Cheltenham Thursday Thread

Yes Tom Weston, apparently back in the weighing room being assessed further. Hope he's OK. Good ride by Andrew Nicholson in the charity race, think he came about 5th or 6th.
 
Hard luck EKW. I've seen your results and only hope that the heavy falls reported had your two, indeed all horses, arrive home safely.

Despite the fact that you didn't win, I hope that you've had a wonderful time. :)

Alec.
 
My god that race was carnage! Poor Tom is away to hospital drifting in and out of conciousness but at last report was better in the ambulance on route to the hospital. A few of the horses from the pile up are keeping the vets busy, cuts, scraps and soreness and one not looking too clever :(

Our lads came home safe and sound. Mangan got Tap jumping like a stag! He just didn't quite stay 3m2f at that speed. Knight - his jumping went to absolute pot! He winged the first 3-4 and then hit pretty much everything else. The jock said he just couldn't get him back into a rhythm after the first couple of mistakes. He did kick on again to the line proving he stays easily. And now he is kicking the truck again ...

On route home now I have absolutely LOVED every second of Cheltenham but by heck! I was not prepard in the slightest for the wall of people I met walking into the paddock! If any horse shot sideways people/owners were getting squished to say the least!
 
Phew, that was a fast and furious afternoon. I watched all the Channel 4 races, so missed the last one.
What happened to Tom Weston, local lad? And who won the Charity Race?
 
Tom was unseated but he was in the front pack so he got one hell of a kicking by at least 4-5 horses as they went past. The winner of the charity race was Knights Parade I think.
 
So pleased your two came home safe and sound EKW! You must have been so proud :)

I'm still in shock at Vautour, what a horse, what a performance - I loved the way he had his ears pricked!
 
Vautour was breathtaking! He was leaving those fences plenty of air! Grand National horse of the future? He is also a lovely big, impressive horse. What strikes you first is how physically strong he is. Some of Mullins horses are on the narrow side but this lad is just a powerhouse! He bounced all the way back in - that race was merely a schooling session for him!
 
I'm just watching it back again - watching him jig jog back to the winners enclosure! How can he have that much energy?! He made those fences look easy didn't he, wow....what a horse!
 
He was something else, beyond impressvie. EKW, I am so glad your boys were OK. Tap Night looked like he was enjoying himself, which perhaps he doesn't always? It was a terrible pile up in the race.
 
Tap's jumping entirely depends on the jockey. If you leave him be to bowl on in his own stride and keep him on the outside where he doesn't get crowded he is electric. Put someone on that niggles and places and fixes he can't jump and panics. Same as if he is in the middle of the pack, he panics is he is short of room. That's why Geraghty and Johnson didn't get on great with him, they ride him too much and he doesn't like hassle. The lad on him came back and said as soon as he got used to Tap's way of jumping he gave him an awesome spin.

Not sure why Knight's went to pot. The jockey did nothing wrong he just felt the horse would be better up in the pack not dropped out the back like he was today. For 2 random Irish amatuer jockeys they rode like pro's. 24 runners - 19 Irish jockeys on board. Kind of says a lot about where the current talent lies.
 
There were several tips for your horse, C/Knight, and it was noted that he look very well in parade ring. He never featured in the race commentary, , sometimes they just get taken off their feet early on and can't run the race in the way that suits them. Also the horses are not used to the crowds, and all the faff so they lose energy.
Its been a long day, sleep well.
To have two runners is a pretty big thing, all the bigger trainers have a mass of horses for these races, no Festival races are easy, and Cheltenham is a difficult course.
 
Last edited:
Had an amazing day at Cheltenham, first time I've been and can definitely say I'll be going back! What a race from Vautour! His jumping was phenomenal, should have bet on him to win rather than each way!

Does anyone have any news on Masters hill? He was the grey (number 2) that was caught in the pile up in the 4.40, came home with no jockey and very lame on his offside fore. They put the screens up right in front of us but he did walk into the ambulance. Beautiful looking horse.

Hope all the other horses are ok and of course the jockey (sorry don't know his name) who seemed to take a real tumble in the same race
 
Love said:
Had an amazing day at Cheltenham, first time I've been and can definitely say I'll be going back! What a race from Vautour! His jumping was phenomenal, should have bet on him to win rather than each way!

Does anyone have any news on Masters hill? He was the grey (number 2) that was caught in the pile up in the 4.40, came home with no jockey and very lame on his offside fore. They put the screens up right in front of us but he did walk into the ambulance. Beautiful looking horse.

Hope all the other horses are ok and of course the jockey (sorry don't know his name) who seemed to take a real tumble in the same race
Click to expand...

I am not 100% sure and please don't take this on trust but I don't think Masters Hill headed home with his team. Whether he was having to wait for racing to end before he was ambulanced to the Vets I don't know but he was being xrayed and strapped up in the stables. Fingers crossed for the lad x
 
EKW said:
I am not 100% sure and please don't take this on trust but I don't think Masters Hill headed home with his team. Whether he was having to wait for racing to end before he was ambulanced to the Vets I don't know but he was being xrayed and strapped up in the stables. Fingers crossed for the lad x
Click to expand...

Got everything crossed for him x
 
In fairness EKW your two random Irish amateurs have buckets loads of experience. Gerry Mangan is a lovely jockey and a mine of info when you get him to school a young one. The amateur/point to point scene over here would be a lot more competitive and semi professional than the UK though. So glad your two boys are home safe. Fingers crossed all injured human & equine are well again soon
 
amage said:
In fairness EKW your two random Irish amateurs have buckets loads of experience. Gerry Mangan is a lovely jockey and a mine of info when you get him to school a young one. The amateur/point to point scene over here would be a lot more competitive and semi professional than the UK though. So glad your two boys are home safe. Fingers crossed all injured human & equine are well again soon
Click to expand...

Once we got to Cheltenham and spoke to some of the Irish lads they could do nothing but praise either lad. We had never heard of Mangan and Carroll rode for us once a few years ago but because they rarely come over we have never really heard of them or seen them at work. The point scene in Ireland is so much further forward than over here and the boys out there earn a fortune and have no need to turn professional. The boys over here are lucky to ride 2 or 3 horses a weekend.
 
Was cheering your boys on EKW and glad they came home safe. Hoping that all the others and Tom Weston are ok too, not a good race in that respect.


There's a photo from that photographer with the broken leg on Racing Post!
 
Last edited:
I agree EKW .. that race was a bit of carnage. Hope Masters Hill is okay, and the other grey - think it was Sixty Something - who took a bad fall, then was smacked in the head by a passing runner as he got up.

Glad Tap Night and Clondaw Knight came home safe. I've not always been the greatest fan of Tap Night .. he sometimes gives the impression of being a bit disinterested - but at the end of the day, you and the team know the horse better than anyone watching on the TV.

Vautour was fantastic. What a lovely horse. Think this year's win was even better than last years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top