Cheltenham Festival Day 4: As It Happened

Thanks for staying with us over the four days. We hope you steered you into a few winners anyway. See you next year.

So it’s all over for another year. We had great highs, like the wins of Simonsig, Sprinter Scare, The New One, Bobs Worth, Our Conor, Champagne Fever, Hurricane Fly and a great low in the very serious injury suffered by Irish jockey JT McNamara.

Ireland scooped a record-breaking 14 wins thanks to the Alderwood success in the last but the final day was subdued as the racing world absorbed the news about the popular McNamara. The Gold Cup win by Bobs Wirth was class, but Our Conor, in the Triumph, might have been the best win of the entire meeting.

The racing, even by Cheltenham’s standards, was epic, and a new star was born in Bryan Cooper, but the Festival leaves us with a heavy heart.

Fingers crossed for some positive news out of Bristol on McNamara and roll on next year.

So a fair few favourites struck today so we think most Irish punters should have had a good Festival

Here’s the final result of the final race…

1st     15 Alderwood (IRE)     3/1 f
2nd     10 Kid Cassidy (IRE)     12/1
3rd     6 Oiseau de Nuit (FR)     33/1
4th     11 Drumshambo (USA)     20/1

Winning TrainerT Mullins
Winning JockeyA McCoy
Runners 23 ran
Non runners7
Distances3 ¼, 10

One-two for JP McManus too. A fantastic meeting, winners wise at least, for Ireland

Alderwood does it! 14 wins for Ireland. A new record! Amazing, and a second win for AP. Kid Cassidy was second. Third was Oiseau Diu Nuit. Fourth was Drumshambo. Fifth was top weight Petit Robin

We’re off

One last shot, Petit Robin was a real class act but after suffering a serious injury is now having a bit of a revival. Jumping can be dodgy but at 16.7 it is a nice price. Top weight too…

Rody, 7.7, has been tipped up by a few, while Oh Crick looks very well handicapped for a horse that won this race in 2009. Now 10, we wonder if Alan King can do it again. At 50.0, an EW bet only

His main threat, a least in the betting, is Ulck Du Lin (7.1), a Nicholls/Walsh horse.

Our best bet of a record 14th Irish winner is Alderwood, by Tom Mullins. A winner at the Festival last year, and with AP in the saddle, it’s the favourite at 4.7

More reminders that the racing is just that, racing, and that real life is much harder.

Before we get into the ‘get out’ stakes, here’s a picture of Barry Geraghty getting his hands on the most precious prize in racing

No Irish luck there, all down to the Grand Annual to see if we can do it…

Now, here’s the full result

1st     3 Salubrious (IRE)     16/1
2nd     18 Nagpur (FR)     33/1
3rd     9 Double Ross (IRE)     14/1
4th     17 Make Your Mark (IRE)     8/1

Winning TrainerP F Nicholls
Winning JockeyH Derham
Runners 23 ran
Non runners21
Unpl. FavGevrey Chambertin (FR) 9/4 F
Distances7, 1

It was the second last race but Paul Nicholls gets a winner, via Salubrious. Nagpur was second. Double Ross nabbed third, not sure on fourth yet.

They’ll be off here soon. Good luck, especially if you’re looking to recoup some losses. Phillip Hobbs is winless so far too, so his charge Village Vic is getting some support

Lots of praise for Bourne on race radio. At 15.0 and in headgear, he could deliver for Donald McCain.

By the way, the horse with the best name of the week runs in this one. Havingotascoobydo is a long shot at 44.9 but if you have any spare money, who wouldn’t want to shout that at a your laptop?

More nice words for Colman Sweeney, winning jockey on Salsify, saying it is hard to be happy with JT McNamara in hospital

This is quite a tricky one to call so again we advise you go EW whatever you back. Only Gevrey is at very short odds, all the rest are north of 10 on theTote. That means there is great EW value to be had, if you pick the right horse!

The favourite is Gevrey Chambertin, by David Pipe. His record over hurdles is flawless so his odds of 3.7 makes sense…

There’s three runners by Michael O’Leary in this one, Edeymi, Toner D’Oudairies and Make Your Mark. All are in with a shout too…

Right, next up is the Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. Two races left. Can Ireland win one more to beat the all-time record of Irish winners? Stay here to find out.

That’s 13 wins for Ireland by my reckoning. Incredible

Unseated Oscar Delta rider Miss Jane Mangan on BBC Radio 5 live: “I felt like I had the race won. This is a nightmare.”

