CHELTENHAM NOTES:THE strength of the betting jungle at Cheltenham was underlined yesterday when Paddy Power's offer to refund losing bets if Sprinter Sacre won the Arkle bit them to the tune of over €2.5 million and yet they still ended up even on the day.
“Hurricane Fly getting chinned made a bad day at the office a hell of a lot better,” Paddy Power himself said. “Even allowing for our refund and Quevega winning, it is honours even.” After three successive years where Power came out best when pitching against the hotpots, Dunguib, Cue Card and Cousin Vinny, taking on Sprinter Sacre proved a bridge too far. But even that couldn’t give punters an edge overall.
Sad ending as Irish pair are put down
THERE was a sad note to the Cross Country Chase as both Irish stars Scotsirish and Garde Champetre had to be put down after being injured between fences on the flat.
Garde Champetre, a six-time winner over Cheltenham’s cross-country course, and twice a festival winner, fractured a foreleg. Scotsirish fractured a hind-cannon bone.
“It was very unfortunate, one of those things,” Scotsirish’s trainer Willie Mullins said. “It was nothing to do with the ground. He loved quick ground.”
Educated Evans fell at the second last fence in the last race and had to be put down after breaking a leg.
Albertas Run in search of hat-trick
REIGNING champion Albertas Run is one of 14 declared for tomorrow’s Ryanair Chase.
Jonjo O’Neill’s charge has been off the track since winning at Aintree last October but he will be going in search of a third successive win in the two-mile-five-furlong contest.
Last year’s second Kalahari King tries his luck for Ferdy Murphy again while Henrietta Knight relies on Somersby, winner of the Victor Chandler Chase last time. David Pipe’s Great Endeavour is also in the line-up.
Crowd of 54,471
THE first day Cheltenham Festival crowd was 54,471, compared to 53,318 in 2011.
“To have a crowd on the first day of nearly 55,000 is very pleasing,” said the course’s managing director, Edward Gillespie. “And with the weather set fair, it bodes well for the rest of the week.”
Kauto Star owner praises physio
OWNER Clive Smith praised Paul Nicholls and his team for their efforts in getting Kauto Star back on track to bid for a third success in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.
Smith said: “We were very pleased with him (schooling). He went very well, jumped the fences beautifully and it’s all systems go.
“We hope he’s right back to top form and we wouldn’t run him unless he was at his best, so we feel he’s all set for Friday.
“It’s all been due to a tremendous effort from the yard. Clifford Baker, as usual, has been absolutely brilliant with him as has the physio.”
