The first day of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival had an unfamiliar feel to it, lacking a capacity crowd for the first time in history, but its famous roar was still heard nationwide thanks to an electrifying opening day that did not disappoint the millions tuning in at home.
The action on the track certainly lived up to its billing, as the bookmakers survived a major scare with “banker” accumulators narrowly foiled by Concertista’s defeat in the Mares’ Hurdle. Turf accountants across the land were facing a multimillion pound payout if Willie Mullins’ mare had followed in the footsteps of short-priced winners Appreciate It (5/6f), Shishkin (4/9) and Honeysuckle (11/10f) at Prestbury Park, but her defeat left punters ruing the fine margins that so often dictate this great game.
CHELTENHAM TIPS FOR DAY 2 OF THE 2021 FESTIVAL
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CHELTENHAM TIPS FOR DAY 2 OF THE 2021 FESTIVAL
Cheltenham tips for Queen Mother Champion Chase Day, Wednesday, March 17
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1.20pm - Ballymore Novices Hurdle
It is unusual for me but I m going against the Irish in this race and backing
BRAVEMANSGAME (7/2) trained by Paul Nicholls in England. On the Irish front, and we have a good record saddling four of the last five winners, Jamie Codd reckons Bob Olinger (2/1) is a god given cert to win this for Henry De Bromhead. He is a class act but I m taking him on with Bravemansgame who should be a good Cheltenham horse. He is a strong galloper and will relish the step up in trip. He was beaten into second over two miles at Chepstow back in October when his jockey struggled to pull him up after the line. This trip is ideal and a strongly run race will be right up his street. You really couldn t find a more ideal race for him than the Ballymore. The further he goes, the better he gets, evidenced with his 10-length runaway
Rachael Blackmore on the gallops at Cheltenham Racecourse ahead of the Festival
Credit: PA
Presenting the Cheltenham Festival this year on terrestrial television is the biggest challenge and responsibility of my TV career. All eyes are on Cheltenham this week for a number of reasons.
The Jockey Club and the track have been in the Covid firing line ever since the meeting went ahead last year just a few days before the country went into lockdown.
More recently, the Gordon Elliott saga has cast a dark shadow over the sport. Damaging? Yes. Indefensible? Yes. Representative of the sport? 100 per cent no. My hope is that this week will restore some people’s faith in horse racing. On ITV we will showcase the magnificent animals and the grooms’ devotion to their horses.
You must have a few Bob on Olinger in the Ballymore
Bob Olinger can give his trainre Henry De Bromhead another Cheltenham winner.
WHAT a race we have in store to kick off Wednesday’s card.
The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (1.20pm) has produced some fantastic horses over the years like Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen.
And one of the best may well turn out to be last year’s victor Envoi Allen – then under the care of Gordon Elliott and now with Henry de Bromhead – who could make it 12 out of 12 in the Marsh Novices’ Chase on Thursday.
De Bromhead has plenty of bullets to fire this week, though, and I strongly fancy
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