Here’s the full result…

1st     21 Salsify (IRE)     2/1 f
2nd     9 Divine Intavention (IRE)     50/1
3rd     5 Cottage Oak (IRE)     9/1

Winning TrainerR Sweeney
Winning JockeyM Sweeney
Runners 23 ran
Non runners20
Distances20, nk
SF £135.80
Tricast £816.51

Divine Inspiration took second. Cottage Oak third

Looking at the replay looks like Oscar Delta was spooked or somethign  and ran into the railings a little, pitching Jane Mangan off. Desperate luck for her and great news for those who backed Salsify.

Oh what a disaster for Oscar Delta. He tipped off Jane Mangan as the race was in the bag. Salsify wins!

About to go here, whatever you do, back EW in this one…

We’re putting a few euro each way on Galant Nuit. A long-time off the track, we’re trusting that Gordon Elliott has him right for this one. At 21.2 it’s worth a shot

If you fancy a punt in this, the red-hot favourite is Salsify. Winner of this race last year, you can back him to repeat at 2.9. Favourites have won the last two races…

Great interview with Ruby there. Interviewer said to him bad luck after his fall in the Gold Cup. ‘No’, says Ruby. ‘I’m standing, the horse is standing, it’s good luck’. Class.

This 3m3f slog features many names that have soldiered in big contests before. Backstage, Chapoturgeon, Oscar Delta and Tricky Trickster are all names you may recognise and they all have shots, even with many miles on the clock.

The Foxhunters is off in 15 minutes. We’ll take you through that one in a minute.

We’ll have pictures of the winners and the presentation assoon as we can get our grubby little hands on them.

More kind words for JT McNamara from Barry Geraghty. Like JP, he gets a bit emotional. Tough day for all concerned, despite the usual fun and joy of Gold Cup day.

Here’s the Meath man post-race

Barry Geraghty’s second Gold Cup, after Kicking King in 2005

That’s the 50th Festival winner for Nicky Henderson. Impressive stuff…

Here’s the final result of the Gold Cup

1st     1 Bobs Worth (IRE)     11/4 f
2nd     8 Sir Des Champs (FR)     4/1
3rd     5 Long Run (FR)     7/2

Winning TrainerN J Henderson
Winning JockeyB Geraghty
Runners 9 ran
Non runners2, 9
Distances7, 2 ¾

Watching it again, that was a classy win. Another Henderson win

That trio jumped the last together and Silvinianco Conti could have contended too but fell two from home when looking strong. Shame.

Bobs Worth is the champ, and epic finish and he held off a tiring Sir Des Champs and a beaten Long Run, who was third again.

Okay, almost time to go here. It should be a belting race. 3m2f and 22 fences. The best race of the year is just about to go. Enjoy and good luck.

Kauto Star now being brought around the parade ring. Getting lots of applause, understandably.

And here are three longer odds for EW backers. Cape Tribulation (13.1) will love the ground now, Captain Chris is classy and might enjoy the slog, if he jumps okay, at 14.8, and The Giant Bolster 16.2, was second last year.

The big Irish hope is Sir Des Champs. AP will ride Mick O’Leary’s horse after Davy Russell’s injury and that won’t affect his chances at all. A couple of ordinary runs this year in theJohn Durkan (2nd) and the Lexus (4th) we’re not convinced. The Hennessy at Leopardstown last time out was a win but we think the Gold Cup will emain a blank on Willie Mullins’ CV for at least another year. If you fancy him anywya, he’s yours at 4.5

The ground may hamper the hopes of Silviniano Conti, for Paul Nicholls. We were lamenting the losing run of AP McCoy and JP McManus until they won the last race. Can Nicholls’ miserale Festival turn around here?

The favourite is Bobs Worth. A Nicky Henderson/Barry Geraghty entry, it is unbeaten around Cheltenham, though Henderson has told the BBC that he’s not happy that the rain has come and softened the ground. The punters don’t mind, and the RSA and Hennessy winner is at 3.8 now.

Long Run is next in the betting at 4.1

Okay, let’s get into this one. The 2012 Gold Cup was a puzzle even before today. Last year’s winner Synchronized is no longer with us and Kauto Star and Denman aren’t here either.

Long Run, the 2011 winner, is here, but with Bog Warrior and Sunnyhiullboy out, only nine go to post.

Great post-race quotes from the winning jockey and owner. Class acts.