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It’s Gold Cup day and if there is one thing that could make us feel pretty much the same level of excitement that we already felt, it’s that the Queen is dusting off her crown and planning to rock up to watch Barber Shop not quite be good enough to win. Makes you proud to be indifferent, doesn’t it?
CURRENT “HELL OF A HORSE” COUNT: 2
CURRENT “MY FAMILY AND I” COUNT: 0
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5.30pm That’s it for this year. I was going to finish things up with a poll to see who was the star of the week, but I think Ruby had that one in the bag since about Wednesday. Today’s Hell Of A Horse Count was woefully low and let’s not even mention the My Family And I Count. That’s all from me.
5.20pm Oh Crick brings the curtain down on a great Festival with the thrilling kind of finish that we’ve seen several times this week.
The result
1st Oh Crick 7/1
2nd Moon Over Miami
3rd French Opera
4th Tramantano
4.46pm The first winner of the Martin Pipe Hurdle is Andytown.
The result
1st Andytown 25/1
2nd Midnight Chase
3rd Big Eared Fran
4th Font
4.25pm
Martin Pipe Hurdle
Long story short - Oscatello. Course success, nice weight and in good form.
4.15pm Normally the Cheltenham Katchphrase is long since over by the time we switch across to Racing UK, but we’ve got a really pickle today. If you don’t have Racing UK, wave a go for your chance to win £/€100 in Free Bets which you could invest in some winners which could go toward buying the channel. If not, use our Bet & Watch facility.
4.11pm Cappa Bleu takes the honours in the Foxhunter Chase.
The result
1st Cappa Bleu 11/2
2nd Turthen
3rd Baby Run
3.45pm
Foxhunter Chase
We just saw a horse regain the Gold Cup and I think now we’ll see a horse retain the Hunter’s Gold Cup. Amicelli made me a lot of money last year and at the risk of letting my heart do the driving, I going to plump for him to do it again.
3.30pm Ruby and Kauto make history with an imperious round of jumping to regain the Gold Cup. A fantastic bit of training sees Denman take a valiant second whilst the always game Exotic Dancer has to settle for the position he’s all too familiar with. Great race.
The result
1st Kauto Star 7/4
2nd Denman
3rd Exotic Dancer
3pm
Cheltenham Gold Cup
It’s almost upon us and the closer we get to the off time, the less convinced I am about anything. If all the talk of Denman’s demise is true, then you have to ignore him, but it’s hard to remember what he did last year, see the price beside his name and not click on it. Equally, Kauto has done nothing wrong. A small bet on Denman or a big bet on Kauto - I haven’t decided yet.
2.50pm Jaysus! His Royal Highness King Ruby almost made it win number 7 of the week, but Weapon’s Amnesty held on to deny him.
The result
1st Weapon’s Amnesty 8/1
2nd Pride Of Dulcote
3rd The Midnight Club
2.34pm
Albert Bartlett Hurdle
It’s so wide open that I’m keeping any investment to a small one. They €1 each way is going on Alpha Ridge.
2.10pm If there was any doubt that this was Ruby’s Cheltenham, then they’re gone as he destroys the field in the County Hurdle.
The result
1st American Trilogy 20/1
2nd Stradbrook
3rd Cockney Trucker
4th Nortonthorpe Lad
Super extra bonus place 5th Kandari
2pm
Vincent O’Brien Hurdle Preview
I spend more time convincing myself in these previews than other people, so I’ll cut to the chase in this race. Although he could land the £75,000 bonus, it’s too soon after the Paddy Power Imperial Cup for him to be at his best. Sunnyhillboy for me.
1.54pm Square 2 on today’s Cheltenham Katchphrase has been revealed!
1.37pm What got into Ebadiyan? He was going along very nicely before deciding to take an alternative route. It was left to Zaynar and Walkon to battle up the hill with Zaynar defying the predictions of doom.
