That’s it for a marathon day. The serious sounding injury to JT McNamara has definitely cast a shadow over the day. He is in hospital in Bristol with a suspected head injury after a bad fall in the second last.
Earlier in the day the ride of Solwhit to take the World Hurdle was the ride of the day by Paul Carberry. The Ryanair went to Cue Card and Ireland had other winners in the Jewson (Benefficient) and Big Shu in the Cross Country.
No favourites won today either.
Davy Russell suffered a spontaneous collapsed lung so he missed the racing, and will miss tomorrow too. Added to the McNamara injury, it was a tough day for the jocks and that is the story of the day, despite all the great racing.
And the racing is finally over as darkness envelopes Prestbury Park. The winner was Age of Glory for Brian Bunyan, New Mill second, Maxi Chop Third. No glory for our man James Fenton on Rosies Lady, or for SSN Alex Hammond on Mika Mica. Still, at least bundles of cash were raised.
They’re off. Rosies Lady didn’t have the best of starts…
We’ve been told by Barry McKenna to keep an eye on James Fenton, a guard from Waterford, on Rosies Lady. Best of luck to him. He’s collecting funds for cancer research and he will be carrying a black armband for slain Garda colleague Adrian O’Donoghue.
Okay, after a deluge of requests we will keep the blog going to cover the charity race. It’s very dark out there so fingers crossed it is all okay.
Here’s your final result of the day, the Cross Country
1st 8 Big Shu (IRE) 14/1
2nd 12 Shakervilz (FR) 20/1
3rd 2 Outlaw Pete (IRE) 6/1
4th 3 Bostons Angel (IRE) 9/1
Winning TrainerPeter Maher
Winning JockeyB Cash
Runners 16 ran
Unpl. FavArabella Boy (IRE) 9/4 F
About three from home Big Shu went for broke and none of the contenders could haul him in. Arabella Boy was fifth, another favourite beaten, a clean sweep for the bookies today.
Big Shu does it for Ireland, holdng off Shakervilv in a very fine run. Outlaw Pete was third and Bostons Angel was fourth. All four Irish trained.
Uncle Junior, after being at the back all race, has pulled up. Disappointing…
Leac An Scail loses its jockey. Wedger Pardy is miles ahead early.
Okay, the race will go ahead and about to go any second…
Here’s JT McNamara celebrating the win on Teaforthree at the Festival last year. We hope he’s okay.
Five more minutes until the off as the doctors are repositioned on the course…
McNamara has been taken to Frenchay Hospital, which specialises in head injuries. Not good news…
JT McNamara has been taken to hospital in Bristol. Casts a pall over proceedings. We wish him well.
Okay, not long until the off now. This race is wild, with banks, turns, twists, regular fences, and all sorts of other jumps. A great watch and horses have gotten lost in this before so just finishing the almost four-mile race is an achievement.
There is some money for French raider Sacree Tiepy. We have no idea if she has a shot or not but somebody somewhere likes him. Has won two cross country races in Pau. If you want to take a punt, it’s 7.6
While we wait for the race, here’s some Cross Country stats.
Enda Bolger has won this race four times (and he sends Arabella Boy in this one)
Nina Carberry has won this one three times (and she rides, yep, Arabella Boy)
Explains the favourite tag
Okay, the Cross Country now off at 5.40 and it will be immediately followed by the Charity race.
Sorry for the delay, trying to find out what the story is with JT McNamara. No further news but the Air Ambulance has now arrived on course. Our thoughts are with him and his family and we hope he’s going to be okay.
All the jockeys have been sent back to the weigh room and the Cross Country is delayed. The charity race has to be in doubt now but everyone is more worried about the young jockey.
Small delay to the start here as the ambulance takes JT McNamara, who had a very bad fall off Galaxy Rock in the Kim Muir, to hospital. No reports on what’s up with JT, but fingers crossed for him.
Outlaw Pete goes for JP McManus, who is still winless…
We’ll go for Uncle Junior. Won over course and distance in November, the top weight is a worrry but at 11.0 it’s worth a few each way. Always a great race to watch, any of the Irish contedners should give you a run for your money.
