feature | the showcase
El Bandit ridden by Sean Bowen
The Showcase Food and Drink zone
show . . . Putting on a
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C heltenham’s season begins with a bang. As the leading horses, jockeys and trainers return to the spiritual home of jump racing,The Showcase provides the perfect opportunity to come racing with friends, family and colleagues. And observant spectators will have noticed something slightly different when a new season began at Cheltenham last year as the ITV Racing team brought their cameras to the racecourse for the first time, ahead of unveiling their new programme on New Year’s Day. The October meeting marks the beginning of the year for many of the proper horses, ready to get going in a season which will hopefully bring them back to The Festival in March. Last year, the action had a predictable start with champion trainer
years but since then it’s been a bit barren. Both horses jumped great, both got great rides and it’s just a shame one had to beat the other.” Thomas Campbell was one of the best horses on display as he took the Harrison James & Hardie Maiden Hurdle but as trainer Nicky Henderson explained of the Kelvin Hughes family’s home-bred, there was more to him than met the eye. “He is a real toy boy and is always up to tricks,” Henderson said. “If there was a naughty boy in the class like Dennis The Menace it would be him. He would be the one causing all the trouble.” Saturday’s card saw the reappearance of a horse who was to become one of the season’s stand-out performers. Fox Norton, given a thrashing by Douvan in the Arkle the previous March, looked vastly improved as he took the Randox Health Handicap Chase by
Paul Nicholls getting off the mark again in the very first race of the afternoon as El Bandit bravely made it five wins on the bounce in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle. “He wasn’t at his best, but he got away with it,” said Nicholls, who doubled his tally on the day straight away as Marracudja held off the fast- finishing Presenting Arms in the Squareintheair. com Novices’ Chase. The trainer later reached his fastest half-century for a campaign as Harry Cobden continued his partnership with Cliffs of Dover in the Racing UK Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. While the Irish come over en-masse at The
a dazzling 11 lengths. Jockey Noel Fehily found himself in front and going effortlessly with half a mile left to run and, as trainer Neil Mulholland predicted afterwards, this would be the last time the gelding would be running in handicaps. “That was really impressive,” said Fehily. “I gave him a breather coming down the hill to help him get up it and I thought the challengers would come back up behind me but I never saw any.” The display caught the eye of powerful owners Alan and Ann Potts, and Fox Norton was to move on to the Colin Tizzard yard and eventually taste grade one glory in the Melling Chase at Aintree. At least Mulholland would hold on to Shantou Village, a horse with an impressive Cheltenham record, who was swiftly able to complete a double
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diary dates The Showcase, October 27-28
“ The Showcase marks the beginning of the year for many of the proper horses
Festival, a highlight of this meeting is that it has become another target for top trainers across the water. Henry de Bromhead, who was to enjoy a considerably more important moment in his career come March, has already had some wonderful Cheltenham days with his Arkle and Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe. However, before a one-two in the Ryman Stationery Cheltenham Business Club Novices’ Chase, the Waterford trainer had been on a dry spell at the course for five years. Phillip Enright recovered from losing his foot in a stirrup at the first fence to help Heron Heights lead home David Mullins and Full Cry, while Gordon Elliott’s Tiger Roll completed an Irish clean sweep. “It’s nice to get back on the winners’ board here, it’s been a while,” De Bromhead smiled. “We had a feast of winners in a couple of
for the stable in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Novices’ Chase. Local trainer Charlie Longsdon was delighted with the efforts of champion jockey Richard Johnson, who earned his riding fee to galvanise Coologue back past Keltus in a gripping finish to the £50,000 Randox Handicap Chase. Coologue was benefitting from a breathing operation, having shown an inclination to hand across the track when younger. Cotswold favourite Nigel Twiston-Davies ended up lifting the Richard Allen, Waters &The Brittons Novices’ Hurdle with Wholestone, whom he described as “a proper horse”. Wholestone was to live up to Twiston-Davies’ expectations and this was a fine start as the easy Warwick winner defeated Thistlecrack’s half-brother West Approach in a tight finish.
Ed Chamberlin and ITV Racing comes to Cheltenham
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