Cheltenham 2016

'bumper' races were originally confined to amateur riders. These inexperienced riders would often have a less polished riding style than the professionals and would appear to be bumping up and down in the saddle, hence the term 'bumper'.

Pity

Meeting from 15th until 18th

Please post your thoughts and selections

Cheltenham Festival 2016: Tizzard - I'm not a farmer playing about

There was a time when Colin Tizzard was a cattle farmer with a few racehorses as a sideline, and whose greatest sporting achievement had come on the cricket field.

How things have changed, and are maybe about to change further.

While Tizzard, 60, is still able to bask in the memory of claiming the wicket of legendary cricketer Sir Ian Botham when they played together as Somerset schoolboys, he's now planning to bowl over the opposition at the Cheltenham Festival with two of Britain's biggest hopes against the raiding Irish masses.

The ever-popular Cue Card, already a two-time Festival winner, lines up as likely home favourite in the Gold Cup, while Thistlecrack is seen by some as the banker of the week as he looks to make it four successes on the trot this season, in the World Hurdle.

And, if Cue Card can add to his recent rejuvenation victories in Haydock's Betfair Chase in November and in jump racing's Christmas feature, the King George VI Chase at Kempton, he'll be completing the Jockey Club's new steeplechasing Triple Crown, and collecting a £1m cheque for his troubles.

These are high-pressure days for Tizzard, his wife Pauline, ex-jockey son Joe, daughter Kim and their 65-horse operation based at the family farm on the Dorset/Somerset border.

However, a broad smile spreads across his face as soon as the subject of Botham comes up in conversation.

"We played for Yeovil area, and Ian was captain and I was vice-captain," he recalls in his distinctive West Country burr. "In the trials for Somerset I bowled him out. He was already a Somerset schoolboy player but he came in at the end of the day.

"He thought he was going to hit me all round the ground, which he did the first three balls - all were fours - and then he missed one and I had him out. He was trying to hit me for six, he wasn't sort of blocking a good ball, but in my little moments I think that's one of my life's highlights."

Since then, Cue Card has provided the Tizzards with all kinds of quite different highlights, when taking the Champion Bumper in 2010 and then, three years later, the Ryanair Chase, followed not long after by a first Betfair Chase trophy.

But a generally barren period ensued before the 10-year-old, owned by the string's long-time supporters Jean and Bob Bishop, returned triumphantly to the top with his recent purple patch. Poignantly, Bob Bishop died only a few days after the King George, aged 83.

Various theories have been put forward to account for Cue Card's improvement in form, including a throat operation on a debilitating trapped epiglottis which badly affected his ability to breathe, though his trainer believes other factors may also be at play, not least new stabling.

"We're in a fresh build now," said Tizzard, who used to train the horses cheek by jowl with his 700 cattle.

"There are no old, historic buildings and bugs, and I think he's healthier. There's good ventilation, high roofs and sunlight.

"He ran twice after the epiglottis operation and didn't do anything much, but is like a five or six-year-old now, he looks beautiful, and we've got a few older horses running better.
"We did the building because before we weren't going anywhere, were we? We were having 35 winners a year, and winning £500,000, and I was chuffed with that.

"But with Joe coming home [retiring as a jockey] I just thought we ought to make a statement and move forward.

"We needed the farm back anyway, as the horses had been taking a lot of the buildings and the cattle were pushed out everywhere, and now we have them in one place and the horses in another.

"It's my dream. I've got a proper training establishment now; I'm not just a farmer playing about."

A proper training establishment that, with the particular assistance of Cue Card, now regular mount of jockey Paddy Brennan, and the Tom Scudamore-ridden Thistlecrack, has already surpassed previous prize-money levels, and is on course to beat its winners' tally (46) too.

Tasting further Festival glory with the strikingly-progressive Thistlecrack - who's seen as a Gold Cup contender of the future - in the World Hurdle would be one thing, but the trainer admits lifting the centrepiece Gold Cup, plus the seven-figure bonus, would be something else.

Tizzard, who reports both star runners are "right on their game", added: "I think if I could win a Gold Cup that would be me done for life.

"It's the biggest steeplechase in the world; the Grand National is a big, wide race, but in England and Ireland and Scotland and Wales, it's the race everyone sets out to do.

"The money would be nice - it would be nice for the staff - and my share would get lost on 10 acres of land somewhere I expect, but it would be fantastic.

"I get nervous just talking to you about them, there's masses of pressure so I am like a bear with a sore head half the time. Both have marvellous chances and I can't quite believe it's us that has them both."

The Cheltenham Festival takes place 15-18 March.

Victoria Pendleton: Olympic champion 'great' for horse racing

Victoria Pendleton is a "great advert" for racing, says the owner of the horse she hopes to ride in the Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Olympic cycling champion, 35, has been criticised by some ex-jockeys, who feel she is putting herself in danger.

She was unseated from favourite Pacha Du Polder at Fakenham on her National Hunt Rules debut on 19 February.

But Andy Stewart, who owns Pacha Du Polder, said: "I fully endorse Victoria and what she's trying to achieve."

The unseating at Fakenham followed another fall in the novice riders' point-to-point event at Barbury Castle on 14 February.

