Tag Archives: horse racing

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

3 of the Best: Three of Aiden O’Brien’s Key Runners ahead of Royal Ascot

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Photo: Sergei Prokofiev clears away to win easily for the O’Brien team. Source: https://www.theirishfield.ie/naas-sunday-sergei-prokofiev-is-a-confident-choice-372911/.

The O’Brien team is no doubt set to dominate across Royal Ascot with their incredible strength in depth. Some who are some of the key contenders to note for the Champion trainer?

Coventry Stakes
Sergei Prokofiev

The son of Scat daddy looks to be at the head of the pecking order of 2 year olds for the Ballydoyle team. He was sent off at odds of 4/9 in a maiden at Dundalk and shaped with a fair bit of promise only to lose a short head to Skitter Scatter. Skitter had already had a run under his belt and clearly showed the experience on the day.

Sergei was then pitched in again just 12 days later at Navan and was supported as if defeat was out of the question. Ridden by Ryan Moore he sat behind the leaders always travelling the best before taking it up with just over a furlong to go. He cleared away to win by 7 and a half lengths with ease. This was a performance stamped with class and one that shows why the horse is held in such high regard by connections.

Sergei again returned over the weekend for his final prep race in a tough looking listed contest but was sent off at odds of at prohibitive odds of 2/7. He again looked a complete class above and a clear Group 1 performer in winning by 4 lengths. All roads are now likely to lead to the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in just a few weeks’ time. He is currently priced at odds of 4/1 for the race and if showing similar improvement again it is going to take a seriously top horse to stop him from following in the footsteps of previous stable stars in 2013 and 2016 winners War Command and Caravaggio.

St James Palace Stakes
Gustav Klimt

Yet another classy horse to have been sired by the great Galileo. He entered his current 3 year old campaign following two successes in his three starts as a 2 year old. His only defeat coming on debut which comes as no surprise as being trained by O’Brien. The final of those victories was at Newmarket in a Group 2 where he found a significant amount of trouble only to fly late on to get up and land the odds. This performance firmly stamped him down as a horse with a significant amount of ability and one to follow.

Gustav returned with a victory in the 2000 guineas trial at Leopardstown where he got up to beat the promising Imaging cosily on unsuitable ground. Following this he was made a short favourite for the guineas at Newmarket. However, on the build up to the day he drifted heavily with his stablemate Saxon Warrior continued to be gambled on. The market got this correct with Saxon Warrior as he was a very impressive winner of the race. Gustav is clearly still a horse with a lot of ability so is still one to follow. His next start is likely to be in the St James Palace Stakes in which he is currently priced at odds of 4/1.

Gold Cup
Order of St George

The final horse to make the select list is the classy stayer Order of St George. The 6 year old is another star from the stable who is not far off surpassing the £2 million prize money mark. He has returned with a solid victory showing the horse is in fine fettle ahead of another testing campaign. He has always looked all about stamina and is renowned for finishing best, which is why this race is tailor made for the horse. To further back up his claims, he has placed in the last two runnings of the Arc over an inadequate trip – again, not only showing the class, but the will to win in the horse.

Order was a very impressive winner of the Gold Cup back in 2016 where he made up an incredible amount of ground in the latter stages of the race. He came back to contest the race again last year and was a very unlucky fast finishing second from an enterprisingly ridden Big Orange. There is no doubt the horse is one to follow and if bringing his A game again it will certainly take a class performance from one of the younger brigade to topple the experienced campaigner. You can place a bet on Royal Ascot and he is currently 9/4 to go on and land his second Ascot Gold Cup.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Lady Aurelia Set for a Return to Royal Ascot

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Photo: Keeneland via Twitter.

American sprinter Lady Aurelia has established herself as one of the quickest horses on the planet over the last couple of seasons and she will get the opportunity to win another big race in Europe later this year when she travels across to the UK for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Wesley Ward’s runner first rose to prominence as a two-year-old in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2016, where she made all in a dominant display which saw her prevail by seven lengths on her first appearance in the UK.

The filly returned to the Royal meeting last year to take on the opposite sex and much more experienced horses in the King’s Stand Stakes when going off at 7/2 in the betting for one of the leading spring races at the meeting. Under the hands of John Velazquez, she was ridden prominently once again and was able to hit top speed inside the final 200 metres to score by three lengths ahead of Profitable and Marsha, respectively.