The result
1st Zaynar 11/2
2nd Walkon
3rd Mourad
Super extra bonus place 4th Starluck
12.58pm
Triumph Hurdle Preview
This may sound like a shameless plug and to an extent it is [I know which side my bread is butted on] but because we’re paying 4 places in the Triumph Hurdle, I’d back Simarian. He’s got a lot to find with Walkon and in such a competitive race, I’d be reluctant to back a favourite a rather a short price, so an each way or place only bet on Simarian looks like value.
12.45pm A quick look at the market moves shows some interesting moves.
In the Triumph Hurdle there has been money for Walkon and Ebadiyan.
Dave’s Dream won the Paddy Power Imperial Cup and he’ll earn a £75,000 bonus if he lands the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle. The money says he’s got a chance of doing it because he’s been backed in to 4/1. Sesenta has been the subject of Each Way support.
The move for Browns Bailey is the story of the Albert Bartlett Hurdle as he’s now 12/1 from 18/1 earlier this morning.
Kauto Star has been trimmed slightly for the Gold Cup with Denman and Neptune Collonges going the other way.
In the Foxhunter Chase it’s always worth watching the market and Always Right is the one to look out for as he’s been backed in to 20/1 from 28/1.
There have been a whole heap of moves in the Martin Pipe Hurdle and the Grand Annual Chase, so rather than bore you with them, just have a look at the markets.
12.24pm Breaking news! Perce Rock is still alive!! He’s a non-runner, but he’s still alive. Maybe he’s like the Jesus of horses.
12.05pm The Queen has arrived at Cheltenham by helicopter but hasn’t given us a “hell of a horse” or a “my family and I”. Yet.
11.57am Right, I’ve been busy concoting the most fiendish Cheltenham Katchphrase of the week, that’s why there’s been no updates for a while. Tune in to the blog at about 1pm today for your chance to win £/€100 in Free Bets and have your head absolutely wrecked. Ha, ha, ha!
10.18am After we didn’t really get the chance to catch up with Paddy earlier due to the proxomity of a half decent looking woman to John McCririck, I’ve had a quick look at his Twitter page. In possibly the only useful bit of information he’s given us all week, he says “just had breakfast at the track with Harry Findlay. He’s still very sweet on Denman” going on to reveal but I’m stuck between Barbers Shop and Kauto”. Asking one of them move politely should get you out of that little situation, Paddy.
9.25am The Morning Line Naps
Jim McGrath: Master Of Arts in the Triumph Hurdle
John Francome: Den Of Iniquity in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle
Ted Walsh: Juveigneur in the Foxhunter Chase
Christian Williams: Star De Mohaison in the Gold Cup
The Female Presenter (her name is Alice I’ve found out): Southwestern in the Foxhunter Chase
9.23am Paddy makes a fleeting appearance on the Morning Line. Big Mac gives him the elbow in favour of talking to a woman.
9.15am Morning Line tips for the Triumph Hurdle
Jim McGrath: Master Of Arts
John Francome: Trenchant or Simarian
Ted Walsh: Starluck
Christian Williams: Simarian
9.01am After a hell of a lot of analysis, the Morning Line team put forward their selections For the Gold Cup
Jim McGrath: Kauto Star with Exotic Dancer E/W
John Francome: Madison Du Berlais
Ted Walsh: Kauto Star
Christian Williams: Kauto Star (but hopefully his ride) and Star De Mahaison E/W
Different female presenter to yesterday that I haven’t caught the name of: Star De Mahaison
8.45am We’re off to a flying start on the Hell Of A Horse Measurement Scale. Ted gives us a double to describe Kauto Star.
8.36am The going for Gold Cup Day is a bit like a marshmallow that’s gone ever so slightly stale - Good To Soft (good in places)
8.28am If there is one thing I’ll be grateful for come the end of the Festival, it’s not having to type the word ‘count’ several times during the day. Every time I do it it’s like a game of typing roulette that could end in immediate dismissal with one wrong press of a key.
8.20am It’s only early doors, but already Nicky Henderson has been defending Zaynar, current favourite for the Triumph Hurdle. You can tell that he’s serious because he’s turned ‘crab’ into a verb. “A lot of people have been crabbing about him, but he’s a good horse,” he explains. You’ll hear no more crabbing from us.
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