Champion Hurdle
The 2007 Champion Hurdle produced a minor shock, with 16/1 chance Sublimity, trained by John Carr in Co. Kildare and ridden by Philip Carberry, lowering the colours of reigning champion Brave Inca in emphatic style. Under a waiting ride, Sublimity was produced at the last flight and was soon well in command, winning by 3 lengths. Favourite Detroit City, bidding to emulate 2003 winner Rooster Booster for the same connections, was never going well and trailed in sixth, beaten 18¾ lengths.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
Defending champion Newmill was back
again, at a much shorter price than the previous year but, having
helped to set a furious pace, was a spent force approaching the final
fence, while favourite Well Chief crashed out at the just the second
fence. Voy Por Ustedes, trained by Alan King and ridden by Robert
Thornton, took full advantage, rallying to beat Dempsey and River
City by 1½ lengths and 5 lengths, at odds of 5/1.
Stayers’ Hurdle
For the first time in six years, the
Stayers’ Hurdle was missing Baracouda, the winner in 2002 and 2003
and runner-up in 2004 and 2005. In his absence, 2005 winner Inglis
Drever landed the spoils, but not without a ding-dong struggle with
runner-up Mighty Man, who chased the winner all the way up the hill,
but was eventually beaten three-quarters of a length. Blazing Bailey
finished third, another 4 lengths way, while favourite Black Jack
Ketchum fell at the third flight.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup featured
the first appearance in the “Blue Riband” event of Kauto Star,
who’d fallen at the third when favourite for the Queen Mother
Champion Chase in 2006. Sent off a hot favourite at 5/4, the
7-year-old looked poised for an emphatic victory when clouting the
last, but recovered and stayed on strongly to beat Exotic Dancer by
2½ lengths. Having already won the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the
King George VI Chase at Kempton, Kauto Star collected a £1 million
bonus offered by betting exchange firm Betfair.
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