Cheltenham Finale

    Champers on Ice runs at Cheltenham

I can't believe it is the last day of the Cheltenham Festival already, it seems to have gone so quick!  Today we also have cards at Fakenham, Lingfield and Wolverhampton.  David has two runners at Cheltenham, Starchitect and Champers On Ice.  Starchitect runs in the 2.10 County hurdle and as you would expect it is a wide open race and they go 7/1 the field.  He was a good second last time out on heavy ground at Newbury in the Betfair hurdle.  That was is stable/seasonal debut and he went up six pounds for that race.  He has won on good ground and at 10/1 we are hopeful of a big run.  Champers on Ice runs in the 2.50 Albert Bartlett which is another wide open race.  Champers is a 20/1 chance and he has been beaten by Shantou Village earlier in the season and he looks the one they all have to beat on this ground to me.

What a great performance from Thistlecrack and Tom Scu to win the World hurdle.  I must say this 8 year old and looked very impressive.  Tom Scu said Thistlecrack jumped brilliantly and it was the thrill of a lifetime.  I wonder what Lottie thinks about that!  In fact, Vautour and Limini all won like good things.  Kings Palace ran a cracker to finish third and Ballynagour also ran much better and would have been a lot closer having not been hampered badly twice on the way round.  I was disappointed with Doctor Harper.  He blundered badly at the first and seemed to lose confidence with his jumping.  Amigo ran a good race to finish fifth and Top Wood was running a good race before falling at the top of the hill and I think he would have been in the shake up.

I cannot understand why we do not have reserves at the meeting.  There always seems to be some non runners and the reserves could then surely take there place.  We have some that have been closely balloted out and could have ran!  Mr Mullins has 20 runners today and today could be another good one for the Irish.  Let's hope that everyone comes back safe and sound in the Foxhunters.  You know how I feel about Victoria Pendleton riding in the race.  All riders should have ridden 20 times or more under rules.

It looks like Cheltenham could hit over 250,000 people attending the Festival over the four days for the first time this year.  It has been great weather all week and the crowds have been fantastic.  As expected, Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins have won the jockey's and trainers titles, they have been in tremendous form.

I could tell my parents hated me, my bath toys were a toaster and a radio!  Have a nice day.