Live racing blog recap: Trackside Live updates from Friday of the December Meeting at Cheltenham

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15:35 Citipost Handicap Hurdle

Full result

1. TITAN DISCOVERY 15/2
2. Lihyan 16/1
3. Spike Jones 14/1

Verdict

Lucky Manifest the pick, looks spot on.

Parade ring updates

9 Pike Road - rug never came off, so can't say.

1 Long Draw - fine, thought he might be spot on but I'd say he might come on again.

7 Tranquil Sea - fine.

5 Lihyan - coat a little woolly but fit.

3 Kyntara - better than Aintree, definitely.

8 Spike Jones - fine.

2 Stolen Silver - just okay, will come on for the run.

4 Titan Discovery - fine, quite a roundy type so never impresses, but he is fit.

6 Lucky Manifest - very fit, good coat.

10 Everyonesgame - going to post early here, looks very well with rug off.

15:00 Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase

Full result

1. FINAL ORDERS 16/1
2. J'Arrive De L'Est 7/4 favourite
3. Iceo Madrik 14/1

Winning reaction

Keith Donoghue: "A great buzz. We had good days with Final Orders probably two, three seasons ago; he won a couple of good handicaps and he just lost his way a bit but he was a horse I really had a soft spot for so to get him back here today and do that was great. He's a small, little horse and we just used to jump out around Leopardstown, lie up his neck and let him go and he's some scope; the handicapper probably caught up with him and he's back now and he's enjoying the game and it's given him a new lease of life.

"He was after having two good runs around Punchestown, we were very confident coming here today - I seen down at the start he was 16/1 and I couldn't believe it - and I thought he'd win today. No worries, no plan. I actually missed the start a little bit, got a good jump at the Canal Turn, hit the front and I was happy to control it from there. Hopefully the two [Final Orders and Stumptown] get here in good shape and it's not a bad complaint [choosing between the pair].

"Me Wee Bonnie Lass, I think the soft ground on the chase course will suit her, she had a good run the last day so hopefully she can go close [on Saturday]."

Verdict

Mister Coffey best, Amirite and Latenightpass not far behind.

Parade ring updates

Coat could be a little better on J'Arrive De L'Est too.

12 J'Arrive De L'Est - in now. Isn't the biggest, doesn't leap out at you.

13 The Big Breakaway - keeps catching my eye at a huge price, looks well in coat.

1 Amirite - fit after absence.

3 Mister Coffey - spot on today too, looks well.

Both French horses, 8 (Iceo Madrik) and 10 (Placenet), make appeal.

14 Peaches And Cream - looks a touch heavy still.

4 Latenightpass - has stepped forward considerably on fitness from run here last month.

2 Favori De Champdou - initially a little reluctant to enter the paddock and then got on toes.

Will just point out positives and any negatives here - assume a neutral stance for anything not mentioned.

14:25 Unibet Middle Distance Veterans' Chase Series Handicap Chase

Full result

1. CAN YOU CALL 7/2
2. Torn And Frayed 15/2
3. Eldorado Allen 11/4 favourite

Winning reaction

Evan Williams: "I don't know if it's the ground, he just came to hand big time after that run and I thought it was a great run last time. If you remember, on the day, last time the ground was a little bit miserable but that track now today is like fresh ground for the meeting so probably made a difference. I was very happy with him before the race, sometimes you just get into a little bit of a hot spot at home after a run like last time and I think you could have run that race any way and he'd have danced round there today. We fancied him, we fancied him strongly - those old boys have got a very small window when they're in that type of form and he was in that type of form.

"I very much doubt it [that he'll run again quickly]. I'd say that's his Gold Cup. He's a horse throughout his life who has promised but....he's won a couple of races but he's never won what we hoped he would win. We think that, perhaps, he'll enjoy running and doing what he's always done but whether he can ever do that again.....he's 3lbs wrong today as well but we knew it was worth the punt against the older horses. What the handicapper does to him now - which he's got to do - is going to leave him in a very, very difficult position I'd say. It was our day today and we're delighted, that's why these Veteran Chases are such a wonderful idea for the horse first and foremost, but for the owners and the trainers and the jockeys and the general public love them don't they?"

Verdict

Torn And Frayed and Fugitif the best pair.

Parade ring updates

6 Copperhead (see below also) - fresh, having a kick out.

2 Fugitif - very fit and well, has come on plenty for first run.

3 Le Milos - never the most impressive, fine, touch warm.

7 Whistleinthedark - fit and well, no issues.

6 Copperhead - will come on for the run, he looks like he's carrying a bit of condition.

Moving to parade ring.

