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Four races to watch at the Cheltenham Festival
LONDON, March 9, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The annual battle for National Hunt
racing supremacy between Ireland and England at the sport’s most prestigious
meeting, the Cheltenham Festival, gets underway on Tuesday in southwest
England.
Here, AFP Sport takes a look at four races to watch in the biggest betting
week of the year in the United Kingdom and Ireland with an estimated œ300
million ($390 million) to be wagered:
Champion Hurdle
Tuesday
— A new champion will be crowned this year due to last year’s winner
Espoir D’Allen’s death.
However, the same owner’s colours, those of Irish businessman JP McManus,
could well be returning to the winner’s enclosure in the shape of Epatante.
Her trainer Nicky Henderson has four entries, but the 69-year-old English
handler believes Epatante carries his best hopes of a record-extending eighth
win in the race.
“Epatante is surely the one,” said Henderson.
There are plenty of dangers, with perhaps the most threatening coming from
Irish raider Supasundae trained by Jessica Harrington.
Adding extra spice to the contest is the fact that the 73-year-old stays
with Henderson for the week.
“I should maybe kick about three of them in the shins when I’m there!”
Harrington joked.
Champion Chase
Wednesday
— Henderson’s hopes of a record-breaking sixth win in the two-mile chase
are in the balance after the news on Sunday that two-time defending champion
Altior is lame.
If he is a non-runner then it looks like a battle between Chacun Pour Soi
and Defi du Seuil.
The former bids to finally deliver one of the few trophies to have eluded
Irish training great Willie Mullins.
The 63-year-old has 65 Festival winners going into this year’s renewal and
generates an air of confidence that Chacun Pour Soi can beat Defi du Seuil,
like he did at Punchestown last year.
“He’s classy and we’re hoping he will be up to the task he is facing.”
Defi du Seuil, though, represents a formidable rival bidding for a third
successive win at the Festival and with three prestigious victories under his
belt this term.
“If he beats both horses (Altior and Chacun Pour Soi) it would elevate his
status if that happened,” said his trainer Philip Hobbs, who won the race
back in 2002.
Cross Country Race
Wednesday
— Principal interest is that Tiger Roll returns as his prep race for his
bid to win an unprecedented third successive Grand National.
Red Rum won three but not in consecutive years.
Tiger Roll’s owner, Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary, has moaned about his
horse’s weight for the National but another impressive win in this unusual
race would probably give him no choice but to go to Aintree.
His trainer Gordon Elliott is confident coming into the week after his last
piece of serious work. “I was delighted with him,” said the Irishman.
An interesting opponent is the Mullins-trained Pleasant Company who lost
out to Tiger Roll in a photo finish for the 2018 Grand National.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
Friday
— The week climaxes with what is considered the blue riband of jump
racing.
Mullins finally won it, after saddling the runner-up on six occasions, last
year with Al Boum Photo and he returns to defend his crown.
He is statistically up against it as the last horse to enjoy repeat
successes was three-time winner Best Mate (2002/03/04).
“With age and experience he should improve but, statistically, Gold Cup
winners find it hard to go back and win, and that’s against him,” said
Mullins.
“But, if normal improvement with age does come, then he has a fantastic
chance.”
The best home hopes lie with Paul Nicholls’ Clan des Obeaux — part owned
by former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson — who if successful would
give his trainer a record-equalling fifth win in the race.
Just fifth last year, Nicholls is confident he is in better shape this
time.
“He is very effective when he is very fit and very fresh — I think he is
lethal on those terms,” said Nicholls.
“I think he is my best chance of the week.”
BSS/AFP/GMR/0817 hrs