/1 to 12/1. He won a foggy running of the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park in January 2015 but was beaten a long way in 8th in the Hennessy Gold Cup behind Many Clouds (8/1 for the Gold Cup) in his seasonal debut in November 2014. He is only six years old, however, and there has been only one winner of that age since 2004 (2009: Long Run).
25 February 2015
GBR Fantasy Jumps Series 2014 - 2015
Our combination strategy had not been proving itself over the last few races and our stable had slipped outside the top 100 as a result.
But the plan came good again at Kempton Park in the Betbright Chase. Paul Nicholls' Rocky Creek (8/1) was a comfortable winner under the jockeyship of Sam Twiston-Davies and earned nearly 150 points for the trio.
With more than 230 points earned on the day our stable moved back up to just outside the top 100.
The races come thick and fast in March, with 13 races in the series and the week of the Cheltenham Festival will be central to the stable's success in the season.
But the plan came good again at Kempton Park in the Betbright Chase. Paul Nicholls' Rocky Creek (8/1) was a comfortable winner under the jockeyship of Sam Twiston-Davies and earned nearly 150 points for the trio.
With more than 230 points earned on the day our stable moved back up to just outside the top 100.
The races come thick and fast in March, with 13 races in the series and the week of the Cheltenham Festival will be central to the stable's success in the season.
24 February 2015
Turf Notes 24 February 2015: Cheltenham Festival update
Jonjo O'Neill's More Of That has been ruled of the Cheltenham Festival 2015 and will not be able to defend his Ladbrokes World Hurdle title.
His participation was thrown into doubt a few weeks ago when he was reported to have bled after a workout and today's news confirms that the Festival will come too soon after that setback.
Paul Nicholls' Hinterland has also been ruled out of Cheltenham 2015 and will not run in The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. His trainer set Sandown in April as a possible target for a return to the track.
His participation was thrown into doubt a few weeks ago when he was reported to have bled after a workout and today's news confirms that the Festival will come too soon after that setback.
Paul Nicholls' Hinterland has also been ruled out of Cheltenham 2015 and will not run in The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. His trainer set Sandown in April as a possible target for a return to the track.
23 February 2015
Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2015: Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: JCB Triumph Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2015: JCB Triumph Hurdle
Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: JLT Novices' Chase
Cheltenham Festival 2015: JLT Novices' Chase
Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: Queen Mother Champion Chase
Cheltenham Festival 2015: Queen Mother Champion Chase
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