There are bags of Irish contenders in this one. Bostons Angel is well fancied, as is the Mullins team on Uncle Junior. Shakervilv, with Katie Walsh, also looks good, and then there is Sizing Australia.
Right lets get into this one, the Glenfarclas Cross Country. Favourite is Arabella Boy. Enda Bolger and Nina Carberry are a powerful team at 3.0, especially in races like this.
Okay, 15 minutes until the final official race of the day. To clarify, there is a race at 5.45, the Charity Race, where jockeys are all amateurs who have raised enough cash. Trainers and owners then donate horses to run in the race. TheTote don’t offer odds on it as it isn’t an official race.
What we can tell you is that the most fancied to win is Sky Sports News presenter Alex Hammond, who rides a horse called Mica Mika. Some of her Sky colleagues are at the races to support her, like Rachel Wyse. We’re looking for a picture now…
No favourites have won today. Any nervous Arabella Boy backers out there now?
Here’s the full Kim Muir result
1st 13 Same Difference 16/1
2nd 2 Super Duty 11/2 f
3rd 22 Romanesco (FR) 8/1
4th 14 Alfie Sherrin 9/1
Winning TrainerN A Twiston-Davies
Winning JockeyM Hatch
Runners 24 ran
Distanceshd, 3 ¼
SF £92.70
Tricast £789.78
Another win for Nigel Twiston-Davies then. The talk of a stable out of form pre-Festival looks silly now. Romanesco for Gordon Elliott and Nina Carberry took third and Alfie SHerrin battled on for fourth as Becauseicouldntsee faded up the hill.
Same Difference just pips Super Duty. They’ve called a photo finish thoough.
Galaxy Rock fell and Romanesco was hampered. Going very fast here for a three mile plus chase
But if there is to be an Irish winner, it will probably be Becauseicouldntsee
28 years since we had an Irish winner in this race. We reckon it will be at least 29…
News for United fans. Harry The Viking, Alex Ferguson’s horse, is in this on. You can support Fergie’s horse at 15.9. No prizes for guessing the colours he runs in…
Bit of buzz about Saint Are on race radio. A Grade 1 winner at Aintree and he has a jockey claiming seven pounds. At 50.4, it’s a gamble in every sense.
More news from the Beeb
“No decision on who will ride Sir Des Champs tomorrow in the Gold Cup has been made. The name AP McCoy is being linked to replacing the injured Davy Russell, but nothing has been formalised yet.”
Bad news for Paddy Brennan via the BBC.
“Paddy Brennan banned for nine days: using whip above permitted level. Puts him out for Grand National meeting.”
By the way, Nina Carberry could be about to ride a double. She has the strongly fancied Arabella Boy in the 5.15 and she takes Romanesco into this one. At 9.4 Gordon Elliott’s entry is getting a bit of attention. We’re not convinced and it fell around here in October.
Our fancy is Alfie Sherrin. JP McManus’ horse won the JLT at last year’s Festival and at 10.3 he’s definitely worth a few euro EW.
Super Duty is the big fancy here, at least in the press and in the betting ring. At odds of 5.4, it looks too skinny for me.
Okay, 20 minutes until the Kim Muir folks. Vesper Bell goes in this one, so we’ll see if the religious horses can recover from not winning or placing in the last.
We started today wondering would Michael O’Leary have a good day. He didn’t, as this picture shows…
1st 18 Carrickboy (IRE) 50/1
2nd 9 Vino Griego (FR) 11/1
3rd 24 Tartak (FR) 20/1
4th 1 Hunt Ball (IRE) 8/1
Winning TrainerMiss V Williams
Winning JockeyL Treadwell
Runners 23 ran
Non runners16
Withdrawn13
Unpl. FavBallynagour (IRE) 7/2 F
Distances1 ½, 12
SF £380.46
Tricast £8137.96
In his last run, Carrickboy was pulled up in Wincanton. Now he’s a Festival winner. It’s a funny old game…
Carrickboy wins for Venetia Williams. A massive price too. Vino Griego got home for us here, and we thankfully backed him EW, and third as Tartak and fourth was Hunt Ball, another tip from earlier.
