Review of the day

If there is one course synonymous with TVB - then it’s Cheltenham…

I’ve had some great days there (and some poor ones too !) - and it always feels a bit special when they race at Prestbury park.

Ofcourse, it helps that I’ve got an eye for the horses who tend to do well at Cheltenham - and that certainly proved to be the case today !

2 tips: 2 winners - very nice :)

First up it was Repetitio.
The angle on him was that, as a 3 year old, he was receiving a big weight allowance from all of his rivals.

He is also a relatively experienced 3 year old - and ultimately, it was the toughness which won him the day.

He sat in behind the leaders in the early stages - and mounted a gradual challenge from the home turn.
He still had a couple of lengths to make up, after jumping the last - but he galloped on bravely - and got there - just !

Very pleasing.

Next it was Cogry - and he was even braver.

Under a text book ride from Sam Twiston Davies, he made all and jumped without blemish.

He was harried in the early stages of the race - but STD refused to get into a battle.
As a consequence, I knew the horse would have a bit left turning for home - and that is exactly how it panned out.

He jumped the second last beautifully - as he’d done all of the previous fences - but then stumbled and lost momentum.

That may have finished a lesser horse - but he’s as tough as they come. Sam gathered him up again and between them, they managed to withstand the final challenge of Rock the Kasbah,

It was a brilliant race - totally epitomising the sport.
If you didn’t enjoy that, then you are watching the wrong game !

That was it, for tips on the day - but there were also a few Mentions…

Glory and Fortune ran a reasonable race in the opener - but he was unsuited by the lack of pace in the race.
He’ll prove himself better than that.
The same is probably true of Stoney Mountain, whose jumping let him down on his first try over fences.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him returned to hurdles.
I think I read Molly Carew perfectly - she wants softer ground.
With a couple of pounds of her mark - then in the right conditions, she is one to be with next time.
Hurricane Darwin ran a cracking race in the cross country chase - but ultimately, was no match for the French challengers: whilst Ask Ben also ran really well in the finale - but like Glory and Fortune in the opener, was caught out by a lack of race pace, and the ensuing sprint finish.

No winning Mentions then - but I doubt I’ll get too many complaints about that :)

TVB.