THE F E S T I VAL™ SUPPORT I NG WE L LCH I LD 16-19 MARCH 2021 sensational sport – at speed DAY
If Day One of The Festival™ supporting WellChild is about setting the scene for four unmissable days of racing, Day Two delivers
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T he Grade One Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase is over a distance of two miles, the contest requires a special blend of speed and an ability to be inch-perfect when meeting each of the 13 fences at a rapid pace on Cheltenham’s Old Course. This demanding criteria not only means that plenty of talented chasers have tried and failed to win this championship race, but also that multiple winners of the race are not uncommon. All being well, the Nicky Henderson- trained Altior will look to add a third victory in the Betway Champion Chase after winning the 2018 and 2019 renewals but missing last year’s Festival following a set-back. As an 11 year old he might be arguably the most dazzling race in the entire Festival line-up. Run heading into the twilight years of his career, but if he can get himself to the front and stay there he would become only the third horse in history to win a fth Festival race. In Altior’s absence, it was another Festival stalwart who was able to have his day in the sun 12 months ago, when Politologue picked up a deserved success at the meeting at the fth attempt for owner John Hales, trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Skelton – having been thwarted by Altior in each of the two previous renewals. There were tears of
the week. Speaking after last year’s race, trainer David Cottin said simply: “My horse is a champion. Today he is the best.” Time will tell if the same can be said this year. The Day Two card begins with back-to- back Grade One contests in the form of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. As well as celebrating talented horses of the here and now, both races play a key part in producing stars of the future. The latter produced almost unrivalled drama 12 months ago when Champ overcame an eight length decit at the nal fence to reel in Minella Indo and Allaho in the shadows of the post to claim the unlikeliest of victories. Regular Festival-goers compared Champ’s incredible comeback to Might Bite’s mesmerising and dramatic victory in the same race in 2017, yet more evidence that Cheltenham produces the kind of drama that just cannot be scripted. More stars of the future are found in the nal race on the card, the Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper, and the only one of the week’s 28 races without an obstacle to jump. The 2019 winner was none other than Gordon Elliott-trained Envoi Allen, who is scheduled to return this year for a tilt at a third Festival success on Day Three.
joy in the winners’ enclosure afterwards and it marked something of a watershed moment for Skelton, who described winning his rst ‘Championship’ race as “a dream”. Speaking afterwards, he said: “It’s my rst ride in the Champion Chase, and I owe so much to the Hales family. They have known me since I was a little kid. Pat used to take me around all the shows and they are very, very good supporters of the family. “Me and Dan (Skelton’s trainer brother) grafted at Paul’s (Nicholls) for a long time and we will be ever-grateful for what he has done for our careers. “As a kid you dream of winning these things. He was great all the way round; his ears were ickering back and forth the whole way… I am just so thankful to everyone for giving me the opportunity. I cannot believe it.” As it was for Skelton in 2020, Day Two of this year’s Festival will be one of opportunity once again. Along with Altior, Tiger Roll will have the chance to make history himself as victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase would be his fth Festival triumph and his third in the race overall. To do so he will have to overcome his conqueror of 12 months ago, the French raider Easysland, in what is shaping up to be one of the clashes of
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