Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results Recap: Day Two

 13:20 Novices’ Hurdle

Bob Olinger (Rachael Blackmore) 6/4 Fav

Gaillard Du Mesnil (P Townend) 9/4

Bravemansgame (H Cobden) 4/1

13:55 Novices’ Steeple Chase

Monkfish (P Townend) 1/4 Fav

Fiddlerontheroof (RM Power) 40/1

The Big Breakaway (H Cobden) 12/1

14:30 Handicap Hurdle

Heaven Help Us (RJ Condon) 33/1

Craigneiche (Tom Cannon) 17/2

Tea Clipper (JJ Burke) 33/1

15:05 Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase

Put The Kettle On (Aidan Coleman) 17/2

Nube Negra (Harry Skelton) 11/1

Chacun Pour Soi (P Townend) 8/13 Fav

15:40 Cross Country Steeple Chase

Tiger Roll (KM Donoghue) 9/2

Easyland (Felix de Giles) 1/1 Fav

Some Neck (R Johnson) 17/2

16:15 Grand Annual Handicap Chase

Sky Pirate (Nick Scholfield) 14/1

Entoucas (MP Walsh) 7/1

Ibleo (Charlie Deutsch) 9/1

16:50 Champion Bumper

Sir Gerhard (Rachael Blackmore) 2/1

Kilcruit (P Townend) 10/11 Fav

Elle Est Belle (Harry Skelton) 16/1

Cheltenham Festival 2021 Results Recap: Day One

 13:20 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Appreciate It (P Townend) 8/11 Fav

Ballyadam (JW Kennedy) 6/1

Blue Lord (DA Jacob) 11/1

13:55 Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase

Shiskin (Nico De Boinville) 4/9 Fav

Eldorado Allen (H Cobden) 33/1

Allmankind (Harry Skelton) 5/1

14:30 Handicap Steeple Chase

Vintage Clouds (Ryan Mania) 28/1

Happygolucky (David Bass) 10/3

Aye Right (R Johnson) 11/2

15:05 Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

Honeysuckle (Rachel Blackmore) 11/10 Fav

Sharjah (P Townend) 11/1

Epatante (Aidan Coleman) 4/1

15:40 The Mares’ Hurdle

Black Tears (JW Kennedy) 11/1

Concertista (P Townend) 10/11 Fav

Roksana (Harry Skelton) 3/1

16:15 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

Jeff Kidder (SW Flanagan) 80/1

Saint Sam (P Townend) 9/2 Fav

Elham Valley (PJ Brennan) 66/1

16:50 The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup

Galvin (J W Kennedy) 7-2

Next Destination (H Cobden) 3-1

Escaria Ten (Adrian Heskin) 11-4 Fav

Cheltenham Festival Memories (2000)

What a great year for the Cheltenham Festival 2000 was. The likes of Istabraq, Punting, as well as some unbelievable edge of your seat finishes.

Champ

 

Owned by J.P. McManus and trained by Nicky Henderson, Champ could hardly be in better hands as far as the Cheltenham Festival is concerned. Indeed, the eight-year-old gelding has already appeared twice at the March showpiece, finishing a highly creditable second to City Island in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle in 2019 and producing a remarkable finishing effort to win the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase in 2020.

On the latter occasion, the son of King's Theatre had fully 8½ lengths to make up on leader Minello Indo from the final fence, but produced a strong run in the final half-a-furlong or so to lead close home and win by a length. Even Henderson was taken aback by the nature of his victory, which he described as 'extraordinary'.

Rated 166p by Timeform, Champ is already a top class steeplechaser, but remains open to any amount of improvement after just four starts over the larger obstacles. He surrendered his unbeaten record over fences when falling at the second-last fence in the Dipper Novices' Chase, also at Cheltenham, on New Year's Day, 2020, but Henderson sees no reason 'why he can't be a Gold Cup horse next season'.

In fact, the Master of Seven Barrows is plotting a similar route to the Cheltenham Gold Cup as he did with Santini in 2019/20, possibly starting with the Future Stars Intermediate Chase at Sandown Park in November. Currently a top-priced 12/1 for the 'Blue Riband' event at Cheltenham next March, and as short as 8/1 in places, Champ remains a bright prospect.