False start folks. Mad Moose never lined up. They’ll try again
About to go here. There’s 2m5f and 17 fences to be negotiated. Good luck.
Looks like the vet has said Cantlow can’t race. AP out of the saddle
AP McCoy still waiting for a winner. He’s on Cantlow. Well fancied at 5.7, there are reports of a bloody nose now though on the horse. Vet looking at him
Tipster extrordinaire Kevin Kilbane, who picked Solwhit in the last, has gone for Divers in this. Footballer in backing Divers scandal headlines at the ready.
We like two in this. Hunt Ball, even with top weight, is classy at 9.7. It won here last year too, in a Novice Handicap Chase. We also like Vino Gregio. He was eighth behind Hunt Ball in that Novice race last year but a win around here in January, and another win in Ascot looks good to me (8.5).
Right, the Byrne Plate is up next. It’s a trciky contest but if you fancy supporting Colm Murray, once of RTE, then his entry is Sweet My Lord. As we shouldn’t need to remind you now, those religious themed horses are doing well. You can get him at 13.8
If the Davy Russell news wasn’t proof enough, here’s further proof that jockeys are a different breed…
World Hurdle winning jockey Paul Carberry on BBC Radio 5 live: “It was touch and go whether I rode this morning. I got a jab in the arm after a bad bang on my shoulder which damaged ligaments.”
Nails
Unbelievable Jeff, there’s Kammy at Cheltenham.
Great reception for Solwhit and Paul Carberry. The first Irish winner of this race since Doran’s Pride in 1995. That’s nine winners now for Ireland at this Festival. Only twice in the last decade (10 in 2006, 13 in 2011) have we had more. And we have lots of races still to go.
Here’s the result…
1st 10 Solwhit (FR) 17/2
2nd 2 Celestial Halo (IRE) 40/1
3rd 9 Smad Place (FR) 9/1
Winning TrainerC Byrnes
Winning JockeyP Carberry
Runners 13 ran
Non runners14
Unpl. FavOscar Whisky (IRE) 9/4 F
Distances2 ½, 3
SF £311.12
Tricast £3130.71
Class is permanent it seems. Great day for Solwhit and Byrnes. Bog Warrior led for most fo the three miles but whe the hammer went down the first two went past. Oscar Whiskey and Reve De Sivola, the two market leaders, never really threatened.
Another win for Ireland folks
Solwhit does it. Great win and performance. Just held off the challenge of Celestial Halo who made a mistake at the last. More money for Pope horse backers!
One circuit down and Bog Warrior has led all the way, with Reve De Sivola following. The rest are a couple of lengths back.
And they’re off…
The horses are coming in now. The ground is a concern for Reve de Sivola. Oscar Whisky may like it better. Any number have shouts. This should be a cracking three mile hurdle race no matter who you backed. Enoy!
Great shot of Cue Card clearing a fence on the way to winning the Ryanair.
Quick mention for Smad Place, who was third in this last year. Yours at 10.4 with the Tote. Surely a decent EW shout.
Reports now that Russell didn’t fall in the Pertemps, the injury he suffered was a spontaneous punctured lung. We’re not sure exactly what that is, but it sounds bloody awful.
The other plotline is Bog Warrior. Arguably Ireland’s best shot, the horse, funnily enough, likes it very soft. With the ground drying, it could be a struggle for him. As you heard earlier, Davy Russell is out so Bryan Cooper will pilot Tony Martin’s entry.
A more realistic longer shot may be Solwhit. A six-time Grade 1 winner, he missed the best part of two years over 2011 and 2012. Two runs this season, a second and first and if he can get the distance Charles Byrnes, and Ireland, could have another winner.
And for those of you who were impressed that the first Pope-related horse won (Holywell in the 2.05) you should be on Celestial Halo, at 51.9. Big price but the Lord moves in mysterious ways…
Like the last race, any of about five or six could win this. The top two in the market are Oscar Whisky 3.5 (fifth in this last year) and Reve De Sivola 4.7. The latter has massive claims after winning the Long Walk and the Cleeve. The ground was much softer that day but winners of those two are usually certs for the World Hurdle. Decisions, decisions…
The World Hurdle is up next at 3.20 and with the great Big Bucks missing his shot at a fifth win via injury, this race has more contenders than a Gladiators reunion.
