A drama filled day was dominated by injuries, Irish wins and one jockey, Davy Russell. Catch up on all the action below.
17:40: So that is it. The Festival closes with arguably the most dramatic day of all. We had six Irish winners, an incredible tally for one day, capped off by Jim Cullotty’s Lord Windemere taking the Gold Cup at 20/1. Davy Russell rode that winner, and two more, to claim ‘Man of the Day’ honours, while Michael O’Leary owned four winners today, a ridiculous return.
Very Wood, for Noel Meade, took the Albert Bartlett and Willie Mullins nabbed top trainer after his fourth win via Don Poli in the Conditional Jockeys race.
The day was tinged with serious injuries too. Ruby Walsh and Paul Townend both suffered serious injuries in falls early on in the day while Darryl Jacob, who rode the winner of the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle Lac Fontana, saw his ride in the next, Port Melon, run into a camera position before the start, breaking the jockey’s leg, knee and elbow.
The day covered all the highs and lows of the game and it was certainly a memorable day. That’s it for another year too, the four days always go so quickly. A dozen Irish winners isn’t a bad return and we’ll see you here again in 2015.
17:32: And here’s the result of the last race of the Festival
1st 6 Savello (IRE) 16/1
2nd 21 Ned Buntline 6/1 j
3rd 13 Claret Cloak (IRE) 6/1 j
4th 12 Next Sensation (IRE) 7/1
17:31: And another for Michael O’Leary and Davy Russell. Three for Russell and four for O’Leary. Tony Martin trained so yet another Irish winner. That’s 12 in total and an incredible six today alone.
17:21: Last Instalment has been retired according to Michael O’Leary and Oscar Hill has been withdrawn from the Grand Annual after his run about.
17:19: Best Irish shot is the hooded Noel Meade runner Ned Buntline. With an excellent handicap mark, he could be the sixth Irish winner at 13/2.
Oscar Hill has taken off, with Tom O’Brien on board and is currently flying around the cross country course. The start will be delayed for sure now.
17:15: Confirmed from the course that Darryl Jacob has a broken knee, leg AND elbow. Our thoughts are with him. The Grand Annual is about to go. Best of luck if you need it in the last race of the week.
17:12: We also should talk about Tanks For That. Second in this two years ago, a win for Barry geraghty will allow him to nab the jocks title from Ruby. He won’t want to take it from an injured colleague but a win for Barry would be another result for the bookies, who took a lot of cash on Walsh to be top jockey this week. Tanks For That is available at 12s.
The big plunge is on Savello, into 16s from 33s
17:06: Mr Mole, who was the favourite this morning, has slipped out to 8s but Paul Nicholls horse has fine form and with AP in the saddle, he could just do it.
17:05:
Next Sensation, a Scudamore horse, is the favourite now, though there is support for about five or six in this one. Lots of money still about then
17:00: We enter the very last furlong of Cheltenham 2014. All that is left is the ‘Get Out’ Stakes, the Grand Annual. A two-mile, 24 runner handicap, this should be hot and heavy but we will do our best to pick a few decent ones for you if you need to recoup some losses.
16:57: So Michael O’Leary does get the hat-trick after all, as Don Poli gets home. That’s a fourth win for Willie Mullins, and a fifth irish winner today from six races. The overall tally now iss 15 wins for Britain, 11 for Ireland. Mullins will end the meeting as top trainer.
And Ruby, with three wins and a couple of second, leads the jockey’s race with one to go.
16:55: Here’s the result: Sorry for the delay, technical problems.
1st 3 Don Poli (IRE) 12/1
2nd 20 Thomas Crapper 10/1
3rd 4 Caid Du Berlais (FR) 9/1
4th 19 Urbain De Sivola (FR) 33/1
16:44: Unsurprisingly with the conditional jocks this one has had a false start too.
16:43: Love the new main picture, well deserved first Gold Cup for Davy Russell.
16:38: Lot of money for Caid Du Berlais in the last few minutes. Now 8/1.
16:36: Une Artiste, winner of the 2012 Fred Winter, goes in this. Could also be value at 16s
16:35: Vieux Lion Rouge is a strong fancy for David Pipe, at 7s but we have split our money (yes we have some left) between Mullins’ Don Poli and the brilliantly named Thomas Crapper. Don Poli is a decent shot at 14s while Thomas Crapper is getting a lot of money on him and is now into 16s from 20s just a few moments ago.
16:31: Always a tricky race to call, there is huge support for Nicky Henderson’s Full Shift. With Nic De Boinville in the saddle, who has already had a winner at the meeting, this could be a very wise choice. At 5/1, the price is a little short though.
16:27: Still two races to go at Cheltenham 2014. The Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys is up next.
