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Dunguib lives up to rating.Regarded by Timeform as clearly the highest rated horse in today's Cheltnham Champion Bumper, the Philip Fenton trained Dunguib lived up to his billing, and turned today's race into a rout, and by so doing, gave Brian O'Connell his first ever Cheltenham winner. Always travelling on the bridle, Dunguib took it up nearly three furlongs from home, and just continued to extend his winning margin up the Cheltenham straight. If he can convert this flat form to hurdles next season, he will be a very useful recruit to the jumping ranks. Smooth as Silk!Coming up to the last hurdle in the Fred Winter Hurdle, favourite backers thought they were about to collect on market leader Alexander Severus. Hhe had cruised into contention, but it was not to be, for after the last he found no more, and only ended up holding on to fourth place. The mare Silk Affair stormed up the hill, with only Ski Sunday putting in any kind of late challenge to her authority, but based on this run, Silk Affair could get much further in her subsequent races. Ninetieth Minute gives Flood first win at Cheltenham.Tom Taaffe's Ninetieth Minute gave jockey Paddy Flood his first ever victory at Cheltenham. Seeming not to be travelling in the early part of today's Coral Cup, Ninetieth Minute suddenly picked up the bridle and ran through his field taking up the lead between the last two hurdles. At first the novice Paws and Claws looked like he would be tough opposition, but he faded back into third position in the climb up the Cheltenham hill. Meanwhile, Mirage D'or put in an effort, and managed to run on for second place. Thomas picks up two day ban.Jockey Sam Thomas picked up a two day ban from racing after failing to ride What A Friend out for fith place in today's Royal and Sun Alliance Chase. Masterminded just too good.As we predicted in this morning's news stories, (see below), Masterminded did not win the Queen Mother Champion Chase by a country mile, but he did win! We thought Big Zeb would be his main rival, but as it turned out, the David Pipe yard had nursed Well Chief back into top condition after nearly a two year absence, and he ran very well indeed to obtain second place. Two false starts had got all the runners on edge, and it was the cause of the false starts, Marodima who forced the pace until he ran out of energy down the back on the second circuit. Tony McCoy then took it up on Briareus, but Ruby eased Masterminded into contention at the top of the down hill to the third last. Following that jump, Petit Robin took it up, and for a second, he seemed a live contender, but as the leaders approached the last Masterminded had been given his head, and duly took the lead. After the last, Well Chief found his second wind, and chased Masterminded up the hill, relegating Petit Robin to third place. Although Paul Nicholls's french import was not as impressive as last year, let no one doubt Masterminded is a true champion! Cooldine wins merciless Royal and Sun Alliance Chase.Carruthers set a merciless pace in the RSA Chase, and with the notable exception of race favourite Cooldine, his front running tactics had most of his rivals in trouble, but a bad mistake at the second last knocked all the stuffing out of his effort, and Ruby Walsh was forced to go to the front on Cooldine. For a short while, outsider Horner Wood looked like a serious contender, but after the last Walsh found another gear on the favourite, and he powered up the Cheltenham hill and well clear of his rivals. Walsh calls Mikael a machine.After winning today's Ballymore Properties Hurdle, Ruby Walsh referred to the victorious Mikael D'Haguenet as a machine. The jockey indicated he was lways travelling well, and actually won the race on the bridle. At the second last, the eventual third, Diamond Harry, caused the winner to be squeezed for room, but Mikael D'Haguenet quickly recovered and went three lenghs clear at the last hurdle. Karabak put in a late charge, but the favourite held all the aces, and held on for a well celebrated win. Trixster too Tricky for the rest.Four fences from the finish, Sam Whaley Cohen confidently took the Nigel Twiston Davies trained Tricky Trixster to the front of today's National Hunt Chase, but turning in, it seemed favourite Can't Buy Time and irish raider Drumconvis had his measure. In fact, as soon as he had company, Tricky Trixster started to run on, and stormed away up the Cheltenham hill to land the amateurs four mile prize. Drumconvis managed to hang on to second place from a fast finishing Nine de Sivola, but favourite Can't Buy Time faded into fourth place, and based on this evidence, he will not get the Grand National trip.
Today's Cheltenham Going.Clerk of the Course Simon Claisse has reported the going for today's races at Cheltenham is very similar to yesterday, generally good to soft, but he did indicate the number of soft patches on the courses has diminished in number in comparison with the first day. If the weather forecast is correct, by Friday, the underfoot conditions could be good, soft in places. Racingsight now offering audio and visual coverage of Cheltenham.Thanks to our friends at Paddy Power, if you skip to our Cheltenham Page, you can obtain audio coverage to the next three days of racing at Cheltenham. Also thanks to our friends at Ladbrokes, if you open a Ladbrokes account, you can watch the Cheltenham races live via Ladbrokes Television - just go to the Cheltenham page and click on the indicated link. Masterminded could prove himself the true Master of Cheltenham.We all shared a long exhale of breath towards the end of last year's Queen Mother Champion Chase as we watched a fantastic performance by Masterminded. The trouble is, we are all expecting a similar demolition today, and racing is not like that! I expect Masterminded to win, but I believe it will not be a walk over. If he gets round unscathed, the irish challenger Big Zeb is no slouch, and if he is to defeat his rivals, I expect Ruby Walsh to ask Masterminded for some effort in sections of today's race. If, as I suspect, Masterminded wins by around four lenths, many commentators will express disappointment, and they should no better! To win back to back Champion Chases is a feat only achieved by the very best, so no matter what the winning margin, if Masterminded comes home in front today, in my book, he will be a true champion! Loch Derg deserves a Cheltenham win.Loch Derg has to carry top weight in the Coral Cup because he is so consistant, but when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival, he always finds one or two horses who have the drop on him through a lenient handicap mark, but I have a suspicion this could be his year. The way he has battled back when headed during the latter stages of three of this season's victories show he is more determined than ever, and if he gets the chance to dominate today's Coral Cup, the race distance should be no problem, and it will take a very good horse, or an extremely well handicapped horse to defeat him.
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News Stories prior to July 2008
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