Ryanair Chase winning jockey Joe Tizzard on BBC Radio 5 live: “I was nervous before the race but Cue Card was so relaxed. It was a real professional effort and I am chuffed to bits with him.
“At the top of the hill I was able to save energy and then go for it later.”
So Michael O’Leary will have to hand over the trophy to the horse that beat his. Tough day at the office for Mick.
Here’s the full result…
1st 3 Cue Card 7/2
2nd 4 First Lieutenant (IRE) 2/1 f
3rd 5 For Non Stop (IRE) 12/1
Winning TrainerC L Tizzard
Winning JockeyJ Tizzard
Runners 8 ran
Distances9, 3 ¼
SF £10.51
Tricast £65.33
The puzzling horse that is Cue Card had one of his very good days and he showed he has bags of pace and heart when he’s in the mood. On days like today he looks like a world beater. Great win for the father and son Tizzard team.
Cue Card led most of the way and did the business at the end. Our hope First Lieutenant clattered the third last and we think that might have killed his momentum. He took second.
The late change of jocks (stop laughing) hasn’t changed the market and money continues to flow in for First Lieutenant. And they’re off…
Collapsed lung after fall in the Pertemps for Russell. Rotten luck for Russell. Off Bog Warrior now too obviously.
Bit of news. Davy Russell has been stood down for the day. That means our punt, and favourite, First Lieutenant will be piloted by Bryan Cooper now. He won the first so he’s going to be confident anyway.
And even the 8.7 shot Albertas Run is a horse to respect. It is trained by Jonjo O’Neill, who won the last race remember. It is three years since he won this race. Can he do it again at 12?
If you fancy taking on our selection, you’ve no shortage of options. Cue Card won at Ascot in February but we still think Captain Chris would have won that one of he hadn’t made a bags of the second last. Menorah has won around here before (in 2010), as has the Jimmy Nesbitt owned Riverside Theatre (last year in this one).
The majority of JOE Towers have plunged on First Lieutenant. If it wins, it’s party time here. Lose, and it’s a long way until payday… #prayforjoe
Bad news for Pope watch horse fans (check the 1313 post) none of them run in the Ryanair. This is all about First Lieutenant, who leads the market at 2.6.
Here’s the Pertemps Final, eh, final
1st 10 Holywell (IRE) 25/1
2nd 20 Captain Sunshine 11/1
3rd 17 Jetson (IRE) 10/1
4th 4 Shutthefrontdoor (IRE) 6/1
Winning TrainerJonjo O’Neill
Winning JockeyR Mclernon
Runners 24 ran
Unpl. FavSam Winner (FR) 4/1 F
Distances1 ½, ½
Tote Win £27.00
Pl £4.60,£3.20,£2.70,£2.00
EX £345.90
SF £250.97
Tricast £2972.50
By the way, Sam Winner was never in it and jumped woefully. Paul Nicholls’ bad run continues.
While we’re waiting for the result, here’s Pippa Middleton, who’s at the races today. Sure isn’t she practically Irish anyway, with the Chris de Burgh connection.
Second was Captain Sunshine, who almost didn’t start after acting the maggot. Third was Jetson and fourth was another Jonjo runner Shutthefrontdoor.
Okay, now we’re worried. The first of the religious themed horses we mentioned has won. Holywell takes it, a win for Jonjo O’Neill. A great run that looked a winner from way out.
Close House with a mistake but survives
The commentators stabs at pronouncing Ballybough Pat are entertaining
Just a minute until the off here. The market is still very volatile. Looks like this one won’t be an Irish winner but maybe Dessie Hughes, and Michael O’Leary can strike with Stonemaster. At 18.7 EW it should be considered, and he was sixth in the Coral Cup last year.
Away from the favourite, AP McCoy is looking for his first winner on Shutthefrontdoor while David Pipe’s Close House is also fancied. Top Of The Range, from the Henderson/Geraghty team, is also seeing some money. Nobody seems to know who to back here. It should be some race.
