Cheltenham 2012 reflections

Our house

I don't think we won the £730,000 needed to buy that house that's been done up on our walk from the Royal Oak to the course http://www.charleslear.co.uk/details.php?propertyID=656

I'm sure they'd take £700k for cash!

When push comes to shove

Lot of discussion (and disagreement) in the curry house about the finish of the Champion Chase this week. I'm not going to give an opinion (this is The Fence after all) but watch it again and make your mind up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZB9aexQSBs

Forward to about 3:30 to cut to the incident in question. No head-on shot unfortunately.

The moving winning post

I don't know how far you want me to look back on this one but the winning post for Denman's Gold Cup in 2008 (which is always worth revisiting) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIQTzaCWnmA seems to be in the same place as this year's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbtO__k7bYY and even Dessie's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcCuIVn6egM

Perhaps the stand has moved!

I can tell you that the inside rail on the New course had been moved on the Friday of this year's meeting making each circuit 36 yards shorter. 

Favouritism

I think part of the reason why I had such a rotten Festival was my confusion around short-priced favourites. To back or not to back? That was the question and I usually got the wrong answer! (It's not a new thing, it goes back to Hardy Eustace turning over Rooster Booster).  I think this has the basis of a bigger article at some point this year but here's what happened to the short-priced favourites in 2012. (I've taken less than 3/1 as my cut-off, it's not scientific, just a finger in the air job).

Winners

4/7 - Quevega (David Nicholson Mares Hurdle)
8/11 - Sprinter Sacre (Arkle)
5/6 - Big Buck's (World Hurdle)
2/1 - Simonsig (Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle)

Losers
4/5 - Sizing Europe (Champion Chase) - winner was 4/1 second favourite
4/6 - Hurricane Fly (Champion Hurdle) - winner was 11/1 fourth favourite
6/5 - Grand Crus (RSA Chase) - winner was 9/2 joint second favourite
6/5 - Boston Bob (Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle) - winner was 7/1 second favourite
7/4 - Long Run (Gold Cup) - winner was 8/1 joint third favourite
5/2 - Peddlers Cross (Jewson Novices Chase) - winner was 3/1 second favourite

Are we being pointed at backing something else in the top four in the betting? Not sure.  I'll do some work on past Festivals and see if I can turn up a pattern.