Lady Aurelia is 4.5 in the ante-post betting for the King’s Stand Stakes next month and she is sure to be popular, especially with punters who take advantage of the best free betting offers on Royal Ascot, including a £30 free offer from Dafabet. Her odds drifted slightly recently as she was beaten on her seasonal reappearance at Keeneland in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes where she had to settle for second place behind Triple Chelsea.

Battaash Looks to Continue Dominance in Sprint Division

Battaash is the bookmakers’ favourite at 3.5 for the King’s Stand Stakes, following what was a dominant campaign in 2017, with four victories coming from his five starts. Charles Hills’ runner is set for his first outing at Royal Ascot this year and will be bidding to prevail in one of the biggest sprint races in the British Champion Series.

The son of Dark Angel beat a strong field in the Group Two King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last year which earned him the opportunity to line up in a Group One field. Connections took their chance in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Unfortunately for those associated with the horse, he did not produce his best performance of the season as he could only come home fourth on the Knavesmire.

Battaash had a second shot at Group One contest at Chantilly in the Prix de l’Abbaye. With Champion Jockey Jim Crowley on his back, the pair made all in France in what was a career-best performance from the then three-year-old. Given what he has achieved in the last 12 months, he is arguably the best sprinter in Europe right now.

Redkirk Warrior to Carry the Flag for Australia

FlemingtonRacecourse via Twitter

Australian horses often travel across to the UK for Royal Ascot – in particular, the leading sprinters who tackle the European horses in the King’s Stand Stakes and Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Redkirk Warrior has an entry in both races.

The seven-year-old has two Group One wins in the bag already this year at Flemington. He last raced at Ascot in 2014 when he was based in the UK in William Haggas’ stable.

Royal Ascot begins on June 19 and the King’s Stand Stakes is one of the feature races on day one of the meeting.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Justify Has Triple Crown Quality

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Photo: KentuckyDerby via Twitter.

Justify produced an outstanding performance to win the Kentucky Derby, delivering on the pre-race expectations to triumph at the event. The bay colt was considered the favourite for the meet, although there was perceived threat of a challenge from the emergence of Aidan O’Brien’s Mendelssohn. However, O’Brien’s charge endured a miserable time at the Churchill Downs as Justify confirmed his dominance of the field, securing the victory ahead of Good Magic by two-and-a-half lengths. It was Bob Baffert’s fifth triumph in the Derby, leaving him just one behind Ben A Jones at the top of the all-time list.

Justify has the talent to build on his success, boasting similar qualities to that of Baffert’s previous victor at the Derby – American Pharoah. The horse would win the Triple Crown, adding further victories at the Preakness Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic. The three-year-old’s performance has seen him installed as the leading contender for the next race of the trilogy – the Preakness Stakes. As a result, he does not have great value in the betting odds, although given the dominance of his performance at the Churchill Downs, the bookies will be confident in their assertions.

However, given the difficulty of achieving the Triple Crown, it could be worth considering an outsider for the crown. In recent years, both California Chrome and I’ll Have Another have won two of the events but, ultimately, fell short of etching their place in history. Justify may have the quality to rise to the occasion on the two race days, but it could be worth considering another horse for the Preakness Stakes such as Good Magic. He does have a victory at the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, defeating Solomini and Bolt D’Oro. Good Magic could be worth backing with a free bet at 7/2, with https://freebets.uk/ offering a variety of sign-up offers, including with Bet365 to get up to £100 in free credits.

Baffert’s charge has known nothing other than victory and is rightly the leading contender for the Preakness Stakes. He has four races under his belt in his limited career, becoming the first horse since 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby having not competed as a two-year-old since 1882. Justify has won four of his meets by comfortable margins. In his final outing before the Derby he put a marker down against one of his rivals for the crown, defeating Bolt D’Oro by three lengths.

One of the criticisms levied at Justify ahead of the Derby was his lack of action away from Santa Anita. Conditions were tricky due to heavy rainfall at the Churchill Downs, but Mike E Smith ensured that he kept his charge on course for the victory. He made his move four furlongs from the end of the race and was able to maintain his surge down the straight to see out a comfortable win, finishing two-and-a-half lengths ahead of Good Magic. The next challenge for Justify will come at Pimlico where his rival could end his attempt for a historic run towards the Triple Crown.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Longines Honors Justify’s Kentucky Derby Victory with Swiss Watch Presentation

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Miami, FL, May 7, 2018 – As the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Kentucky Derby, the Swiss watch brand Longines was proud to celebrate the victory of Justify in the 144th running of the event. To mark their remarkable victory against a field of impressive contenders, the brand awarded Justify’s owner, trainer and jockey with Longines timepieces at the winner’s party. The event was just the latest in Longines’ rich tradition of precision sports timekeeping.

