UK Horse Racing Tips

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Kayley Woolacott and her team talk us through the preparations and hopes for Lalor’s upcoming race, the Cheltenham Festival’s Grade 1 Arkle Challenge Trophy. Will their hard work and hopes culminate in the result they’re dreaming of?

In the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2018, Native River made virtually all the running to record a game, 4½-length win over Might Bite, but both horses have subsequently been beaten – in the case of Might Bite, well beaten – in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George VI Chase at Kempton. Consequently, Presenting Percy, who returned from a 316-day absence to win the Galmoy Hurdle at Fairyhouse in January, remains favourite for the ‘Blue Riband’ event, scheduled for 3.30pm on Friday, March 15.

Presenting Percy is, of course, already a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, having jumped and travelled well to win the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase last year, on his debut in Grade One company over fences, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup appears a natural progression. However, the 8-year-old has done most of his winning with cut in the ground and, having missed several engagements, heads straight to Cheltenham without a preparatory run over fences. The last horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a similar preparation was Easter Hero in 1929 and that fact alone is enough to temper enthusiasm in the antepost favourite, especially at odds around 7/2.

By contrast, Clan Des Obeaux accounted for Thistlecrack, Native River and Might Bite in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and subsequently confirmed his well-being with a facile success – albeit at odds of 2/5 – in the Denman Chase at Ascot in mid-February. Currently second-favourite at a top-priced 9/2, the 7-year-old strictly has about 10 lengths to find with Might Bite on their running in the Betfred Bowl Chase at Aintree last April, but has officially improved by 18lb in the interim, so looks one to take seriously.

The reigning champion, Native River, has run two creditable races in defeat this term, granted that he needs a thorough test of stamina on soft going to be seen at his very best. He was, of course, third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on good going in 2017 but, while a return to Prestbury Park certainly won’t do him any harm, anyone taking the 6/1 available about him antepost will have one eye on the weather forecast between now and Gold Cup Day.

Outside the front three in the antepost market, other interesting contenders include Kemboy, trained by Willie Mullins who, despite being the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, has never saddled a Gold Cup winner. Another 7-year-old, Kemboy was only fourth of nine in the JLT Novices’ Chase last year, but has won his last four starts over fences, including the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown, and seemingly acts on any ground. On offer at around 10/1, he could be the proverbial fly-in-the-ointment.

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Kayley Woolacott fills us in on the struggles she’s faced in and prior to her first year as a National Hunt horse trainer, as well as her Arkle Chase Cheltenham Festival hopes for potential star of the stable Lalor.

Who doesn’t love National Hunt racing? There are numerous unmissable races during the season including the Champion Hurdle, Cheltenham Gold Cup and the one and only Grand National.

Aside from the confusing-named National Hunt Flat Race, National Hunt racing in Britain involves jumping obstacles, known as hurdles or fences depending on the construction, height and rigidity. In simple terms, hurdles are shorter and more flexible than fences, but that’s not the whole story.

Hurdle

Traditional, timber hurdles are constructed from light, portable, cut brush panels, measuring not less than 3’ 6” from top to bottom. However, the panels are driven into the earth at an angle, such that when positioned on the racecourse the top bar is 3’ 1” above the ground. Each single line, or ‘flight’, of hurdles must be at least 30’ wide and there must be eight such flights in the first two miles of a race, plus one additional flight for every succeeding quarter of a mile.

Plain Fence

Steeplechase fences are permanent or portable fixtures, traditionally constructed from a wooden or steel frame stuffed with real or artificial birch. A ‘plain’ fence must be at least 4’ 6” in height and, in a steeplechase, there must be twelve fences in the first two miles, plus six additional fences for every succeeding mile.

Open Ditch

As the name suggests, an open ditch is a plain fence preceded by a ditch on the side take-off, making it a more difficult obstacle to negotiate. Of the six fences in every mile of a steeplechase, one must be an open ditch. On the Grand National Course at Aintree, the fence known as ‘The Chair’ is not only the tallest, at 5’ 3”, but also has a 6’ foot ditch on the take-off side.

Water Jump

Only one obstacle on a steeplechase course can be a water jump and the fence can be lower than a plain fence, with a minimum height of just 3’. The fence must, however, be succeeded by an expanse of water at least 9’ feet wide and at least 3” deep throughout.