16:25: What a race and yet another one where the favourite didn’t win. The bookies have had a bumper day and they have surely had the better of the punters over the four days now.
16:22: Here’s the result
1st 21 Tammys Hill (IRE) 15/2
2nd 3 Carsonstown Boy (IRE) 40/1
3rd 16 On The Fringe (IRE) 11/2
16:20: Tammy’s Hill does the business. Another win for Ireland. Nina Carberry looked like she had a shot on On The Fringe but the horse tired.
16:15: They are off in the Foxhunters. The favourite was Harbour Court but watch for Oscar Delta.
16:12: Willie Mullins has said he will talk to the owners about an appeal and he seems in decent form considering how he lost the big one.
16:05: The Foxhunters should be nearly finished by now, yet the delays so far mean we don’t know when it will start.
16:01: What a dramatic day and what a dramatic finish. Lord Windemere did cross the line of On His Own but he was spooked by Sliviano Conti moving across, who was spooked by a bizarre bit of running way on the far side by Bobs Worth. In the end the stewards decide that the result wasn’t affected. We couldn’t agree more.
What a result for Davy Russell, after losing his job with Michael O’Leary he wins the biggest race of the year. And, Jim Cullotty, a decade after Best mate’s final win, trains the winner. What a win for that pair, and Ireland.
15:59: RESULT STANDS!
15:51: Still waiting… very tense scenes here in JOE Towers…
15:47:
Steward’s Enquiry but don’t think it’ll be overturned. Lord Windemere did go across the line of the runner-up but not enough to chnage the result surely.
15:44: Here’e the result folks…
1st 8 Lord Windermere (IRE) 20/1
2nd 10 On His Own (IRE) 16/1
3rd 13 The Giant Bolster 14/1
15:43: A win for Lord Windemere, and that equals a massiev win for one JOE who had €100 EW at 33/1. What a shock.
15:33: False start in the Gold Cup! Yet more drama
15:32: About to go here folks. Good luck!
15:30: One last shout for Trio D’Alene, it is Henderson and McCoy and they look a fine pair here at 11s.
15:27: The horses are just parading now so we will be off in about five minutes. Fingers crossed for no more drama, it has been too crazy a day so far.
15:22: So this one may be without the glamour of a Kauto Star or a Denman but Bobs Worth is seriously talented and no horse has repeated since the mighty Best mate won a third Gold Cup a decade ago
15:19: No news on the start so money continues to come in for the top three in the betting. Also The Giant Bolster is getting support, after finishing second and fourth in the last two Gold Cups.
15:18: The third, and the best Irish hope, is Michael O’Leary’s Last Instalment. After picking up two wins already today, Mick will be hoping to land a massive hat-trick.
Just an update on all the jockey changes. Paul Townend didn’t ride Briar Hill after injuring himself in the County Hurdle, so that ride was taken by David Casey. Mullins now without his number onr and two jockey. Casey will ride On His Own in the Gold Cup.
15:13: The big challenge is Silviniaco Conti. Winner of the King George, he fell three from home in this race last year when going well. That fall scares us
15:08: Bobs Worth is still the favourite and after winning it last year, he is the deserved market leader at 6/4.
15:06: The long delay before the Albert Bartlett means the feature, the Gold Cup, will not start at 3.20 now, more likely it will be closer to 3.30.
15:03: The fall of Briar Hill will have saved the bookies afortune as the horse was in so many doubles, trebles and accumulators across the week and today. In fairness, the horse looked a little startled all race and I think Paul Townend had a job trying to calm him down but he skittered going to a fence on the back straight and went down. Not to be for Willie Mullins today it seems
15:00: A 33/1 winner, just like Berties Dream in 2010! Here’s the result
1st 20 Very Wood (FR) 33/1
2nd 7 Deputy Dan (IRE) 10/1
3rd 1 Apache Jack (IRE) 20/1
14:59: Very Wood wins it. Another win for Michael O’Leary.
14:57: Briar Hill gone down and Rydon Pines gone too
14:50: Jacob is conscious, and taken away in an ambulance with an injured leg. Race still delayed.
14:46: Race delayed still because of the incident
14:43: Start is delayed and Jacob is down with a head injury. Incredible.
14:40: More drama at Cheltenham, as Port Melon goes into a rail in the walk to the start and Daryll Jacob is injured.
14:37: Just before the off here, here’s an INPHO pic that shows Ruby’s fall and the moment that another horse appears to walk on the jockey’s arm, causing the injury.
14:34: Favourites have a great record in this race, with At Fishers Cross taking the honours last year, and Bobs Worth did the same in 2011. Of course, in 2010, 33/1 shot Bertie’s Dream won it, so anything is possible.