Known as “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” the 144th edition did not disappoint. Justify narrowly edged out Good Magic and Audible to take the coveted prize money and the wreath of roses. The elegance of the spectacle culminated with the presentation of watches to jockey Mike Smith, trainer Bob Baffert, and owners WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club, Starlight Racing, and Head of Plains Partners LLC by Mr. Pascal Savoy, Longines US Brand President, before an engaged crowd of spectators beneath the twin spires of Churchill Downs.

The Derby race represented the pinnacle of an exciting weekend of sport and elegance, with many highlights on and off the track. Earlier on Saturday, the Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile race was claimed by Proctor’s Ledge and John Velazquez, who established a lead over On Leave and Jose Ortiz, close behind.

Ana Martins Communications
info@anamartinspr.com
www.anamartinspr.com

Competitions, Racing

Preakness Stakes 2018: Favorite to Justify His Price Tag

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Photo source: Bob Baffert via Twitter.

We enter the early stages of May and that has horse racing fans on high alert for one of the sporting calendar’s busiest months. The Kentucky Derby gets us off to a flyer on Saturday 5th before the French 1000 Guineas takes place a week later; the Goodwood and Preakness Stakes follow.

The latter presents us with a star-studded field as the contenders battle it out for this much-loved grade one event contested over 9.5 furlongs on the dirt of Pimlico Race Course, Maryland. Cloud Computing claimed the title 12 months ago for trainer Chad Brown, banking the $1.5M prize money.

2018 will provide us with a new champion and traders are in no doubt who that will be….

Justify arrives fresh from landing a hat-trick

Followers of ante-post horse racing betting will know Justify has been a long-term leader of this market and a flick through the three-year-old’s CV explains why. The Bob Baffert-trained chestnut travels to Baltimore on a hot-streak of form this year, having won three warm-up races in February, March and April.

The team kicked off their preparation with victory around Santa Anita when scoring from runner-up Camby over seven furlongs. That was to be expected after approaching the start a nailed-on -200.00 jolly in the betting. He didn’t let followers down and gave a performance that suggested there was more in the tank.

He proved that to be the case when returning to the California track to double up in a one-mile test. Odds of -500.00 suggested the result was a foregone conclusion and the performance fell into line.

Progressive colt Justify put the finishing touches to his challenge when completing the hat-trick a month before the Preakness was due to post and it was a case of more of the same, the victor flexing his muscles. Stepping up in distance to 1m 1f, he faced a more talented field, including the likes of Bolt D’Oro, but there was little drama on-course on his way to taking the $630,000 winner’s prize.

Source: Thoroughbred Insider via Twitter

Florida Derby winner Audible rates as main danger

Justify has captured the imagination of horse racing fans in the build-up to this year’s Baltimore spectacle with followers genuinely excited about how far this horse can go. One group who have certainly been won over is the odds compilers who have another triumph chalked up on the betting board a +350.00 fav.

A profitable horse to keep on the right side of dedicated backers of Justify are already playing with profits this year while new backers can take heart from his form, especially when racing with the backing of bookmakers.

The main danger on the day is set to come from Audible, who brings plenty of confidence to town having won the Florida Derby in March. The bay scored at Gulfstream under the ride of jockey John Velazquez, leaving Hofburg and Mississippi to battle it out for the remaining medal places.

Competitions, Racing

FTBOA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

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Silver Charm in retirement at Old Friends (Photo: Rick Capone)

GEORGETOWN, KY – APRIL 26, 2018 – On Saturday May 5, the Florida Thoroughbred Owners’ and Breeders’ Association will present the inaugural “$100,000 FTOBA Silver Charm Florida Sire Stakes” at Tampa Bay Downs.

The race will celebrate the 1997 Kentucky Derby/Preakness champion and Hall of Fame inductee (2007).

Silver Charm, 24, was returned to the United States from stud duty in Japan in 2014 and is now pensioned at Old Friends, the non-profit Thoroughbred Retirement facility base in Georgetown, KY.

The $100,000 FTBOA Silver Charm Stakes, for three-year-old colts and geldings, will be run on the main track at a distance of a mile and 40 yards. The race is a “Win & You’re In” opportunity, with the victor earning retirement at Old Friends when his racing career is over.

