Our Cheltenham Thoughts

On Friday racing returned to Prestbury Park and the home of the Cheltenham Festival. We were really looking forward to the buzz returning for the NH game and one or two caught our eye this weekend.

The first race on the card was won by TOP RATED Penglai Pavilion who despite drifting (reportedly unfit after his 96 day lay off) alarmingly in the betting he travelled ominously well under a confident Aidan Coleman. His hurdling was very economical as he was up and down very quickly and was ever so slightly keen for most of the first circuit. After jumping the 2nd last he was angled out slightly but Laurium also moved out and this meant he was going to be caught wide and so Aidan Coleman decided to rein him back and switch inside. Nudged along hands and heels into the last he took off 3rd and with the hurdle being knocked out the way it slightly put him off. That said he landed running and when Aidan said go he quickened up really nicely and won going away. He has been quoted at 20/1 for the Neptune Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and whilst this is a long way off, this doesn’t look a bad bet as he has shown he will cope with the course undulations.

Qewy was only 3rd on chase debut in a 3 runner affair however jumped reasonably well for most and moved into contention coming down to the last, he appeared that one good jump at the least would see him hit the front however he jumped poorly and was unable to rally and beat his more experienced rivals. Having finished 5th at Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices hurdle last year he could well be a decent chaser. We would like to see him taken down the easier handicap route this year (similar to Wicklow Brave last year) and think last years Supreme Novice hurdle was quite strong.

Mister Miyagi was another TOP RATED winner at Cheltenham and he looked a useful sort when winning the maiden hurdle won in previous years by some decent sorts including Snap Tie, Court Minstrel and Lac Fontana. Held up out the back he made stylish progress to sit behind the leader turning for home and still on the bridle eased alongside before finding plenty when asked after the last.

One horse who caught our eye mainly by the manner in which he was ridden and with targets down the line surely the higher priority was Sew On Target. When winning at Cheltenham back in December he made all the running before similar tactics were employed on his next start when got tired and faded late on over further. Having then raced over further for his next 2 runs it was surprise to see him settled in mid-division back over this 2 mile trip. He never looked like he was happy there and dropped away tamely into 7th place 25 lengths behind the winner. With Sew on Target having such a good record at Cheltenham this must have been a blip and it would be no surprise to see him return to Cheltenham over 2 miles and force the pace next time.

Away from Cheltenham, on Sunday it was the Monet’s Garden Old Roan Chase and whilst the race was uninspiring and an early win for Paul Nicholls, it was very sad to hear Radjhani Express suffered a fatal injury when making a mistake at the 8th fence.