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A truely great week, with many memories. The Cheltenham Festival always promises so much and always delivers. <br>So what made it special for you and who were you impressed by the most. Yes there are many obvious choices, Best Mate, Azertyuiop, Barracouda and so on. <br>For me some of the horses that ran into a place were at their best. Personally I thought that Haut Cercy was very brave, if he had not have hit that fence four out, who knows. Yesterdays opener was awesome. Hardy Eustace came, saw and conquered. That was terrific race and I am already looking forward to seeing that horse run again. <br>My fav, Supreme Prince, although I maybe biased, had an awkward race. He was left abit at the start, clouted the first, and then had nothing but traffic to cope with, by the time he got going the leading contenders were fighting it out. He got back safe, that is the main thing and he will fight another day.<br>Cheltenham 2004………..can’t wait!!!
I really enjoyed this years festival and there were many "eyecatchers" and fantastic performances but the one that impressed me more than most was IRIS’S GIFT, to beat Limestone Lad and get that close to Baracouda was one helluva performance!<br>
was largely underwhelmed by the CH and GC due to many horses not performing but i have to agree with jim here iriss gift was V impressive. i didnt think he had a chance beforehand but to just coast along behind the fastest 2m4 horse around and THEN to stay on to challenge baracouda was exeptional. it’d be almost a shame if those 2 go chasing next yr as id love to see a rematch
it has to be said though that with regards to the GC it is rapidly becoming something OTHER than a showpiece for the best STAYING chasers. fast ground round an effectively tight track ensures few get into it and it wasnt much of a spectacle this year. i think best mate would face a lot more challengers over teh last over 3m+ round newbury on softer ground. newburys far better suited to 3m chasers to show their stuff and next years GC is already as good as over..whats teh point of that??
Flagship, your description of One Knight, well what can I say, …excellent choice of words. I could not put it better myself.:biggrin:
Hardy Eustace’s performance to win the RSA Hurdle was top drawer – andy one of the 1st four would have been a worthy winner in a normal year
I think we had an excellent festival this year. All three champion races threw up an undisputed top class winner, and I think the novice events also were well up to standard.<br>
Jair Du Cochet, was the most impressive for me, if he gets a decent jockey for next years GC, I think he would have a great chance.
JohnJ
(Edited by johnjdonoghue at 12:17 pm on Mar. 14, 2003)
Ian,
The times when both horses ran in Kempton at Xmas were similiar. Given that both horses should improve, I do think that JDC would get closer than Truckers Tavern and Harbour Pilot did yesterday.
JDC was not a well beaten horse, he was given a very bad ride, the horse was given too much to do in the Sun Alliance. He is a high class horse, with plenty of speed and stamina.
Nice to see Iris’s Gift get a mention on here. This one first came to my attention at Perth last June. Ben Hitchcott had ridden a winner and was being interviewed by the MC. He was pressed to provide a horse to follow for 2002/03 and was rather unwilling to commit a name, but after further encouragement Ben plumped for Iris’s Gift. He did rather well didn’t he!! A quiet meeting at Perth but it yielded another interesting performer in Hermes III who won a novice hurdle on the card and is progressing into a decent handicap chaser.
Rob
Some incredible performances over the 3 days. Highlight for me has to be
BEST MATE He destroyed a field of high quality chasers, He has done what I thought was impossible and has become the greatest steeplechaser I have seen in my lifetime, a feat which he has had to overtake Desert Orchid to achieve. Make no mistake he is the BEST steeplechaser in history and will prove that beyond doubt next year and quite possibly the year after.
Lord Sam deserves a mention too he ran an exceptional race until he got hampered he may not have won but would have beaten Coolnagoorna IMO, and I hope his small yard have some big results with him over fences next season. Iris’s Gift too, has the potential to be a superstar.
My Cheltenham Highs & Lows were:-
Highs:-  Watching Back In Front, Azertyuiop, Rooster Booster & Best Mate win.
Backing Rooster Booster @ 6/1, Royal Predica @ 40/1,<br>Young Spartacus @ 33/1 & Baracouda @ 9/4.
In the William Hill fantasy Cheltenham league I picked 5 winners out of 7 & had R.Johnson as one of my jockeys.
Having 3 winners out of 4 in an anti-post Lucky 15.
Lows:- Not backing Back In Front, Azertyuiop & Best Mate.
Having a rule 4 applied to Young Spartacus (cost me £74-25).
Only coming 87th in the william Hill Cheltenham Fantasy league.
Taking early prices in my anti-post Lucky 15. 5/2 s.p.3/1,  15/8 s.p.9/4.
The unfortunate deaths of two wonderfull horses.
John.
For me, the highs were Azertyuiop and Best Mate.
Unfortunately, day 3 brought a lot of lows – it seemed to be carnage from start to finish.
Hey, Beaks, are you a fisherman.
I wish they rose to my bait so fast! :cool:
Apologies Ian, if he wasn’t taking the Micky!. :o
Just back from my 15th festival and I have to say from a racing point of view it was the best I have seen.
Every race was run at breakneck pace and we saw class winner after class winner come home.
I will mention Kingscliff here as noone else has a super run in the Foxhunters from him.
The only horse at this years Cheltenham who actually won the hard way was One Knight, he must of hit or clouted at least 10 fences and still won readily. Lead all the way. Bags of improvement left.
The unluckiest was without a doubt Royal Emperor.
The most impressive Back In Front, Rooster Booster and Best Mate.
The old adage certainly came true this year NOVICES DONT WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Also I am glad the plaudits actually complemented Thierry Doumen for his ride on Barracouda. He really doesn’t deserve to be slated the way he has been. After all, he is a French NH jockey and there aint many of them.
Regarding JDC, this horse will always fail to win the big prize at Festival.
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