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FRIDAY
The return of cross country racing to Cheltenham yielded a typical result and yet another success for Enda Bolger. Limerick-based Bolger has become the undisputed master of this unusual discipline by producing repeat winners such as Risk Of Thunder and Spot Thedifference. His latest candidate, yet another to revel in a change of scenery and a switch to this varied obstacle course, was Cantlow, who gave Bolger his seventh Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. The final leg of the 2016 Crystal Cup Challenge had drawn runners from France and the Czech Republic but the Irish 13-8 favourite always looked the most likely winner and came nine lengths clear of compatriot Bless The Wings. Just losing out for second was French runner Gallo’s Star, whose trainer Patrice Quinton and owner Ecurie Des Dunes took their respective divisions in the Crystal Cup, which in 2017 features 11 cross-country races – including the Festival – and visits to Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy and the Czech Republic. Jockey Felix De Giles and the horse Vinga won the other prizes.
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“Paul Webber had Cantlow before me and filled me in when he moved over,” Bolger explained. “It is just trying to tweak it back into him and get him sweet on the jumping over those fences. He was a natural when we started. “I am very lucky that I have been given these horses by Mr JP McManus, they were all pretty high-class horses in their early careers.Then where I live I have brilliant neighbours and they allow me to school the horses on their farms.That is the making of them.” While the Friday is one of the quieter days in the Cheltenham calendar, there was no lack of quality
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f ew horses have more of a following around Cheltenham than The New One, who was back in front of his adoring audience in the StanJames.com International Hurdle. It was the third time the thoroughly reliable gelding had claimed this major prize, following his efforts in 2013 and 2014, yet he was only back over the smaller obstacles when his novice-chasing debut had been postponed because of an abandoned meeting at Exeter. The difference here was the jockey. Sam Twiston-Davies was aboard eventual third Old Guard for his boss Paul Nicholls, so father Nigel had to look elsewhere for a partner for The New One. Ryan Hatch had suffered serious injuries in a fall the previous day so it was down to champion jockey Richard Johnson to steer the 13-8 favourite three and a half lengths ahead of My Tent Or Yours. The New One joined Relkeel and Birds Nest as triple winners of the race and as well as sympathising with Hatch, Twiston-Davies Snr had kind words for the decorated event rider Andrew Nicholson. “I have got to thank Andrew, who has got his jumping right and got us helping him to keep going straight,” said the trainer. “He cost me £20,000 and has won more than £750,000 – what a lovely horse.” SATURDAY
At least Twiston-Davies the jockey, who had been sidelined for a few weeks himself, was more than consoled by victory in the £100,000 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. He took the mount on Frodon, a novice who had made a costly error in the previous month’s BetVictor Gold Cup.They made no mistake here to beat
horses in action. Among the best of them was Theatre Guide, who continued his valuable contribution to the Colin Tizzard yard by rallying under first-time blinkers and jockey Paddy Brennan and collaring the Fergal O’Brien-trained Perfect Candidate in an outstanding finish to the Unicoin Group Handicap Chase. “He never gave up and I never gave up,” said Brennan of the gelding who is known as ‘Boycie’ in the yard. “Great race, great place and I’m delighted to win.” The new partnership of local trainer Tom George and jockey Adrian Heskin continued to bear fruit in the Jockey Club Ownership Syndicate Novices’ Chase as the strong-travelling Singlefarmpayment came comfortably clear of Arpege D’Alene. It was that man Tizzard again in the concluding British Stallion Studs EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle. Pingshou, another new Irish arrival for the Dorset stable, was allowed to go off at 14-1 as he led for most of the way and ended up landing top-level honours at Aintree later in the season. Jockey Aidan Coleman, completing a double after cruising in the Citipost Handicap Hurdle aboard Jonjo O’Neill’s Call To Order, was impressed. “We really liked him when he ran at Newbury, which was basically his first run. He is very straightforward and a very good jumper.”
Aso by a length and a half and Frodon, who was just four years old, helped Nicholls to a record- breaking fourth victory in the event. “They said Frodon had a good chance in the BetVictor Gold Cup but he half-jumped the ditch that day, so he actually ran a lot better race than it looked,” said Twiston-Davies. “It is important for me, especially coming back from injury, to get a big one on the board.” Whisper put the icing on a 66th birthday cake for his trainer Nicky Henderson when returning from a period in the wilderness in the Ryman Novices’ Chase.The dual Aintree Hurdle winner was given a characteristically cool ride by Davy Russell. “It is great to see old horses like that come
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back,” said Henderson. Barry Geraghty was the jockey to follow, with a 509-1 treble aboard Defi Du Seuil in the JCB Triumph Trial, the quirky Eastlake in the Raymond Mould Handicap Chase and providing a significant winner for small trainer Noel Williams aboard Briery Queen in the OLBG Mares’ Handicap Hurdle.
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