The Cheltenham Festival, jump racing’s annual Olympics spread over four glittering days of top quality National Hunt action, begins on Tuesday.
The countdown to the opening day’s traditional showpiece, the Champion Hurdle, was dominated by the shock defection on Sunday of Nicky Henderson’s defending champion Binocular.
Binocular was removed from the hurdling crown on the advice of British racing’s governing body, the BHA.
Henderson was told that should Binocular win, his hurdling star would fail a drugs test and be disqualified as treatment administered last month for an allergy would still be in his system.
“We are all obviously shattered but I am particularly upset for (owner) JP McManus who has been incredibly understanding as I know how much this horse means to him,” Henderson said.
On hearing the news, bookmakers reacted with rare compassion, announcing that they would refund all ante-post bets on Binocular.
Menorah, trained by Phillip Hobbs, has inherited the favourite’s mantle ahead of Hurricane Fly, bidding to give top Irish trainer Willie Mullins his first win in the race.
Ruby Walsh, just back from a four-month spell on the sidelines after breaking his leg, rides Hurricane Fly, the seven-time Grade One-winning son of Montjeu, who is unbeaten this year.
Wednesday’s highlight is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, with Ireland’s Big Zeb defending his title in a field featuring Paul Nicholls’ 2009 winner Master Minded, and Sommersby.
The latter, who hails from the same Henrietta Knight stable that produced triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate, ran Master Minded close at Ascot last time out and came in second in the Arkle Chase at last year’s Festival.
It’s a case of quality rather than quantity in Thursday’s World Hurdle, where Nicholls’ Big Buck’s is going for a three-timer.
Unbeaten in his past 11 outings since unseating his jockey at Newbury in November 2008, he heads the betting at around 5-4 from Grands Crus, impressive winner of his trial here and representing trainer David Pipe.
The festival climaxes with Friday’s Gold Cup, with three previous winners gunning for the trophy – defending champion and ante-post favourite Imperial Commander, two-time winner Kauto Star and Denman.
Imperial Commander has not jumped a fence since a solid rather than spectacular victory at Haydock last November.
Kauto Star, the winner in 2007 and 2009, is the only horse to regain the chasing blue riband with his stable companion Denman depriving him of a successful defence of his crown in 2008.
Kauto Star fell at the fourth-last fence 12 months ago, and tuned up for this renewal with a lacklustre third in the King George VI Chase at Kempton in mid-January.
Remarkably he is contesting his fifth Gold Cup, and the fourth in which he clashes with Denman.
His chances have arguably improved with the return of Walsh, his regular partner.
“We feel it will be different with Ruby back and the two know each other so well we will have a much more favourable result,” Kauto Star’s owner, Clive Smith, told At The Races.
“As good as Tony McCoy (his jockey in the King George) is, he has a different style of riding and I’m very pleased that Ruby is able to get back on Kauto again.
“It would be incredible if he could regain the Gold Cup for a second time. I think he’s got a great chance.”
AFP APP TURF
