2020 cheltenham festival - round two.

​The star of day one, at least for me, was Shishkin. My immediate thought after the race that here was yet another Nicky Henderson Champion Hurdle horse, such was the acceleration he shown in very soft ground in getting to and passing Abacadabras from between the final two hurdles and up the savage hill. Yet, no, both jockey and trainer can’t wait to see him over a fence, so Nicky Henderson has yet another Arkle and Champion Chase horse. The future replicating the present and the past.
A point I would like to make is the jumping antics of Asterion Forlonge. Now, not for one minute do I apportion any blame on Paul Townend for his mount jumping badly right throughout the race. Nor do I suggest that either jockey or trainer should be reprimanded in any way for the waywardness of Asterion Forlonge. But, as corroborated by the Racing Post, he scythed down (virtually knocked over) his stable companion Elixir D’Ainay, who in turn brought down Captain Guinness. If this incident had occurred after the last hurdle, Asterion Forlonge barging into Elixir D’Ainey, who in turn interfered with Captain Guinness, the stewards would have intervened, with Asterion Forlonge disqualified and Paul Townend given a suspension. In truth, what actually occurred was far more dangerous, with two horses and jockeys ending up, albeit unhurt, on the ground. This horse, by all accounts, has always jumped to his right and may always do so, thereby making him a liability in all his future races. In my opinion, in the short term, he should have been disqualified from his fourth place finish and in his future races he should be monitored by the stewards and if his jumping does not improve he should be barred from running until it has been proved by his connections that what has caused his erratic jumping has been solved.
I am the first to admit that I got the Champion Hurdle all wrong. Nothing new to report there then. Epatante was a good winner, with no excuses for any of the beaten horses. I would imagine the deciding factor yesterday was the soft-to-heavy ground and I have no doubt that the mare will be vulnerable if we ever return to good ground.
Finally, before I pour over the lamentable performance of my tips from day one, comment should be made about the Mares Hurdle. Firstly, it was a superb spectacle, providing the finish we all hoped-for. I remain, though, firmly convinced that two of the best horses running at the sport’s number one meeting should not be competing in a race with lower prize-money than the Amateur riders race and in sporting term’s it is a scandal that Cheltenham will come to an end without any of us knowing whether Honeysuckle could have got close to or defeated the new Champion Hurdler or whether Benie Des Dieux might have dethroned Paisley Park. Cheltenham always used to crown champions, even if on occasion the champion won by default or divine chance. Now that is not always the situation and that is to be regretted. Is Epanante the best hurdler or did she become champion simply because Honeysuckle was guided towards a lesser race? The Mares Hurdle is perhaps not the abomination I have described it in the past but if the conditions allow this sort of thing to happen year on year then we might as well have a 5 or 6-day festival as the devaluation of both the meeting and the championship races has already set in.
Now, yesterday! It’s hard to imagine there is a better novice hurdler around than Shishkin, so I cannot claim that Captain Guinness would have won if he avoided the fallen horse. But he was in with a fighting chance and third would most likely have been where he would have finished. A horse with a bright future.
Cash Back ran too free. About the issue of whether mares should receive a gender allowance in Grade 1 races: I think they should accrue penalties for winning Grade I’s, perhaps 2Ibs for each Group 1 won, with a 1Ib penalty for their final Group I before they reach parity with the geldings. It is unfair that Epanante, for instance, or Honeysuckle, should always receive 7Ibs when they are so obviously better than the geldings they race against.
Big River finished fifth in the Ultima, staying on from quite a way back. Scottish National looks right up his street. Brilliant that David Bridgwater has a festival winner, though Kildisart may be the horse to take out of the race especially if they chance their arm in the Grand National as he was giving the winner 11Ibs.
Petit Mouchoir ran the race I expected and beat, with the exception of Darver Star, all those horses I mentioned when suggesting he was the most over-priced horse in the race.
Benie Des Dieux was beaten by as a good a ride as you will see at Cheltenham this week. When asked why Rachael Blackmore was so good, or why she was winning so many top races, Ruby Walsh replied ‘because she has mastered the art of race-riding’, and then she went and demonstrated how right he was. Oh, and she is so successful because she is backed by people who have total faith in her. If Frost, Fuller and Worsley had equal backing they too would be riding better quality horses in better quality races.
de Plotting Shed was an aberration. Enough said.
Lord Du Mesnil ran a blinder and was just ran out of it up the hill.
For horses to avoid for today I refer you to yesterday’s blog.