Cheltenham Festival analysis: Graham Cunningham reflections

Festival getting Wilder as bookies climb off the canvas

That nervous noise you hear – it’s the sound of a Festival tide turning.

Yes, we’ve all been around long enough not to take anything for granted at Cheltenham.

But when bankers oblige on Tuesday and Wednesday it makes you think they’ll do so again.

Wrong.

Day three dawns with Davy Russell torching Michael O’Leary beautifully on ITV.

But all Davy’s efforts are in vain once Mighty Potter starts sticking his giraffe neck sideways.

Cobden excels, stealing a soft lead on Stage Star.

Townend doesn’t - riding Appreciate it for a burst of speed he simply doesn’t have.

But the Turners is about one man’s three-year wait for another Festival prize.

And, to bend a famous tennis line from Vitas Gerulaitis about his struggles with Jimmy Connors…..

“Nobody beats Paul Nicholls 54 times in a row!”

Nobody thought Envoi Allen was beatable two years ago until the fourth fence intervened in the Marsh.

And most people thought Shishkin would be very hard to beat in this year’s Ryanair.

Wrong. So wrong.

Shishkin is scruffy several times before splitting the third last.

But Envoi is deadly accurate by comparison and finds bundles under Rachael to banish memories of a woeful King George effort.

Henry de Bromhead still can’t explain Kempton but is now thinking A Plus Tard can bounce back in the Gold Cup.

Meanwhile, bookies who looked out for the count are crawling off the canvas like Fury against Wilder at the Staples Centre in 2018.

Granted, the the Stayers’ Looked a hard puzzle.

But Sire du Berlais battling home at 33-1 under Mark Walsh wasn’t on many Bingo cards.

It was hard not to feel for Russell - promoted to second by the stewards on favourite Teahupoo - but this was a Wilder style one-two for Gordon Elliott.

Yes, handicaps and cross-country races are fine.

But Festival Grade Ones are what the aces deal in.

And this was Elliott’s first since Davy snagged the 2020 Turners on Samcro.

Four races down and still no mention of Mullins.

Bookies get another right result when Seddon lands the Plate at 20s.

But now to a Friday that produced an Irish clean sweep including five for Willie last year.

Lossiemouth and Blood Destiny are braced for a battle royal in the Triumph.

Hunters Yarn looks open to bundles of improvement in the County.

Allegorie de Vassy should be a terrific sight in the Mares’ Chase.

Then there’s the Gold Cup.

Willie has the brilliant Galopin Des Champs and rugged grinder Stattler.

APT is a huge danger if Henry has him close to last year’s level.

Resurgent Nicholls has Bravemansgame and Emmet Mullins has National hero Noble Yeats.

But how about one of the most charismatic riders of the modern era heading towards a second retirement by winning the Gold Cup for Gordon on Conflated?

Davy might even make up with the dreadful O’Leary if that comes to pass.

But, judged on the way he lit him up this morning, I really wouldn’t bet the farm on it!

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