9 Can You Call - looks fine, but others jump out at you at little more on first glance.

5 Courtland - a strapping sort and one of the better Bowen runners seen in the past week or two, fit and well.

1 Eldorado Allen - looks well again too, you'd not know he was rising 12 looking at him, in great order.

8 Torn And Frayed - has definitely come forward from his latest Warwick run, looks very well today.

13:50 Turners Handicap Chase

Full result

1. BLAZE THE WAY 15/2
2. L'Homme Presse 5/1
3. The Short Go 4/1 joint-favourite

Winning reaction

Danny Mullins: "First run in a handicap, it was probably always going to be a bit sticky and I didn't really want to be as handy as I was down to the first but I knew in a handicap I needed to be there for fear I was not attacking fences first run in a handicap. But it worked out lovely, found a nice rhythm on the second circuit and an easy job on the day. Last year we were toying with the idea of do we come to the Festival or do we go to Uttoxeter and he went up to Uttoxeter and finished fourth but I think only beaten a handful of lengths in a hundred grand hurdle so to find a good staying handicap chase like this for him was always the target through the summer. He learned plenty from those summer races and he's come back here so who knows what the future holds for him now?

"Any race at the Cheltenham Festival would be unbelievable to win, especially for a horse that's shown a liking for the track so I'm sure that [the NH Chase] will come under considerations and later in the spring, the likes of Grand Nationals are there but we'll enjoy today, sit down with the owners and let the team discuss."

Verdict

L'Homme Presse the paddock pick.

Parade ring updates

Cruz Control - will definitely come on again for this.

Henry's Friend - has got a bit warm late.

The Short Go - very fit.

Rug off L'Homme Presse, he looks superb.

6 King Turgeon - fine, could be walking around a bit looser though.

5 The Doyen Chief - in quite late, already on toes and indeed, is kicking out.

8 The Short Go - is well-muscled up, will wait for rug to come off for a full fitness assessment.

7 Blaze The Way - a smaller model than a few, but he's fine.

2 Henry's Friend - mesh rug but clearly fit underneath, no issues.

3 Gowel Road - fit, but the 1 dwarfs him, hasn't exactly a chaser's physique.

1 L'Homme Presse - in tremendous shape, looks very well.

9 Herakles Westwood - teeth grinding but very fit, good coat.

4 Cruz Control - fine, but another run will bring him on again for sure.

Pre-parade.

13:15 Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle

Full result

1. FORTUNE DE MER 16/5
2. Continuance 14/1
3. Melon 28/1

Winning reaction

Dan Skelton: “That is exactly what you have to do and he loved that track. These types of scenario suit him and he is thriving off his racing. What a horse to own. He loves Cheltenham and he has to be ridden like that. He is a well talked about horse. He doesn’t do a lot when he gets to the front, but I think this track really suits him more than the Old course as there are more distance between the jumps. I was delighted with what we saw today.

“There are not many you can say that about (being good at Cheltenham) as they are usually better elsewhere. Some days this will work, some days it will not, but we it is great fun doing it. I told everyone at the start of the year what we want to do. It will be hard to do it, but it will give everyone a lot of satisfaction if we do it and if we don’t we have tried our hardest. We set our stall out from the start of the year and there are no secrets here. He needs one more run before the County Hurdle but I don’t know where that will be. He will have his flu vaccination tonight so he will then have an easy week and we will build him for the spring."

Verdict

Kel Du Large the pick, Fortune De Mer next best.

Parade ring updates

1 Iberico Lord - has got quite warm late here, isn't upset with it.

5 Stoner's Choice - fine.

8 French Emperor - rug off, still looks in terrific order.

7 Leloopa - fit, no issues.

Interesting they brought Fortune De Mer into the paddock early, looks like they are trying to get him settled better earlier, and it is working, to a point.

10 Moutarde - just okay.

Few others rugged up, we'll wait for removal.

1 Iberico Lord - fine, just getting a touch warm.

3 No Ordinary Joe - his usual self, never the most impressive physically but he's fine.

4 Fortune De Mer - early in the paddock, isn't normally the case; two handlers, very fit but quite wound up.

6 Melon - fine after absence, bit stiff in the walk at present.

2 Brentford Hope - fit and well, back over hurdles today, no issues.

9 Continuance - not the biggest, but looks fine.

11 Kel Du Large - very fit and well, in excellent order.

Fyi, nothing to do with the racing but they are evacuating one of the main buildings (fire alarm) we may have a small delay here.

