There is nothing better than seeing racing return to jump racing HQ, and we were treated to a day of drama and pulsating finishes on day one of Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting.
Brilliant Bowen Scores At Cheltenham
A race that looked competitive on paper with the talking horse Country Mile, King Of Kingsfield and Alnilam, all lining up to take each other on, was taken apart before the field made it to the back straight.
Front-runner Centara set off as he always does, but he had company as champion jockey, Sean Bowen, sent Alnilam off in pursuit, keeping close tabs on the Nicholls runner.
It was when the front two reached the fence on the way out for the final circuit that you began to think they had given the leaders too much rope.
Looking back, King Of Kingsfield never looked like he was going, and Country Mile was making mistakes throughout, which would come to his demise in the closing stages.
It became evident coming down the hill that it was going to take a fall or something out of the ordinary to stop Sean Bowen from racking up another win.
A good jump at the second last kept the gap to six lengths back to the chasing pack, while Country Mile made yet another mistake, ending his chances of winning.
Irish raider, Relieved Of Duties, emerged as the final challenger, but there was no stopping the relentless Alnilam, who pulled away up the Cheltenham Hill.
On the back of that win, the Olly Murphy-trained six-year-old has been installed as a 40/1 chance for the Grade 1 Arkle Novices’ Chase in March.
Result
1st: Alnilam 9/4J
2nd: Relieved Of Duties 12/1
3rd: Country Mile 9/4J
Fortune De Mer Defies A Huge Drift To Win
Having opened as short as 9/4 last night, Fortune De Mer was seen drifting sharply this morning. Having already been the subject of a less-than-convincing ride on his previous start, the market drift had a few punters scratching their heads.
The Twiston-Davies-trained Un Sens A La Vie was sent off as the favourite, but coming to the business end of the race, his inexperience got the better of him, eventually finishing a disappointing seventh.
However, having been held up off the pace and over-racing in the hands of Harry Skelton, Fortune De Mer caught the eye jumping the last, and it was only a matter of time before Skelton pushed the button. But what would the response be?
When set down for the drive, Doctor Blue and Jaminska locked horns with Fourtune De Mer, serving up an epic battle up the Cheltenham Hill.
In the end a short head separated Fortune De Mer and Doctor Blue, with the Skelton runner coming out on top claiming the first Graded race of the season at Cheltenham, defying his huge market drift.
Result
1st: Fortune De Mer 14/1
2nd: Doctor Blue 11/1
3rd: Jamiska 18/1
Skelton’s At The Double
The Skeltons didn’t have to wait long to return to the winners’ enclosure as Calico made it back-to-back wins in the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase just 35 on from Fortune De Mer’s Grade 2 win.
It was a case of Deja Vu as Calico and last year’s runner-up Matata took each other on for the lead. They chopped and changed on the front end, and it was a slow jump at the 6th, where Matata started to feel the pinch.
The Twiston-Davies runner tried to keep tabs on Calico, but he began to weaken after the third last, leaving the Henry de Bromhead favourite, Jasko Des Dames, as the only real danger.
There was a moment coming to the second last where the de Bromhead runner looked as if he was going to lock horns with Calico and serve up another epic battle up the Cheltenham Hill. But before jockey Darragh O’Keeffe could get his mount close to the eventual winner, Calico found another gear.
A good jump at the last sealed the win, and Calico bounded clear to win by seven lengths.
Harry Skelton on Calico’s win: “He’s a good old horse. We trained him for today, make no mistake. He’s not going to improve much fitness-wise. That was a big pot for him today, and it was a big day for him.”
Trainer Dan Skelton added: “History tells you that he’ll go up to a mark now that he can’t win off, which is a little frustrating. At the end of the day, he’s won a £100,000 pot, and today was the most important day of his season.“
Result
1st Calico 5/1
2nd Jasko Des Dames 9/4f
3rd Brookie 7/1
