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Sprinter Sacre journey points to a King’s Odyssey
If you thought day one was good, words were hard to find to describe just how phenomenal day two was. So what can we expect on day three?
Hopefully, for me, some actual winners. It has been a disaster to date.
Taquin Du Seuil was my long-range selection for the Festival Plate but a late switch saw him pitched in to the Ryanair Chase. He was not as late coming to the party as Vautour or Road To Riches, mind you, but I will stick with my original choice.
He is a previous Festival winner, he has run second in a Charlie Hall and was fourth to Coneygree in the Denman Chase. After almost a year off he returned to win at Warwick and here we are.
As for King’s Odyssey in the JLT Novices’ Chase, I respect Garde La Victoire as he is a tenacious, determined horse, but I admire Evan Williams’s charge. His win at the course over Wardolf Salad and, before that, Southfield Vic showed enough to think he may have a squeak at a silly price.
This season had thrown up the stuff of dreams for almost every runner in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – they had a tale to pull at the heartstrings.
Arkle winner Un De Sceaux was odds-on, having left horses trailing in his wake but for a fall.
Three previous winners came to reclaim their throne; Dodging Bullets, Sire De Grugy and the mighty Sprinter Sacre, who oozed majestic prowess.
At Cheltenham you can dare to dream, that’s why the four days mean so much to so many
In our own little way we had lived Sprinter’s long journey back, sympathised with his connections and, as one, wished a return to live long in the memory.
Even during the parade the runners were cheered, none more so than Sprinter Sacre. Special Tiara did his job; he tanked along setting a relentless gallop to make sure the race was run at the fastest of pace.
There was plenty of pacing on the ground, eyes either through the binoculars or on the big screens. For once the commentators on and off the course were drowned out from three out as the impossible was slowly but surely becoming possible.
The noise of the crowd was deafening; the cheers of jubilation and applause all celebrations that it was unbelievable to be amongst.
It was one of those days never to be forgotten, as these joyous moments were shared with many. Annie Power had her redemption, Sprinter Sacre gave us ours.
As for the betting ring, once again it was buzzing but this time in favour of the bookmakers with some of Tuesday’s losses recouped yet there are still two days to go and many battles to be had.
Tanya Stevenson's Cheltenham Festival day three tips:
1.30 Cheltenham: Kings Odyssey at 20-1 generally available
2.50 Cheltenham: Taquin Du Seuil at 20-1 generally available
Tanya Stevenson's Cheltenham Festival day three tips:
1.30 Cheltenham - JLT Novices' Chase:
Ireland have won the race on four of the five occasions
Four of the five won on their most recent run.
Garde La Victoire has won three of his five races at Cheltenham
2.10 Cheltenham - Pertemps Network Final:
Seven of the last ten winners carried 10-11 or less.
Only three of the last ten winners had previously run at the Cheltenham Festival.
Only three of the last ten winners had won on their most recent start.
Only one winning five-year-old in forty years.
Eight of the last ten winners have been priced 14-1 or bigger.
Only seven winning favourites in the forty-year history.
Between 2003 and last year only one of the winners have been better than fifth in the betting.
Irish challengers have won the race only twice in the last ten years and five times overall in forty years.
Jonjo O’Neill has trained the winner four times: Danny Connors 1991, Inching Closer 2003, Creon 2004, Holywell 2013
2.50 Cheltenham - Ryanair Chase:
Nine of the last ten winners had previously run at the Festival
Six of the last ten winners had previously run three times at the Festival
In the ten-year history four trainers have won the race twice – Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, David Pipe and Jonjo O’Neill
As yet no Irish-trained winner
Seven of the last eight winners had run in that season's King George
The Peterborough Chase is a poor guide as the best effortof any winner is just a place
Eight of the ten winners have been priced 6-1 or shorter
Eight of the ten winners have come from the first three in the betting
Seven of the nine finished in the first three last time out
The favourite has only won three in ten runnings
3.30 Cheltenham - Ryanair World Hurdle:
Solwhit was the first Irish-trained winner since Doran’s Pride in 1995
Nine of the last ten winners won on their most recent start
Fourteen of the last 15 winners finished either first or second on their most recent run
Only one winner since 2000 has been bigger than 17-2
Horses aged nine and over are two from 72 since 1988
Paul Nicholls, Ruby Walsh and The Stewart Family have won the race on four occasions courtesy of Big Buck’s
All of Willie Mullins 16 runners have been beaten but he has only had four priced in single figures
4.10 Cheltenham - Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate:
Fourteen of the last 15 winners were 12-1 or bigger
Only four horses since 1994 have carried 11-0 or more to victory
Eight of the last ten carried 10-11 or less
Since 2000 the favourite has been second four times and won once
Since 2000 and ignoring Salut Flo in 2012 the shortest priced winner has been fifth is in the betting
Just one Irish-trained winner since 1951
Nicky Henderson has won the race four times in total
Venetia Williams has had three winners in the last nine years
From the last 57 runners aged 10 or over, only two have won