14:30: Captain Cutter, a Nicky Henderson/AP combo, is also gaining fans and money by the second. Tipped by a few heads this morning, he’s now into 8s.
14:25: Okay, just 15 minutes to go until the Albert Bartlett, and it should be a cracker. Briar Hill, the long time favourite and the former mount of Ruby Walsh, is drifting due to his injury. He remains the favourite but King’s Palace is closing in, and that horse won over course and distance in December. The ground suits too and at 11/4 he may be favourite before the off now.
14:15: Here’s the full result
1st 11 Lac Fontana (FR) 11/1
2nd 7 Arctic Fire (GER) 7/1
3rd 8 Montbazon (FR) 20/1
4th 1 Diakali (FR) 25/1
14:14: Lac Fontana takes it, a win for Daryll Jacob, whoch he deserves after his rotten luck in the last race.
14:06: Delay at the start so we can tell you that Paul Townend will ride Briar Hill and On His Own
14:03: Compound fracture of right arm for Ruby, immediate operation today. Arctic Fire will be ridden by DJ Casey. About to go here.
14:01: Keep an eye on Alaivan. At the bottom of the handicap at 10-4, Jonjo O’Neill’s horse has a real shout after coming close in this race three years ago. At 12s, it is definite EW value.
14:00: Arctic Fire is back to 8s. Bit of money for Never Enough Time, in to 12s for Tom Foley.
13:57: No word on who takes Ruby’s rides yet but let’s get into the County Hurdle. Won last eyar by Ted Veale, this race has been dominated by Ireland in recent years. But the market leader is Cheltenian, a winner around here before, from the in-form Phillip Hobbs yard. Yours at 6s right now.
13:55: Ruby has been taken to hospital. Fingers crossed he is not out for a long time but his ride in the next, Arctic Fire, is now friendless in the betting.
13:49: Confirmed, Ruby out for the day
Ruby Walsh has been taken to hospital for assessment on an arm injury and won’t ride for the rest of the day. #Cheltenham2014
— IndoSport (@IndoSport) March 14, 2014
13:46: That was a very dramatic start to the day. Just 20 minutes now until the Vincent O’Brien. We’ll go off and see if we can find out the story with Ruby. He is due to ride big fancy Briar Hill in the Albert bartlett. Replays of the fall are very hard to watch.
13:44: A good start for Ireland that, but speculation on Twitter is that Ruby has broken his arm. We hope that proves to be false info.
13:42: If you had money on Calipto, you can feel very unlucky. The horse was really travelling but Darryl Jacob lost his irons after a leather snapped on the tack. It was a real shame and in my view definitely changed the result of the race. Such bad luck.
13:38: A bad fall off Abbyssial at the first saw Ruby take a very bad tumble and he could be injured. We’ll keep you posted. Anyway, here’s the result.
1st 15 Tiger Roll (IRE) 10/1
2nd 9 Kentucky Hyden (IRE) 20/1
3rd 8 Guitar Pete (IRE) 7/1
13:36: Great win for Davy Russell aboard Tiger Roll, who hosed up for Michael O’Leary and Gordon Elliott but the big news might be a bad fall suffered by Ruby Walsh. He could have injured his wrist.
13:30: They are at the start so good luck, whatever you backed. Mullins and Walsh team up on Abbyssial and is getting some late support. Guitar Pete has fans too.
13:28: Apparently Alex Ferguson is at Cheltenham today. Not quite as glamourous as the Oscars but we know which event we’d rather be at.
13:23: If you are looking for a winner, and why wouldn’t you be, the horse that has taken this race is nearly always in the top three of the betting. Make of that what you will but if it holds true then the race is between Royal Irish Hussar, Broughton and Calipto.
13:21: Okay, time to get into the first race of the final day, the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Won last year so impressively by Our Conor, this year’s line-up surely won’t reveal an animal of that class, a horse taken from us so cruelly earlier in the week.
The favourite, after a big push this morning, is Nicky Henderson’s Royal Irish Hussar. In this morning’s papers at 8s, the horse is now 11/2.
Long-time leader in the market, Calipto, is out to 13/2, while EW shot Lindenhurst is on the drift at 16s right now.
13:16: And, to keep you amused today, have a crack at deciphering these horse names. We have about two. Thanks to Eoin Darby for sending our way.
13:13: Okay, just before we get cracking, don’t forget to check out Hayley O’Connor’s tips right here
13:05: Good afternoon and welcome to the last day of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival. We have our Gold Cup sweep all sorted in the office (c’mon The Giant Bolster) and we have just enough cash in the account and hope in our hearts to get through one last push of punting. Keep it with us for the next four and a bit hours and we’ll bring you all the news as it happens on the track, the winners as they cross the line and all the latest market moves.
