festival trials day
real yard favourite. He tries his hardest and wears his heart on his sleeve.” Kelly wasn’t the only female jockey on Festival Trials Day to ride a big winner. Bryony Frost’s outstanding season continued with victory aboard the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon in the Grade Three Crest Nicholson Handicap Chase. The pair cruised home, beating Cheltenham perennial Shantou Flyer by 17 lengths. Frost, who was recovering from a nasty bout of flu, said: “He relishes the ground and never stops; he has a big heart. When you ask, he gives it to you and I cannot believe no one else was around me. What a beautiful feeling, coming up this hill on a horse like this.” Nicky Henderson scored a Grade Two hurdles double, taking the opening JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle with odds-on favourite Apple’s Shakira and the Ballymore Classic Novices’ Hurdle with Santini. Apple’s Shakira, a full-sister to Apple’s Jade, the 2017 OLBG Mares’ Hurdle winner at The Festival, was winning her third race on the bounce at Cheltenham – all her starts since arriving in Henderson’s yard from France in late 2017. She strolled home under Barry Geraghty, seeing off Look My Way by eight lengths. Shaking his head, Henderson said: “She is so lazy at home – she will not show you anything. But then she comes out on the racecourse and does it. Her jumping is unbelievable, though – very slick – and she is very solid at it.” The finish of the Timeform Novices’ Chase was a battle between horses and Cheltenham titans. Mister Whitaker
prevailed under Adrian Heskin in a driving finish from Theatre Territory, ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen, son of Cheltenham Racecourse’s chairman Robert Waley-Cohen. Mister Whitaker was trained by Mick Channon, who is assisted with his National Hunt runners by former Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Henrietta Knight. Knight bought Mister Whitaker as a three-year-old from Tom Costello, who sold her the legendary triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate. “I was so struck by his jumping – he stood out,” said Knight. “Tom jumps them all loose, and this one was spectacular. I have always loved this horse.” The last race of the day, the Steel Plate and Sections Handicap Hurdle, went to the Chris Gordon-trained Remiluc, a two-length winner at 20-1 under jockey Harry Reed. A fantastic day of racing also included two moments of sombre remembrance: a minute’s silence in honour of trainer Richard Woollacott, who sadly died earlier in the week at the age of 40, was held before the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle; and after the last race, Many Clouds – The People’s Horse was shown on screens throughout the racecourse.
THE EVENT
Festival Trials Day Saturday January 26 2019
TICKETS
In Advance
On the day
Club/Tattersalls Club/Tattersalls RacePass 18-24 Raceday Essentials Package Club/ Tattersalls Club/Tattersalls Saver
£30 £35
£17.50
£47
£32.50
Groups Club/ Tattersalls +10
£26
Best Mate
£12
£15
Best Mate RacePass 18-24 Raceday Essentials Package Best Mate
£7.50
£29
Best Mate Saver
£14.50
Group Best Mate +10 £10
BOOKING Booking fees may apply
Tickets Visit cheltenham.co.uk or call 0344 579 3003 Hospitality Visit cheltenham.co.uk or call 01242 537 653
The film, directed by Equine Productions’ Nathan Horrocks,
remembers the superb Oliver Sherwood- trained Many Clouds, the 2015 Grand National winner, who collapsed at Cheltenham after a memorable victory in the 2017 BetBright Trial Cotswold Chase.
Ultragold and Harry Cobden on their way to post
Agrapart and Lizzie Kelly (left) clear the last flight in company with Wholestone and Daryl Jacob before going on to win The galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle Race
46 Kalendar
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