And now the end Is near..... for my final blog there is only event I could write about - Crufts, I cant believe those folk jumped about the podium...... only joking it has to be CHELTENHAM!!!. I went to the Festival in 2012 and it is an incredible experience and one I would recommend even if your not a big horse racing fan.
Yes it was that week of the year where my wife get increasingly annoyed at me saying wait a minute I'm just watching this race - by the time the 28th race of the week had been run I think there may have been a call placed to the solicitor - if they ever extend it to 5 days I think a divorce may be on the cards. Fingers crossed she gets sick of me watching it all the time and packs me off there for a few days.
For a horse racing fan like myself there is no better week of the year, the best of the best running against each other, all the hype and opinions either being proven right or making me look stupid. thankfully I was more right than wrong this year, although it was a bad start with my pick for the Supreme Novices Hurdle running no race,
however my ante post bet in November at 6/1 was proven 110% correct as the future undisputed champion of the world, the flying, fantastic, Fenonmeno (yes I'm cheating using the Italian word for phenomenal) Footpad!! won the Arkle in brilliant fashion, powering up the hill under Ruby Walsh - although at halfway I was a little nervous due to the distance Ruby had him back in third - but who am I to doubt Ruby. The Champion Hurdle was won by the reigning champion Buveur D'air who was made to battle by Melon - not many win two Champions never mind three but it will take a good one to beat the champ. It was definitely another Ruby Tuesday as Benie Des Deaux shocked Apples Jade in the Mares Hurdle - now we wont get into what happened in the same race three years ago COUGH ANNIE POWER COUGH. I don't think many punters who were waiting on her for the big pay out that day - myself included will ever forget, but this year it was far different as Ruby brought the winner with a powerful late run to take the win.
Onto day 2 and it was all about the bankers - the Irish one - the second coming of Jesus Christ as Matt Chapman calls him but to us its Samcro and the English one Altior. Samcro justified the hype by winning the Ballymore and send the Irish wild. later on it was Altior's turn to put his reputation on the line in a high class Champion Chase. It wasn't plain sailing though as he was struggling at times but his class and Ferrari engine showed as he powered up the hill. A match of Altior v Footpad in 12 months time is mouth watering. In between the bankers there was the RSA chase which went to the impressive Presenting Percy - winning at the festival for the second year in a row for Davy Russell, with the way he jumps and stays surely a run at the Gold Cup next year is on the cards.Day 3 began with the JLT for those who aren't quick enough for the Arkle or have enough stamina for the RSA - sounds like me at football - no speed or endurance hence why I was a goalkeeper - it was won by Shattered Love who certainly didn't shatter my heart seeing as I got on at 8/1. it was the start of three wins in a row for Gigginstown - the stable of Ryanair owner Michael O'Leary - I suppose owning your own airline isn't enough you have to own the best horses as well. The Irish dominated Thursday that much, the meeting might as well been moved to the emerald isle but thankfully Missed Approach wasn't having any talk of a whitewash by winning the final race on day 3 to give the Brits one to cheer. the performance of the day though was by Concorde... I mean Laurina but given how she won the Mares Novice Hurdle she might have given the famous plane a run for its money.
The final day (sob) saw Gold Cup day being run on extreme ground due to the weather, at this point you have to give credit to the team at Cheltenham for the hard work they put in given the amount of rain they had - although in Scotland its usually called summer weather. Favourites fell by the wayside including blog favourite Apples Shakira who couldn't get those hips moving in the tacky ground. The Gold Cup was absolute thriller and I will massage my own ego a little as I was telling anyone who would listen (not that anyone would want to listen to me) that Native River would win and he led every single yard of the 3m2f, the superb Might Bite was on his best behaviour after trying to take a trip to the Guinness Village last year for a pint seeing as he was 20 lengths clear, if the ground wasn't as heavy he may well have had reason to stop for another.
Well this is the final curtain for the blog as University is coming to an end (touchwood). this blog has been enjoyable to write and I hope you all have got some enjoyment out of it as well and got to see why I chose this subject as my blog topic.
Cheers
Scott
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