Racing hacks bank holiday woes

Spare a fleeting thought for racing journalists who got stuck with the Bank holiday shift yesterday.

Probably already not feeling great after a Sunday session in the pub, what you really want when running a racing desk on a Bank holiday Monday is a quiet day when nothing really happens

Bank holiday's usually have a busy racing programme, so all that is required is a few nice stories for your race meeting review and then put your coat on as the "lucky last" goes off and you're out the door three strides after the winner has gone past the post.

Not yesterday, however.

First, there was the story of former Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton having her first ride as an amateur in the last race at Ripon. So you know that regardless of whether she wins or not, you'll have to wait around for some quotes to be filed and write up a more detailed review of the race than a Class 6 amateurs' handicap usually warrants. No dashing out of the door before the "weighed in" has been called.

On top of that there were the retirement announcements of two racehorses and a jockey in the form of Hurricane Fly, Telescope and Hayley Turner.

This means more quotes, more articles to file and all the while trying to remember how many races they won, which races and when.

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)

Cheltenham Festival 2015 race preview: Stan James Champion Hurdle

Cheltenham Festival 2015: Stan James Champion Hurdle

Festival race preview: Stan James Champion Hurdle

It is a case of experience (and age!) versus youth in the 2014 Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Hurricane Fly is the defending champion (as well as winning it in 2011 and being third in 2012) and is 3/1 with the sponsors to defend his title at the age of 10.

His main rivals are considerably younger, in the form of The New One (six years old; 3/1), My Tent Or Yours (seven; 9/2) and Our Conor (five; 9/2).

Hurricane Fly is unbeaten in nine races since the Festival last March and has beaten Our Conor and Jezki (10/1) on a couple of occasions this season.

Willie Mullins’ eventual Festival plans for the unbeaten mare Annie Power (8/1) could well shake up the betting. She is entered in the Champion Hurdle but it seems likely that she will be kept apart from stablemate Hurricane Fly.

UPDATE: Willie Mullins told At The Races on Sunday 2 March that Annie Power will take on Big Buck's in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.