cheltenham

Latest Going

Report Date: Thursday 15th March 2007; 7.45am

New Course: Good to Soft

Weather Forecast:

Today: Partly sunny (51% chance of rain), 11°C
Tonight: Partly cloudy (19% chance of rain), 3°C
Friday: Partly sunny (13% chance of rain), 11°C

Denman breaks banker hoodoo

Denman (horse 104), the most popular picked horse of the week was the impressive winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. He ended the hoodoo on the ‘banker’ horses by becoming the first to win - netting his supporters 22 points.

The other two bankers that ran yesterday both flopped, Well Chief (horse 109) was a faller in the Champion Chase while Aran Concerto (horse 101) could only finish fifth in the opener.

Other Select A Stable winners on Wednesday were Burntoakboy (horse 306) 16 points, Cork All Star (horse 208) 15 points and Voy Por Ustedes (horse 249) 14 points.

The bankers in action on Thursday are Black Jack Ketchum (horse 102) in the World Hurdle at 3.15 and Gungadu (horse 106) in the 4.40.

Another one bites the dust

Well Chief (109) the final banker of the day to run fell at the second in the Champion Chase meaning a loss of 4 points for those that included him in their stables.

The race went on to be won by Voy Por Ustedes - horse number 249 - who collected 10 points for the win and an SP bonus of 4 points.

Banker Denman wins in style

Denman (104) became the first banker to win at the Festival with a superb success in the Royal SunAlliance Chase.

Sent off a red-hot 6/5 favourite - he was given an excellent ride by Ruby Walsh and the horse picked up 22 points in Select A Stable Cheltenham, sponsored by Better Bookmakers.

10 points for the win, an SP bonus of 1 point and, because he was a banker - scores are doubled.

Another banker flops

Aran Concerto became the third 'banker' in Select A Stable Cheltenham to be beaten in the opener at the Festival today.

The Irish trained runner (horse 101) was weak in the market on racecourse rumours and could well have finished closer than fifth if not for a mistake at the second last.

As a banker he picks up 8 points in 5th place but those that had included him in their stables would have hoped for more than that.

Thursday's confirmed runners

303 Asian Maze 15:15 Cheltenham
102 Black Jack Ketchum 15:15 Cheltenham
203 Blazing Bailey 15:15 Cheltenham
315 Fair Question 16:40 Cheltenham
106 Gungadu 16:40 Cheltenham
322 Hi Cloy 14:35 Cheltenham
221 Inglis Drever 15:15 Cheltenham
326 Kadoun 17:20 Cheltenham
424 Kasbah Bliss 15:15 Cheltenham
223 King Revo 14:00 Cheltenham
328 Labelthou 15:15 Cheltenham
331 Le Volfoni 16:00 Cheltenham
428 Lough Derg 15:15 Cheltenham
333 Madison Du Berlais 16:00 Cheltenham
229 Mighty Man 15:15 Cheltenham
230 Millenium Royal 17:20 Cheltenham
231 Monet's Garden 14:35 Cheltenham
335 Monolith 17:20 Cheltenham
235 New Little Bric 14:00 Cheltenham
336 Nirvana Du Bourg 17:20 Cheltenham
238 Nycteos 16:00 Cheltenham
240 Our Vic 14:35 Cheltenham
435 Overstrand 15:15 Cheltenham
438 Racing Demon 14:35 Cheltenham
243 Reveillez 16:00 Cheltenham
440 Rowley Hill 17:20 Cheltenham
444 Strangely Brown 15:15 Cheltenham
247 Taranis 14:35 Cheltenham
445 Temoin 15:15 Cheltenham
353 Thisthatandtother 14:35 Cheltenham
355 Too Forward  14:35 Cheltenham
449 United 15:15 Cheltenham
359 Vodka Bleu 16:00 Cheltenham


By Select A Stable Number

Bankers
102 Black Jack Ketchum 15:15 Cheltenham
106 Gungadu 16:40 Cheltenham

Strong Fancies
203 Blazing Bailey 15:15 Cheltenham
221 Inglis Drever 15:15 Cheltenham
223 King Revo 14:00 Cheltenham
229 Mighty Man 15:15 Cheltenham
230 Millenium Royal 17:20 Cheltenham
231 Monet's Garden 14:35 Cheltenham
235 New Little Bric 14:00 Cheltenham
238 Nycteos 16:00 Cheltenham
240 Our Vic 14:35 Cheltenham
243 Reveillez 16:00 Cheltenham
247 Taranis 14:35 Cheltenham