The Silver Charm Stakes is the third of a four-part “Florida Sire Stakes” series offered by Tampa Bay Downs and the FTBOA that launched in December 2017. The events will offer $450,000 in purse money to FTBOA-registered Florida-bred horses sired by FTBOA-registered stallions that are Florida Sire Stakes-eligible.

“Silver Charm is a legendary Florida-bred, and naming a prestigious race in his honor was important to do,” said Lonny Powell, FTBOA CEO. “Silver Charm represents one of the 52 Florida-breds who have been honored as national champions. The well-traveled horse has a dedicated fan base worldwide that continues to grow as the next generation is introduced to him,” added Powell. “FTBOA thanks Old Friends for being a part of this special historic day.”

As part of the celebration, the FTBOA Museum and Gallery, located at 801 SW 60th Avenue in Ocala, FL, will honor Silver Charm with an art exhibition that opens Friday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m. The exhibit will run through the end of May.

In addition, Old Friends will feature race handicapping from Silver Charm himself along all of their social media platforms on Friday May 4 and Saturday May 5, and on race day, a representative from the farm will present the owners of all of the entries with a special gift bag.

Bred in Florida by Mary Lou Wootton, Silver Charm (Silver Buck – Bonnie’s Poker, by Poker), is considered one of the best horses of his generation. Campaigned by Robert and Beverly Lewis and trained by Bob Baffert, Silver Charm broke his maiden as a 2-year-old and captured his first stakes a few weeks later in the GR2 Del Mar Futurity.

Silver Charm captured the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, and was poised to become the sport’s 12th Triple Crown winner, but he was beat at the wire by Touch Gold in the Belmont Stakes.

As a 4-year-old Silver Charm added the GR2 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes and the GR2 Strub Stakes to his resume before winning the 1998 Dubai World Cup. The stallion retired from racing in 1999 after 24 lifetime starts and12 wins, with career earnings of over $6.9 million.

Silver Charm was sold to Japan in 2004, but was returned to the U.S. by his owners, the Lewis Family, and Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky.

Old Friends is a non-profit organization that cares for more than 175 horses whose racing and/or breeding careers came to an end. The farm is open to the public daily, offering guided tours to meet such stars of the turf as Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner War Emblem, Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, and three-time Santa Anita Handicap star Game On Dude.

As one of the most famous retirees at Old Friends, Silver Charm, has become a significant ambassador for horse racing, meeting and greeting fans daily who are thrilled to re-live his exciting Triple Crown campaign.

“No horse deserves to be honored with an eponymous stakes more than Silver Charm,” said Old Friends President and founder Michael Blowen. “There is no doubt he has brought great credence and great pride to the Florida breeding program, and there is no question that he’s an exceptional champion that has given so much to the sport — even in retirement,” he added. “We are very grateful to the FTBOA and Tampa Bay Downs for this tribute.”

Old Friends is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that cares for more than 175 retired racehorses. Its Dream Chase Farm, located in Georgetown, KY, is open to tourists daily by appointment. Old Friends also has a satellite facility in Greenfield Center, New York, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which is also open to visitors. For more information on tours or to make a donation, contact the main farm at (502) 863-1775 or see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cynthia Grisolia, (502) 863-1775, cindy@oldfriendsequine.org; or Barbara Fossum, (502) 863-1775, barbara@oldfriendsequine.org

Racing, Tryon

Sean McDermott and Gibralfaro Finish Strong at 72nd Annual Tryon Block House Races

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Sean McDermott and Gibralfaro (right). Photo credit: Madison Ibach/Tryon Resort.

Columbus, NC – April 15, 2018 – In stunning back-to-back wins at the 72nd Annual Tryon Block House Races on Saturday, April 14, jockey Sean McDermott was awarded the Top Jockey award and honored for his efforts in the coveted Block House Race, as well as in the Dr. John Bradshaw Memorial Race. The iconic event featured five thrilling races in front of a packed crowd at the Green Creek Race Track for the second consecutive year.

Humbly, McDermott gave credit to his horses and support team for the victories: “Two wins today – though I wish it was three! You can’t do it without the horses, and [trainer] Jack Fisher traditionally starts his a little late [in the season] and we use their first few races as a prep, and it sets them up nicely for their second runs of the season. They have a bit of longevity through the season. If you’re not on the horses you can’t win the races, and we’re grateful to have all the good horses we do that make our job easy.”

