ITV racing have AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh on punditry duties. Just the Cheltenham winners between them.
Here’s more from Greg Wood on what Altior’s withdrawal means for tomorrow’s Champion Chase:
The disappointing news that Altior will miss tomorrow’s Champion Chase means that the much anticipated three-way duel in the two-mile chasing championship is now rather more of a head-to-head between Defi Du Seuil
Give the fairly decisive nature of Chacun Pour Soi’s defeat of his main rival less than a year ago, it is perhaps a little surprising that Defi Du Seuil is now the clear favorite for tomorrow’s race at around 6-5 , with Chacun Pour Soi next in the list at 6-4 and at least 24 – 1 on offer about their four remaining rivals.
It may not be the race that everyone was hoping for but it still promises to be a fascinating clash between two outstanding young chasers, and while Altior himself is now 20, he should still have at least one more Festival in him if he stays sound. And he should, hopefully, recover in time to run at Aintree or perhaps Punchestown in April if his owners want to go there (and, for that matter, if the meeting is still happening, which can’t be a given at the moment) .
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s clerk of the course, has just issued an update explaining the going change from soft all over to soft, heavy in places, despite the absence of any rain here at Cheltenham since the initial going report this morning.
“I’ve just had another look round the track,” Claisse said, “and the crossing where the Old and New courses intersect were marginal first thing this morning in terms of might they be heavy, but we ‘ve taken the decision to change the description … really only where those tracks intersect. But we’ve got a breezy, dry and mild afternoon in prospect.
“It’s looking as though it will stay dry today and tomorrow too. There may be a few showers on Wednesday night into Thursday but it looks as though we will start with two dry afternoons. ”
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John Brewin (@ JohnBrewin _) Safety measures at Cheltenham. pic.twitter.com/RjxWUuiMQd March 20,8. am EDT : 54
One hour to go! Here’s our first race preview
Shishkin’s blazing speed impressed enough people to keep him at the top of the betting for weeks but the Asterion Forlonge bandwagon has shouldered him aside. Joe Donnelly doesn’t care; he owns both of them! But you can see, now, why Nicky Henderson, trainer of Shishkin, was suggesting to Joe back in February that he might like to switch the Mullins-trained Asterion to the Ballymore Hurdle instead.
The stats are against Shishkin, who hasn’t raced above Listed level, whereas the past eight Supreme winners had all won a Graded hurdle. Asterion Forlonge, on the other hand, may have looked workmanlike in victory last time but he was doing it in a Grade One. Softening ground helps him and possibly also Fiddlerontheroof, last seen winning the Tolworth in the Sandown mud. Abacadabras, however, is a fast horse who might have fared better on good to soft. He split Envoi Allen and Darver Star at Fairyhouse in December, which looks very strong form.
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Top jockeys at the Cheltenham Festival
Barry Geraghty
Bryan Cooper 8 Sam Twiston-Davies 7 Paddy Brennan 6
Ruby Walsh has taken his 76 winners and ridden off into the RTV studios, leaving Barry Geraghty nicely clear. The bookies evidently expect Walsh’s replacement at the Mullins yard, Paul Townend , to pick up the good work where the master left off, as he’s favorite to be top jockey here for the first time. Rachael Blackmore , who famously beat Townend in her first pony race, is second-favorite, having been 480 – 1 to be top jockey a year ago. She has only two Festival wins to her name but will ride that many favorites this week.
(Top jockey betting) Paul Townend 9-4 (Rachael Blackmore 5-1) Davy Russell – 2
A member of staff on board a mobile pharmacy holds up two bottles of hand sanitiser. Photograph: Simon Cooper / PA
Updated at 7. am EDT
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Shishkin (nb) 4-1 (2.) (Arkle Trophy) (Notebook) –
Ultima Handicap Chase (3) Champion Hurdle (Epatante) – 4
(4.) (Mares Hurdle) Benie Des Dieux 4-7
Altior’s withdrawal is a bitter blow for Nicky Henderson, and means one of the week’s most anticipated battles, with the two-time Champion Chase winner taking on Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi, will no longer take place . Here’s more from PA:
Henderson
The situation had improved markedly on Monday and he was declared for the two-mile showpiece at the – hour stage, although Henderson stressed more progress was needed – today, he revealed that it hadn’t happened.
“What is really disappointing is the improvement from the night before last to yesterday morning was so good that we were genuinely optimistic that, as long as that recovery rate was maintained, we figured he’d be sound this morning, and that is not the case, ”Henderson said.
“It’s flattened off, he hasn’t improved at all from last night, whereas the night before he improved dramatically. Consequently I think it’s only right now that he will be taken out of the race. ”
Altior would have been been bidding for his fifth win at the Festival, having taken the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Trophy before his two Champion Chase victories.
Updated (at 6.) am EDT
:
Altior out of Queen Mother Champion Chase
Good morning all, and let’s start with some breaking news. Nicky Henderson has confirmed Altior won’t run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday. More on that to follow …
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The Betfair Cheltenham Festival tipping competition
Chris Cook
You could win a £ 0407 account credit from Betfair by proving your tipping prowess on today’s races. All you have to do is give us your selections for all of today’s races at Cheltenham. As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional stakes of £ 1 at starting price on each tip. Non-runners count as losers.
Please post all your tips in a single posting, using the comment facility below, before the first race at 1 . pm .
There are seven races at Cheltenham today and you must post a single selection for each race. Our usual terms and conditions, which you can read here
will apply, except that this will be a strictly one-day thing.
If we get a tie after all the races have been run, the winner will be the one who posted their tips earliest out of those with the highest score. If an entrant has to repost their selections because of a non-runner, we will use the time of their later posting for tiebreak purposes.
If you don’t win today, don’t despair. We are running an identical competition on each day of the Festival.
You could win a £ 0407 account credit from Betfair by proving your tipping prowess on today’s races. All you have to do is give us your selections for all of today’s races at Cheltenham. As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional stakes of £ 1 at starting price on each tip. Non-runners count as losers.
Please post all your tips in a single posting, using the comment facility below, before the first race at 1 . pm .
There are seven races at Cheltenham today and you must post a single selection for each race. Our usual terms and conditions, which you can read here
will apply, except that this will be a strictly one-day thing.
If we get a tie after all the races have been run, the winner will be the one who posted their tips earliest out of those with the highest score. If an entrant has to repost their selections because of a non-runner, we will use the time of their later posting for tiebreak purposes.
If you don’t win today, don’t despair. We are running an identical competition on each day of the Festival.
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