Good Chances
303 Asian Maze 15:15 Cheltenham
315 Fair Question 16:40 Cheltenham
322 Hi Cloy 14:35 Cheltenham
326 Kadoun 17:20 Cheltenham
328 Labelthou 15:15 Cheltenham
331 Le Volfoni 16:00 Cheltenham
333 Madison Du Berlais 16:00 Cheltenham
335 Monolith 17:20 Cheltenham
336 Nirvana Du Bourg 17:20 Cheltenham
353 Thisthatandtother 14:35 Cheltenham
355 Too Forward  14:35 Cheltenham
359 Vodka Bleu 16:00 Cheltenham

Outside Chances
424 Kasbah Bliss 15:15 Cheltenham
428 Lough Derg 15:15 Cheltenham
435 Overstrand 15:15 Cheltenham
438 Racing Demon 14:35 Cheltenham
440 Rowley Hill 17:20 Cheltenham
444 Strangely Brown 15:15 Cheltenham
445 Temoin 15:15 Cheltenham
449 United 15:15 Cheltenham

Nickname taken out

Martin Brassil has declared Nickname (horse 237) a non-runner for this afternoon's Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Brassil is set to take out his mud-loving eight-year-old due to the drying conditions at Prestbury Park, where the going is currently good to soft, good in places.

"I'm worried about the ground being too good for him," the County Kildare handler told Channel 4 Sport.

"He's a horse that handles soft and heavy ground so we are not prepared to risk him."

Latest Going

Report Date:
Wednesday 14th March 2007; 7.45am

New Course : Good to Soft (Soft in places)
Old Course: Good to Soft (Good in places)

Weather Forecast:
Today: Some sun (6% chance of rain), 12°C
Tonight: Mainly clear (5% chance of rain), 3°C
Thursday: Mostly sunny (1% chance of rain), 12°C
Friday: Partly sunny (8% chance of rain), 12°C

Better - sponsors of Select A Stable

Horse scores from Tuesday

REF	HORSE AND RACE	POS	POINTS
103	Fair Along (GER) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	2	14
105	Detroit City (USA) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	6	6
201	Amaretto Rose 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	3	6
204	Brave Inca (IRE) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	2	7
205	Buena Vista (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	6	3
212	De Valira (IRE) 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
214	Dont Push It (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	fell	-2
219	Hardy Eustace (IRE) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	4	5
220	Heads Onthe Ground (IRE) 16:40 Cheltenham Tue	WON 5/2	12
224	Lennon (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
226	Little Brick (FR) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	fell	-2
232	My Way de Solzen (FR) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	WON 7/2	13
233	New Alco (FR) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	6	3
242	Pouvoir (FR) 17:20 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
303	Asian Maze (IRE) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
318	Good Spirit (FR) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
319	Granit Jack (FR) 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	2	7
321	Heltornic (IRE) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	fell	-2
323	Hide The Evidence (IRE) 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
324	Iktitaf (IRE) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	fell	-2
325	Juveigneur (FR) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	2	7
327	Kicks For Free (IRE) 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
329	Lacdoudal (FR) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
349	Spot Thedifference (IRE) 16:40 Cheltenham Tue	4	5
351	Straw Bear (USA) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	pu	-2
352	Sublimity (FR) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	WON 16/1	17
401	Acambo (GER) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	NR	0
403	Afsoun (FR) 15:15 Cheltenham Tue	3	6
409	De Soto 14:00 Cheltenham Tue	4	5
410	Distant Thunder (IRE) 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	3	6
412	Faasel (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	4	5
414	Gemini Lucy (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
420	Jack The Giant (IRE) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	3	6
425	Kings Revenge 17:20 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
427	Le Duc (FR) 16:40 Cheltenham Tue	3	6
434	Native Jack (IRE) 16:40 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
439	Rambling Minster 16:00 Cheltenham Tue	0	0
441	Royal Auclair (FR) 16:40 Cheltenham Tue	6	3
448	Twist Magic (FR) 14:35 Cheltenham Tue	fell	-2
450	Zilcash 17:20 Cheltenham Tue	4	5