Founded by the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club 72 years ago, the Tryon Block House Races is now produced and managed by the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). The event drew 39 entries across five races throughout the afternoon chasing $130,000 in prize money. Each race included two laps around the course, and six hurdles adorned the rolling 2 1/8 miles of track.

The highlight race for the day, The Block House, saw six entries fly around the track in three minutes and 55 and two-fifth seconds. McDermott and Gibralfaro took top honors and were awarded The Roger Smith Cup, presented by Roger and Jennifer Smith, after a tight battle with Lord Justice, another Irish-bred and Jack Fisher-trained horse.

“That’s a beautiful horse,” McDermott said of Gibralfaro. “Riverdee Stables have just imported him from England, and it’s very difficult for a horse to win his first time off the boat over here, given the ground conditions and the different types of hurdles, so it’s just a credit to his honesty and his engine that he got it done, and I’m sure he’ll only improve.”

Of his second winning mount, Overwhelming, McDermott revealed that the horse’s previous wins over hurdles made him a strong contender coming into the flat race, as the horse is in top form after being rehabbed throughout all of last season for a minor injury.

“Overwhelming is a class horse – I think he’s won three stakes over hurdles. We had a little prep run in Camden and a training flat race, so today we thought he’d win,” McDermott admitted. He goes well on this ground, but he’s had a small tendon injury in the past and so this was the best fit for him in his schedule, and we’re very happy. It was a lovely stepping stone for him, and I presume he’ll go for a hurdle race now. He’s a tough horse over two miles over hurdles – he’s a good cruising speed and we’re very happy with him.”

National Steeplechase Association Director of Racing, William Gallo, Jr., raved about the event’s success. “This is my favorite race,” he emphasized. “It’s my second year here. I was very impressed by this venue last year, obviously for its inaugural event, but it’s a marvelous race course. The horsemen really like it. You can tell by the entries – it’s well-supported and it’s got so much potential for the future as well. I could see it being a permanent site, and being a premier racetrack in America for Steeplechase racing.”

McDermott was not the only jockey to pull off a double on the day – Shane Crimin also took home two first place finishes: first in The Carter P. Brown Memorial maiden claiming race at the beginning of the event aboard Magalen O. Bryant’s Bob’n for Silver, and again in the Tryon Riding & Hunt Cup Ratings Handicap Hurtle, guiding Life Said for trainer and owner Richard L. Valentine.

“He’s not the fastest,” Crimin said of the grey gelding. “I just let him roll along and he comes away, so it was pretty straightforward with him. The track rode beautiful today – it’s nice. I was here last year and had three seconds, so hopefully it ends up better today.”

Sure enough, Crimin delivered a winning ride aboard Life Said just two races later in the Handicap Hurtle, beating out ten other pairs: “This one was different [than the last] – he [has] more of a gear and I can just sit and ride me race and just creep away into it like he did. While the other fella [Bob’n for Silver] is a bit slow in the gallops, this one has a turn of foot, so two very different rides.”

The Cannon Harmon Memorial Race was won by Last Shani with Jack Doyle in the irons, beating out five other entries to bring home the trophy on his very first run over hurdles. Doyle commented on the nature of the track, to which he’s been twice: “I was here last year, and the track is in great condition. You want a quick horse around here – it’s a pretty thick track, but it rides fair. It’s nice,” he said. “It was this horse’s first run over hurdles, so he was a bit green early on, and it took him a while to get going, but then going into the second to last [hurdle] he jumped out well and got a nice run out and won nicely.”

The day included various spectator contests, including a hat contest, tailgate awards, and “Go to Heck” pants contest, in addition to stick horse races following the mounted races, all of which combined for exciting and entertaining spectator experiences.

“The Tryon Block House Races have become a very important part of what we offer at the Tryon International Equestrian Center,” commented TIEC Chief Operating Officer Sharon Decker. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to do this event and to bring it to this magnificent location.”

For full results, visit www.nationalsteeplechase.com.

Visit www.tryon.com or call (828)-863-1000 for more information.

Competitions, Racing

I Just Know Can Spring Grand National Surprise

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Photo: “Aintree Grandstand” by Paul (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The world’s most famous horse race, the Grand National, is coming up this weekend, and the race looks to be as competitive as ever. This is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and many people look forward to the race, ensuring they have a prime viewing spot to watch the action unfold whether they are at the track, out with friends or at home. Those who watch horse racing on a daily basis will be looking forward to the Grand National, as will those who tune into racing once each year to have a punt on the horses.

