Paul Nicholls vowed to bring Bravemansgame back for another crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after the King George winner only gave best to Galopin Des Champs in the final 100 yards. Buoyed with confidence having saddled his second winner of the week with Stay Away Fay earlier in the day, the champion trainer […]
Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend powered clear of Bravemansgame to justify favouritism and land the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, giving Willie Mullins chasing’s blue riband for a third time in five years. In an eventful renewal, Ahoy Senor set a searching gallop until getting too close to the sixth fence from home and crumpling […]
Paul Nicholls earned his second Grade One victory of the week at the Cheltenham Festival when Stay Away Fay was given a masterful ride by Harry Cobden to take the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The 18-1 chance travelled well throughout and was always up with the pace in the three-mile test, which provided its usual […]
Dan Skelton annexed the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle for a fourth time in eight years as 33-1 shot Faivoir downed Pied Piper in a thrilling finish. Both horses came from out of the pack after Highway One O Two had kicked clear turning for home and there were plenty in with chances approaching the […]
St Patrick’s Day got off to a raucous start for the legions of Irish racing fans at Cheltenham as Lossiemouth easily justified favouritism in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Trainer Willie Mullins saddled no less than seven of the 15 runners and he had the first four home, with the grey becoming just the fifth filly […]
Guetapan Collonges may be one of the favourites for for Saturday’s Boulton Group Midlands Grand National – but trainer Charlie Longsdon is worried that the race may come too early in his career. The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old has won four of his eight starts over fences and will be reunited with Jonjo O’Neill Jr, who […]
Gavin Sheehan gave You Wear It Well a fine front-running ride to claim the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Despite having a strong book of form to her name – including a second in the Challow Hurdle and a victory in the Grade Two Jayne Seymour last time out – she was […]
Jeremy Scott felt the decision of the Cheltenham stewards to demote Dashel Drasher to third from second in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle had “pricked his bubble a bit”. Sent off at 40-1, only the French challenger Henri Le Farceur went off a bigger price but Dashel Drasher massively outran market expectations and looked to […]
Nicky Henderson was left mulling over whether he made the right decision to run Shishkin in the Ryanair Chase rather than the Cheltenham Gold Cup after he stayed on to finish second to Envoi Allen. Bidding for a third Festival success, the former Supreme and Arkle winner was odds-on for last season’s Queen Mother Champion […]
Sire Du Berlais ground down Dashel Drasher late on in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle as the big-race outsiders fought out a thrilling finish to the Cheltenham Festival’s day three feature. At one stage it looked as if Flooring Porter was about to join the Festival immortals and secure his third straight victory in the […]