CHELTENHAM NH FESTIVAL 2020 TUESDAY 10th MARCH [CHAMPION HURDLE DAY]

Welcome to the opening day of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, the Gloucestershire course will be expecting over 250,000 people over the duration of the meeting, and that will include a capacity 70,000+ on Friday for Gold Cup Day itself. No sign of this being cancelled or people being deterred by the flu / Corona-virus spread which is good and let's get on with it. It's the best meeting in the country and top class NH Racing anywhere, although you will not be able to move for the amount of Irish people this week. 

Day One - 10th March 2020
Weather - A settled day, cloudy with occasional light rain and becoming milder.
Official Going Report - Chase and Hurdle: Soft.

We kick start The Cheltenham Festival with seven races on Day One. The feature race is the iconic Unibet Champion Hurdle at 15:30, with prize money of over £450,000. The 2019 renewal saw Gavin Cromwell train his first winner at The Festival with Espoir D'Allen, ante post favourite this year seems to the JP McManus owned mare EPATANTE.

13:30  The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race
2m ½f  [16 Runners]
Abacadabras for Gordon Elliot can take this opening race of this years festival, beaten only once in four races over hurdles the most recent win when running clear by 8L in the Grade 1 "Future Champions Novices" at Leopardstown. While Asterion Forlonge looks the pick of Willie Mullins trio here. Fiddlerontheroof won the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle but Sandown is a different track to Cheltenham and seems too short for me, at a BIG price is Captain Guinness and Rachael Blackmore could well have a massive say this year.
Result -- 1st:   Shishkin 6/1.  

14:10  The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase
2m  [11 Runners]
NOTEBOOK is unbeaten in four starts over fences; made light work of a Punchestown Grade 2 prior to a pair of Grade 1 wins at Leopardstown. Better than winning margin suggests in both races and can confirm form with Fakir D'Oudairies and Cash Back on his latest starts. MARIE BANRIGH is another unbeaten in four starts over fences but at a listed level though the 7lb weight allowance helps and is a decent jumper so at 12/1 makes some appeal as a place contender too.
Result -- 1st: Put The Kettle On 16/1

14:50  The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
3m 1f [24 Runners]
Huge field here and the likes of Vintage Clouds (2nd in this last year) might be using this as a prep race to another attempt at the Grand National next month. Might be interesting to have a couple of big prices against the field and with low weights both Quarenta (J O'Neill) and No Comment (P Hobbs) the latter having a fourth appearance at the Festival.
Result -- 1st: The Conditional 15/2

2019 CHAMPION HURDLE WINNER -- ESPOIR D'ALLEN (RIP)

15:30  The Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
2m ½f [17 Runners]
The feature race for Day One of the festival is the Champion Hurdle, sadly will not see the return of last years winner Espoir D'Allen but plenty of exciting options here and owner JP McManus does have a strong chance with Ante Post favourite EPATANTE [WON 2/1f] the mare has only lost once over hurdles and in receipt of 7lbs weight allowance from the field could be the one to beat. The highest rated horse here is SHARJAH [2nd 16/1] and Willie Mullins should always be feared with his festival charges. Nicky Henderson runs Pentland Hills but this one has been fairly disappointing this season and looks far too short in a high quality fast run race like this.

Result -- 1st: Epatante 2/1 (hope you took the 4/1)

16:10 The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race
2m 4f  [10 Runners]
BENIE DES DIEUX is many people's idea as a festival banker, but not for me at the price as I'd rather be on a top-class, unbeaten mare in HONEYSUCKLE. She has won Grade 1 races on three of her last four starts, including against the boys in the Hatton's Grace (2m4f) and Irish Champion (2m). Conditions will suit and she poses a huge danger to Benie Des Dieux and I've already been saying that I expect Rachael Blackmore to have a big impact at this years meeting. With Stormy Ireland one to fill the place for Willie Mullins and Robbie Power.
Result -- 1st: Honeysuckle 9/4

16:50  The Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase
2m 4½f  [22 Runners]
Mick Channon won this for us two years ago with Mister Whitaker and we'll certainly be supporting his HOLD THE NOTE [3rd 10/1] here this time. Two improving sorts in this competitive handicap are IMPERIAL AURA (Kim Bailey) and GALVIN (Gordon Elliott) and with reasonable improvement should be right there at the finish.
Result -- 1st: Imperial Aura 4/1

17:30  The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Steeple Chase)
3m 6f  [14 Runners]
Our finale on the opening day is for Amateur Riders and should be open to CAREFULLY SELECTED for the Mullins team with a high quality experienced jockey on board, the same applies to the only closely matched horse on ratings LORD DU MESNIL with Sam Waley-Cohen on board and the horse narrowly failed to secure a staying four timer, but does jump well and stays so much be right up there.
Result -- 1st: Ravenhill 12/1

Good luck today, hopefully all animals and jockey's come back safe and sound, lets find a winner or two as well. Results will be updated here too later in the day with the rest of the week's action to follow as well. Have a great Festival.