Pendleton only had her first riding lesson a year ago.

Writing in her column for betting exchange Betfair on Monday, Pendleton said: "It's hard to believe that just over a year ago - 22 February 2015 to be exact - was the first time I sat on a horse, and now I'm two days away from my second Hunter Chase.

"There have been a few knocks and setbacks along the way and of course there was the fall at Fakenham last week. But being totally honest and realistic, I would be surprised if such setbacks didn't come with a challenge of this magnitude.

"I love learning and improving, which is something I really missed when I finished cycling and that's exactly why I've been bitten by the horse racing bug."

Former champion jump jockey John Francome has said Pendleton "wants saving from herself" and is "an accident waiting to happen".

But Stewart added: "The manner in which she has conducted herself throughout has been exemplary.

"The challenge allied with her positive approach has been a great advert for racing and her involvement has led to widespread coverage of the sport far beyond the racing pages."

A decision on Pendleton's participation at Cheltenham will be made after she rides Pacha Du Polder at Wincanton on Wednesday.

This is great news


BALTHAZAR KING delighted Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson in a schooling session at a local three-day event course and is firmly on course for a bid to regain the cross-country title he won narrowly at Cheltenham in 2012 and 2014 but did not defend last year.

There were fears the 12-year-old would not race again after he suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung in a fall at the Canal Turn in last year's Crabbie's Grand National. He spent six weeks at the University of Liverpool Equine Hospital but now appears to have made a full recovery and is a top-priced 13-2 with Coral for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, which for the first time this year will be run as a conditions race.

Hobbs, who pointed out that Balthazar King is theoretically firmly favoured by the revised terms, as he would have had top weight in a handicap, said: "We took him to Pontispool, which is three-day event course near Taunton, and Richard said he was absolutely brilliant. We are all delighted with him, and it's all systems go. We just want some better ground ideally."

'As good as ever'

Balthazar King returned to Hobbs in December, having been ridden at his owners since September, and his preparation has gone well, with no sign of any after effects of the Aintree fall. However, Hobbs retains one slight concern.

He explained: "His schooling and galloping are as good as ever, but he has got a slight indentation at the back of his ribcage, which might mean he has lost a little of his lung capacity.

"It's very difficult to know until we race him. He's obviously getting enough air in when he is galloping at home, but that's very different to going three and three-quarter miles in a race."

Unsettled forecast at Cheltenham

The going at Cheltenham has eased a shade since Sunday, when it was reported that the track was "good in places" on all three courses, and the forecast remains unsettled.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: "We've had about 3mm or 4mm since the weekend, and it's made a difference. It's now good to soft on the Old course and also on the cross-country course. It's good to soft, soft in places on the New course.

"The forecast is still unsettled with bits of pieces of rain over the next week amounting to about 7mm or 8mm."

That lemon curd has decided to ride in the fox hunters , hope her and her horse go well and come home safe

This race in cycling terms is like the tour de France field all on a velodrome track at the same time

Ok guys had a look at the card for next week and could be heavy going but some early thoughts on the festival

15th should have an early banker with Douvan in the Arkle chase
Champion hurdle fancy Annie Power
Mares handicap Vroum Vroum Mag looks another potential banker

16th the bumper always very open but a good race for a punt TBA
Champion chase where I am sure we would love to see Sprinter Sacre win however it's hard to oppose Un De Sceaux
Neptune novice should go to Yanwarth

17th The Dawn Run nov hurdle should go to Limini
Would also love to see Al Ferof win the Ryanair but won't be easy
World Hurdle hard to beat Thistlecrack

18th Gold cup day and very open but will stick with another one of my favs Cue Card,
after what is guaranteed to be a difficult but superb weeks racing we could end up having to pull a Delboy finish by taking "who dares wins" in the Triumph

Good punting and post your views

Cheltenham is generally at least as difficult as a 'big day' in South Africa. If not more so.

As I prefer not to wager on a 'hit & hope' basis I have stopped punting on the festival in recent years and simply enjoyed the gut wrenchingly competitive racing that it produces.

At the end of it my 'bank' is still intact and I have enjoyed it no more or less than had I punted on it.

I can think of few racing scenes to rival that of the field accelerating down the final hill before hitting the stamina sapping rise to the finish.

If my need to gamble overpowers me on the day I will generally switch to one of the smaller centres & satisfy my craving by punting some of the inevitable 'good things' that tend to proliferate whilst the 'big boys' are slugging it out at Cheltenham.

Bob Brogan wrote: Bumpers are basically Juvenile flat races for Novice National hunt horses, without hurdles. You can`t have run under rules before racing in a bumper

Point to points are steeple chases run under amateur rules, i used to bookie at the flag racing years ago

bumped into yer mate archie scott in corals the other day he was asking after you

Goint to be strange watching without punting

But some early fancies in the Feature races

MIN



Djackdam



Cole Harden



Annie Power

To all interested in coming to Cheltenham I live 40 min away, If you want to go next year give me the dates the race days you want to attend and I will do the booking accommodation transport to and from and also what would you like to do we could even throw in a rugby game if there is one close by, depending on what interest we could also hire a venue room
so send in your details and lets see how logistics work
regards
Moose