Irish Horses Beat the French in Four Grade Races on a 'Surprising' Opening Day
Irish-Bred Horses Win Four over French-Bred's Four Seconds and Britain's Two Thirds
If results on Cheltenham Festival's opening day are any sign, the mystery is solved: Ireland's Denman should beat France's Kauto Star in the Gold Cup on Friday.
The Irish were out in force along with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing celebrating three Grade 1 and one Grade 3 wins on good to soft ground. None of the favourites won.
High winds and torrential rain the day before the races created ideal conditions for the tough-as-teak Irish bred over the more elegant French geldings. The British got no more than a look in.
The best news of the day is that management made good adjustments on the two daunting fences that brought down so many horses last year and no horses died.
Last year's champion jockey, Robert Thornton, got a last-minute nod on Captain Cee Bee Ire (Germany) after A P 'Tony' McCoy preferred John P McManus' other horse Binocular Fr (Enrique) in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1), 2m1/2f on the Old Course.
In a brilliant ride befitting a champion on the plucky horse Captain Cee Bee, who had not run since November, Thornton powered past Nickie Henderson's first jockey and earned himself a three-day ban for hitting the horse in the wrong place. He did not mind the ban nor did trainer Edward P Harty.
McManus, who couldn't remember exactly how many horses he has entered for the Festival, was delighted to win a one-two opener and regretted that one had to lose. The third was Snap Tie Ire (Pistolet Bleu Fr) trained by P J Hobbs of Britain.
Tidal Bay Ire (Flemensfirth) proved himself a classy chaser in the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1), 2m on the Old Course, when he caught up with the frontrunning mare Kruguyrove Fr (Muhtathir). In his first ride at Cheltenham, jockey Denis O'Regan beat the legendary Tony McCoy into second.
Britain's entry Noland (Exit to Nowhere) ridden by Ruby Walsh, betting favourite at 7.4 odds, came in third.
The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (Class 1) , 2m1/2f on the Old Course, was the most anticipated race of the day.
Robert Thornton got teary after bringing home in his five-year-old "little terrier" Katchit Ire (Kalanisi) for his boss, trainer Alan King, and earned himself another session with the stewards.
He beat my choice, the elegant Osana Fr (Video Rock), who led the race and fought back bravely for Tom Scudamore, but could not match Katchit's determination and toe.
Britain's Punjabi (Komaite) landed third under B J Geraghty for Nicky Henderson.
Favourite Sizing Europe Ire (another by Pistolet Bleu) was tailed off without obvious cause.
British trainer and jockey, David Pipe and Tom Scudamore, finally reversed order and won the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Class 1), 3m1/2f on the Old Course when Pipe's "big baby", An Accordion Ire (Accordion), bravely beat Ferdy Murphy's New Alco Fr (Dom Alco) and favourite L'Ami Fr (Lute Antique) trained by Francois Doumen of France and ridden by Tony McCoy.
McCoy rode well to place in all these races on his return after injury.
There were no long-shot winners and the punters who bet big sums like the £60,000 each way on the Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald Fr (Peragino) left empty handed.
It was surprising that none of the winners were favourites though they all had good form. The only sure bet of the day was that the winner would be Irish bred with the French bred right behind.
If results on Cheltenham Festival's opening day are any sign, the mystery is solved: Ireland's Denman should beat France's Kauto Star in the Gold Cup on Friday.
The Irish were out in force along with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing celebrating three Grade 1 and one Grade 3 wins on good to soft ground. None of the favourites won.
High winds and torrential rain the day before the races created ideal conditions for the tough-as-teak Irish bred over the more elegant French geldings. The British got no more than a look in.
The best news of the day is that management made good adjustments on the two daunting fences that brought down so many horses last year and no horses died.
Last year's champion jockey, Robert Thornton, got a last-minute nod on Captain Cee Bee Ire (Germany) after A P 'Tony' McCoy preferred John P McManus' other horse Binocular Fr (Enrique) in the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1), 2m1/2f on the Old Course.
In a brilliant ride befitting a champion on the plucky horse Captain Cee Bee, who had not run since November, Thornton powered past Nickie Henderson's first jockey and earned himself a three-day ban for hitting the horse in the wrong place. He did not mind the ban nor did trainer Edward P Harty.
McManus, who couldn't remember exactly how many horses he has entered for the Festival, was delighted to win a one-two opener and regretted that one had to lose. The third was Snap Tie Ire (Pistolet Bleu Fr) trained by P J Hobbs of Britain.
Tidal Bay Ire (Flemensfirth) proved himself a classy chaser in the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1), 2m on the Old Course, when he caught up with the frontrunning mare Kruguyrove Fr (Muhtathir). In his first ride at Cheltenham, jockey Denis O'Regan beat the legendary Tony McCoy into second.
Britain's entry Noland (Exit to Nowhere) ridden by Ruby Walsh, betting favourite at 7.4 odds, came in third.
The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (Class 1) , 2m1/2f on the Old Course, was the most anticipated race of the day.
Robert Thornton got teary after bringing home in his five-year-old "little terrier" Katchit Ire (Kalanisi) for his boss, trainer Alan King, and earned himself another session with the stewards.
He beat my choice, the elegant Osana Fr (Video Rock), who led the race and fought back bravely for Tom Scudamore, but could not match Katchit's determination and toe.
Britain's Punjabi (Komaite) landed third under B J Geraghty for Nicky Henderson.
Favourite Sizing Europe Ire (another by Pistolet Bleu) was tailed off without obvious cause.
British trainer and jockey, David Pipe and Tom Scudamore, finally reversed order and won the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Class 1), 3m1/2f on the Old Course when Pipe's "big baby", An Accordion Ire (Accordion), bravely beat Ferdy Murphy's New Alco Fr (Dom Alco) and favourite L'Ami Fr (Lute Antique) trained by Francois Doumen of France and ridden by Tony McCoy.
McCoy rode well to place in all these races on his return after injury.
There were no long-shot winners and the punters who bet big sums like the £60,000 each way on the Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald Fr (Peragino) left empty handed.
It was surprising that none of the winners were favourites though they all had good form. The only sure bet of the day was that the winner would be Irish bred with the French bred right behind.
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