The favourite in this one is yet another Ruby Walsh ride. This time the leading jockey is aboard Paul Nicholls’ Sam Winner. The Ditcheat trainer has called this his horse of the meeting and the punters have followed, making the six-year-old the favourite at 4.5.
As we told you, Ruby suffered a bad fall in the opener off Marito but he is reported to be fine. Good news.
Okay, let’s start the build up for the Pertemps Final. Three miles, 24 runners and lots and lots with a shout in this one.
Sorry for the delay folks, laptop feeling the pressure after two days of non-stop horse racing action. Normal service should resume soon.
Oh yeah, another Irish winner too…
Here’s the result, what a price for third!
1st 2 Benefficient (IRE) 20/1
2nd 6 Dynaste (FR) 11/8 f
3rd 4 Changing Times (IRE) 100/1
Winning TrainerA J Martin
Winning JockeyB Cooper
Runners 13 ran
Distances3 ¼, 1
What a race that was. Benifficient looked beat but Bryan Cooper got Tony Martin’s horse home. It took the last alongside Dynaste and Captain Conan but Benifficient jumped well and went home going away. Dynaste was second and Changing Times nicked third I think.
Marito was in contention but he had a bad fall at the second last. Could have challenged but doubt he would have taken Benifficient.
Benefficient leads with 10 to jump. Not much happening to be honest. It will kick off soon though.
The first is about to go but here’s the non-runners today. One of Pope Frank’s horses is gone we see.
15:20 14 Cloudy Spirit
16:00 16 Domtaline
Okay, the Jewson Novices’ Chase is about to go off. The red-hot favourite is Dynaste at 2.3. Were going EW on the Mullins/Walsh team on Marito at 12. We’ve heard good things about that pair…
The first pictures are in from the course, and we’re sure this is only the beginning. Make you proud to be Irish, eh?
Right, before we get into the opener, you have to see the massive pools available on theTote.com. The Jackpot currently stands at £101,914. It’s begging to be won so get over there to check out how to do it. The Placepot is also a monster, at £632,375.
By the way, with all the Pope news knocking about, there are bound to be some who just fancy a punt on any horse with a vaguely related name.
So here’s a short list. Apologies if we missed any
Holywell (2.05)
Celestial Halo (3.20)
Cloudy Spirit (3.20)
Bless The Wings (4.00)
Sweet My Lord (4.00)
Vesper Bell (4.40)
Bostons Angel (5.15)
If all of these come in, then Pope Frankie is a man to be reckoned with.
Reports from the course also say that the course is drying with the going now officially Good to Soft, Good in places. NOt great news for Bog Warrior in the World Hurdle. Sorry Michael…
Bit of news from the track, the cross country course has passed so all those accumulators and Lucky 15s waiting on that race from Tuesday will be concluded. If the people we have spoken to are anything to go by, a win for Arabella Boy will be massive for Irish punters.
Top jock Paul Carberry is providing the insider tips on theTote.com today and here’s his selections We have to say they look pretty good to us.
1.30 – Reverse Exacta – Dynaste & Texas Jack
2.40 – WIN – First Lieutenant
5.15 – E/W Arabella Boy
For Paul’s full preview of Day 3, just click here.
To ease you into the day, here’s our full preview of Day 3. It looks like the best day so far, which is saying something considering what we have seen this week.
First things first. If your wondering why we have Ryanair supremo Micchael O’Leary as our main pic it is because he could be the main man today. As the Gigginstown Stud owner he has a great chance to appear in the winners enclosure today with First Lieutenant in the 2.40. And who sponsors that race? Ryanair. COuld be epic if he wins that and we think he will.
He also has a decent shot in the other big rcae, the World Hurdle, with Big Warrior. Big day for Mick.
There’s a big Irish challenge today, in all the big races, so we’ll begin the run down of the days big hitters, and the best prices at theTote.com real soon.
It’s St Patrick’s Day at Cheltenham today. We know it is little more than a bit of marketing guff but fingers crossed for a few more Irish winners anyway.
