National Hunt racing received a tremendous boost when Cheltenham was able to stage fourteen races during a fabulous weekend. It was same old story though, as bulk of prize-money went West! Paul Nicholls dominated Saturday with a four-timer. Philip Hobbs sent out Menorah to land the £150,000 International and Colin Tizzard still has two strings to his Festival, bow with Cue Card. The last-named was my nap but found Menorah too strong on the Prestbury Park run, losing by just over four lengths. Given Cue Card was meeting the impressive winner 6lbs wrong, allowing weight-for-age, the Kings' Theatre gelding is a fantastic each-way price, at worst, for the Champion Hurdle.
If The Racing Family Tizzard decides to take our advice and oppose Menorah again next March, as against the negative novice route, physical maturity will have kicked in. Cue Card would undoubtedly be a vastly different proposition next time. In any case he seemed to blow up, when defeated for the first time. As an experienced time-handicapper, the first task is to compute/analyse after the initial impression. Menorah achieved a career-best, with this impressive effort but it's not better than the mark recorded by Cue Card last month. Don't write off Cue Card for the big 'un!
Michael Jarvis is taking Steps to end a vexating run in the Maiden Stakes over five furlongs of Wolverhampton polytrack today. Thrice-raced, Steps was reckoned first division by his veteran, Newmarket trainer but placed efforts have tried his patience and presumably, that of fifty-year-old stable jockey, Philip Robinson. Jack Mitchell rides this time. It should be a penalty kick but it is interesting to see that Robbo steps aside, eh? This, unfortunately, looks like being yet another stand alone fixture because Ayr's jumping card is doubtful and from experience of recent events, it's executive will not risk having people embarking on a wild goose chase.