Headlines
Buveur D’Air is Champion
Altior soars to Arkle Success
Un Temps Per Tout wins Ultima
Apples makes rivals look jaded in mares
Hurdle
Cause Of Causes Lands Cross Country
Ball D’Arc Rolls home at Naas
Yorkhill lands JLT Chase
Un De Sceaux flys home in Ryan Air
Canyon Rock Solid in Stayers
Dance Walts home in mares
Report
We start at Naas last Sunday where in the 2m
4f novice chase, Ball D’Arc ( Cliff), took his chance, Tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, progress in 2nd approaching 2
out, led last, ridden and stayed on well run-in, winning by 15 l. He gets 34.4 points.
On Tuesday at
Cheltenham in the 2m Grade 1 Arkle Chase, Altior
( Not Tony), went to post, Tracked leaders,
went 2nd approaching 5th, pushed along to press leader when left in lead 2 out,
driven to assert after last, stayed on well to draw clear final 100 yards,
winning by 6l. He gets 51.2 points.
In the 3m 1f handicap
chase, Un Temps Pour Tout
( Peej), took his chance, Tracked leaders, went 2nd 4 out, virtually upsides 2
out, ridden after last, stayed on well under pressure to lead narrowly closing
stages, winning by a short head, he gets 74.4
points.
In the 2m grade 1 Champion Hurdle, Buveur D’Air (Lee, Martin,
Peej) Steve), went to post, Mid-division,
closing when hit 4 out, went 2nd 2 out, led before last, driven and stayed on
well flat, edged right and asserting inside final 100 yards, winning by 4 ½ l. He gets 55.9 points.
In the 2m 4f grade 1 mares hurdle, Apples Jade ( Cod, Lee,
Martin, Micky), took her chance, Always prominent, led before 5th, driven and hard pressed after 2 out,
headed narrowly last, soon ridden, rallied to regain lead towards finish,
winning by 1 ½ l. She gets
29.3 points.
On Wednesday in the 3m 6f
cross country chase, Cause of Causes ( Cod), went to post, Mid-division,
chased leaders 5 out, led between last 2, clear last, ridden out flat, winning
by 9l, he gets 58.8 points.
Today in the 2m 4f Grade
JLT novice chase, Yorkhill ( Bob, Cod, Lee, Peej, Tony), went to post, Held up in rear, slightly hampered 4 out, tracked
leaders before next, challenged on inside before 2 out, led going well soon
after, ridden and kept on under pressure final 100 yards, held on near finish,
winning by 1l. He gets 27.4 points
In the 2m 5f grade 1
Ryanair Chase, Un De Sceaux
( Cliff, Lee, Martin, Tony), took his
chance, Kept wide early, raced keenly after 3rd,
led before 6th, travelled well and made rest, clear after 7th, reached for
12th, ridden and stayed on well under pressure final 100 yards, winning by 1 ½
l. He gets 27.4 points.
In the 3m grade 1 stayers
hurdle, Nichols Canyon (Tony),
took his chance, Held up
towards rear, headway between last 2, switched right before pressing for close
2nd last, led flat, stayed on strongly, winning by ¾ l. He
gets 121.6 points.
In the 2m mares novice hurdle, Let’s Dance (Peej),
took her chance, Held up towards
rear, headway between last 2, switched left before leading and reaching for
last, quickened away flat, winning by 2 ¾ l. She gets 54.2 points.
The
John Torpey Memorial Trophy
March Total
Lee
191.2 928.4
Micky
80.5
852.9
Martin
163.8 815.7
Steve 107.1
807.1
Peej
263.1 802.9
Tony 176.4 712.4
Cod
166.7 697.1
Cliff
113
694
Neil
51.2 652.8
Bob
78.6
569.3
News
Editors 123 for
Friday
1.30 Defi Du
Seuil, Mega Fortune Bapume,
2.10 Bertimont,
North Hill Harvey, Tell us More
2.50,
Wholestone, Monalee, Ami Desbois
3.30 Djakadam,
Cue Card, Smad Place
4.10 On The
Fringe, Mendip Express, Paint The Clouds
4.50 Rather Be,
Battleford, No Comment
5.30 Theinval,
Le Prezien, Solar Impulse
Ruby Walsh knew Douvan was in trouble
during the early stages of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham
on Wednesday.
Willie Mullins’ charge lost his unbeaten
record when finishing seventh behind Special Tiara in the day two feature,
producing an uncharacteristically laboured round of jumping.
He was subsequently found to be lame
behind.
Enda Bolger is full of hope On The Fringe can land an unprecedented third successive victory in the St
James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.
Just as he did two years ago, the 12-year-old went to win
at Aintree and Punchestown and looked as good as ever in his reappearance
behind Foxrock at Leopardstown last month.
Bolger said: "He's a horse that once the first
of March is behind him, he just starts to blossom.
"He's been with us a long time, so we know him inside
out now.
"He's the champion hunter chaser, but he's there to
be shot at and all we can do is get him in the best form we can and get him
there hard and healthy."
Bolger feels On The Fringe's build-up has been better this
season.
Colin Tizzard insists he will be an impartial supporter of
Native River and Cue Card when destiny comes calling in
the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Even in spite of Thistlecrack's enforced absence, the
Dorset handler has long held the aces in the big race as his two runners remain
towards the head of the market.
But Tizzard has no preference for either horse on what
will be the biggest day of his training career.
He said: "The handicapper says there is about 2lb
between them and they know pretty much what is what.
"I would not be able to split them and I would not
mind if either jumps the last four lengths clear.
"There is no way I would want one horse to win more
than the other. All I want is for both horses to run their races and come back
fit and sound. May the best horse win."
Native River has been a revelation this season, with victories in the
Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, the Welsh National at Chepstow and the Denman
Chase at Newbury a clear testament of his quality.
His trainer said: "He has what it takes to win a Gold
Cup, whether or not he does so this year.
"He ran well in the four-miler last year and was
staying on well and was only beaten three-quarters of a length.
"He is only seven and he is going the right way.
"He has got everything and is in the form of his
life."
Eleven-year-old Cue Card suffered a heartbreaking fall in the Gold Cup last season,
when bang in the hunt, but has showed no signs of slowing down this winter.
"He won so strongly at Ascot last time and looks as
well as he has ever been," said Tizzard.
"Cue Card has done everything bar win a Gold Cup and
we have everything to play for.
"We thought his chance might have gone, but he has an
equally good chance this year as he had last year.
Joseph O'Brien supervised the victory of his father's Ivanovich
Gorbatov 12 months ago and is responsible Landofhopeandglory, who was third
behind Dinaria Des Obeaux in that controversial race.
"Landofhopeandglory would have an each-way chance, he has been
running very well all year and there's no reason he can't be in the first
three," he told the punter