The latest Grand National 2018 odds show that the race is going to be extremely competitive, as it always is, and the favorite for the race is still not known. We usually see a late market move on the day, which can determine who will be sent off the favorite, and we look like having that again this year. Right now, the race for favoritism looks to be between three Irish horses, Total Recall (10/1), Tiger Roll (11/1) and Anibale Fly (10/1), and the English challenger Blaklion (12/1).

Further down the betting list, you will find a very interesting contender in I Just Know (22/1) for the Sue Smith yard. He won’t be one of the most popular Grand National betting tips that you see but he looks to have a great chance of running a big race at big odds. He won the North Yorkshire National in January, showing his liking for a grueling test of stamina like the one that will take place on Saturday. He had a nice prep run for this race over hurdles, and that should have put him spot on for the feature race on Saturday.

The latest weather forecast shows that Saturday should be a dry day at Aintree, something which should leave the ground on the soft side. That will suit I Just Know and this can help him run a very big race and certainly outrun his odds. The Grand National is often full of unlucky horses but I Just Know likes to make the running so he should be at the front and away from any potential trouble that will happen in behind him.

Sue Smith knows what it takes to win a Grand National and she has had a similar success in the past with outsider Auroras Encore winning the 2013 race. She will be hungry for another victory in the race and will be doing all she can to ensure that preparations go as smoothly as possible for I Just Know.

40 runners will go to the post on Saturday for the biggest horse race of the year and excitement surrounding the event is really building. The race looks to be as competitive as ever and many horses will go into the race with a chance of winning. At big odds, I Just Know from the Sue Smith yard can run a huge race and upset some of the bigger names by taking the 2018 Grand National.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

The Cheltenham Festival vs. the Grand National

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The Cheltenham Festival is a United Kingdom meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar that takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The meeting usually coincides with Saint Patrick’s Day. The Cheltenham Festival originated in 1860 when the National Hunt Chase was first held at Market Harborough. It was initially titled the Grand National Hunt Meeting and took place at several locations since its institution.

The Stayers’ Hurdle, first ran in 1912, is the oldest race from the Cheltenham festival that is currently a championship race. The Gold Cup, established in 1924, was originally a supporting race for the County Hurdle which was the main event of the first day, but that quickly changed and in the following seasons it became a championship race; however, for many years it was still used by the trainers as a preparation race for the Grand National. The Cheltenham Festival race prize money is second only to the Grand National, also a National Hunt horse race held annually in April at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. Its course over which the race is run features much larger fences than those found on conventional National Hunt tracks like The Cheltenham Festival.

Until 2005 The Cheltenham Festival had traditionally been held over the course of three days, but this changed with the introduction of a fourth day, meaning there would be one championship race on each day, climaxing with the Gold Cup on that Friday in March.

Unlike Royal Ascot and many other top flat racing events in Britain and Ireland, the Cheltenham Festival does not have a history of attracting many international contenders. Races held in the United States are flat races unlike the hurdle and steeplechase races in the UK.

The number and type of races at the Cheltenham Festival has changed dramatically over the years of its existence. It has grown from a two-day meeting to a four-day meeting. In 2017, there were 28 races.

*Featured/Spotlights, Racing

Cheltenham Festival – 4 West Ham Players Try Commentary

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Four West Ham United Football (UK Soccer) Club players try their hand at English horse racing commentary and see how difficult it is to be a race horse broadcaster.

Below is a video showing ITV Racing’s Richard Hoiles attempt to teach West Ham players Joe Hart, Patrice Evra, Mark Noble and James Collins how to do horse racing commentary. As we horse lovers know, horses don’t come in large variety of colors, so it can be hard to determine what horse is racing and is coming down the winning stretch.

To assist these ‘newbie’ broadcasters in accuracy, Richard Hoiles displays the players a flip chart overviewing how to determine the differences in the horses via showing a horse’s racing silk colors, a horse’s markings and head gear worn, and emphasizing enthusiasm.

The men had 5 minutes to study a chart describing the horses and jockeys in the race for reference. Then each player went in the booth to do their own commentary watching a classic Cheltenham betting moment.

It is a riot watching the players learning the basics before taking their exam. But who would end up top of the class, and who would have to stay behind to do extra homework? Hint – check out defender Patrice Evra.

Watch the video to find out:


Betway Insider