12:40 Santa - 'The Visit' 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase

Full result

1. SIXMILEBRIDGE 2/1

Winning reaction

Kielan Woods: "The two married man beside me weren't really going a married man's gallop were they? They were keeping me honest the whole way, they're supposed to be getting older. It was a true run race for a three runner race, no hiding places, I thought he's done everything right, jumped really well and it rode like a good race so really happy. He learned a lot up in Ayr, he was a bit sticky up in Ayr, I don't know, the ground was a bit tacky. I spoke to a senior jockey that has retired a couple of days ago and he said 'I wouldn't worry about it, all the times I've ridden at Ayr the fences look really small and handy but horses can jump like that' and he was probably right.

"I think he's probably better off getting on with it rather than trying to showjump him around, if you try and ride him quietly he can get a touch ignorant on you; riding him forward suits him better. I think getting on with it over two miles would be better than hanging on to him over three miles. He'll probably run in the Scilly Isles the next day and that will answer a lot of questions. If the ground was heavy I'd have no queries about coming back in trip because he'll definitely get through the heavy ground but on better ground they'd get away from him over the first three or four."

Verdict

Royal Infantry gets the vote on overall fitness and demeanour.

Parade ring updates

Rug off Califet En Vol - not unfit but, as suspected, will come on for the run

Rug off Royal Infantry and that's come on a bit fitness-wise, looks well.

Again Sixmilebridge making noises, he's not happy about something it appears....

1 Sixmilebridge - is very fit, of that there's no doubt, but he's keen and has just had a little growl as he walked past me.

3 Royal Infantry - nicely keen and fit for this, has the size for chasing, probably the most relaxed of the three.

2 Califet En Vol - nice chasing type, first look at him (is still rugged) says he might come on a touch, see what he's like once the rug comes off.

Two handlers already on Sixmilebridge in the pre-parade and is keen, already started sweating between back legs. Going to need to be monitored.

12:05 British EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle

Full result

1. OLD PARK STAR 5/2
2. Glance At Midnight 11/1
3. Kingston Queen 2/1 favourite

Winning reaction

Nico de Boinville: "His jumping was very good, he's a real sort of chasing type in time. I don't know how long we'll be sticking at two miles but we didn't go very quick either, I thought, but then we quickened it up well and he's got plenty of gears. Even from the top of the hill we were gradually increasing the speed but after jumping two out, he really has quickened on into the home turn and then all the way up the hill. He's grown up an awful lot from Kempton, we haven't done too much with him since then but that race seems to have really sharpened him up. I think we'll probably see him at two and a half I would suspect, particularly if the ground quickens up and the tempo of these races gets faster but for now, in the middle of the winter, I don't think you need to move from two.

"Act Of Innocence is not as heavy a type, they're both big strong horses but Old Park Star looks a more solid, chasing type. They've got similar profiles, we'll have to see what's on the planning of it all. Califet En Vol has been good [schooling] so far, can't fault him so fingers crossed he can show what he was doing over hurdles in the Sidney Banks and brings that sort of form."

Verdict

Old Park Star and Lisbane Park the best pair from the paddock.

Parade ring updates

Probably doing Kingston Queen a disservice, she's fine for size, its just stood next to Old Park Star anything looks small.

6 Our Boy Stan - another chaser in the making, has got a bit on toes since moving to the paddock.

7 Can't Resist It - also very compact, fit enough but others make more appeal.

9 Kingston Queen - is a compact mare, somewhat dwarfed stood next to the 5, she's fit and well.

8 Sherminator - in next, more a hurdler than chaser at this stage, looks like he'll sharpen up plenty for this.

Moving to the parade ring from the pre-parade, no sign of (the 9) Kingston Queen as yet.

1 Glance At Midnight - is fine, perhaps lacks the size of a few of the others but clearly fit and well.

5 Old Park Star - tall, leggy type, still some signs of greenness, having a good look around; will continue to progress whatever he does here, you feel.

3 Minella Marathon - a bigger unit, again plenty of filling out still to do, looks okay.

10 Delta Blues Belle - still a lot of filling out to do on her topline, does look outclassed.

4 Mullaghgloss - nice walk, fit, has size and does not look out of place here.

2 Lisbane Park - first in, lovely chasing type for next year but not overly big yet, right size for today. Fit and well, no issues.

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