Thursday, October 19, 2000

TOMORROW'S BEST PRICES

CHELTENHAM LAUNCHES REGULAR MAGAZINE

It is particularly keen to tell people about forthcoming race meetings, with the magazine part of a drive to get once-a-year racegoers to come racing more often.

Peter McNeile, Cheltenham's Commercial Manager, commented today: "The initial magazine will have a print run of just under 30,000 and will be distributed on November 1 by direct mail to a controlled circulation list consisting of Cheltenham's annual members, other racegoers and selected parties. It will be free to the end-users.

"The launch of the magazine comes the week before The Open 2000 and there will be two further issues this season - one at Christmas and the other in early March.

"This is the first time a British racecourse has been involved in such an extensive publishing venture designed to boost attendance figures.

"Cheltenham has excellent racing throughout the season and we would particularly like those who only attend the National Hunt Festival in March to consider coming here to other meetings."

THE OPEN 2000
SO POPULAR

Already 5,800 badges and tickets have been snapped up, 15% above the total seen at this time last year

Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, declared: "It is very encouraging to see advance bookings doing so well.

"Cheltenham is proud of what it is offering over the three days of The Open 2000, with prize money up 24.6% to £435,000.

"The meeting has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and we are looking forward to very exciting racing."

All the feature races at The Open 2000 are sponsored, with sponsorship revenue, as well as prize money, significantly up. This is despite the decision of the long-standing major sponsor to withdraw after last year's meeting.

Retailing brands, Thomas Pink, Direct Answers and Tote Bookmakers, are among the new sponsors at The Open 2000. Other new sponsors include Intervet.

The advance booking telephone number is 01242 226226 and badges and tickets can be booked between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, using Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Switch cards.

Information about badges, tickets and prices can be found on the Cheltenham Racecourse Internet site, www.cheltenham.co.uk

MANN SUPPORTS
THE OPEN 2000

The former jump jockey has made a great start to the 2000/2001 National Hunt season, training 19 winners to date, at an impressive strike rate of 32%.

Mann, who started training in 1993, has sent out Hoh Invader (1998) and Celibate (1996) to win at the comparable meeting. This season he hopes to enter 12 horses for races over the three days, including Celibate in the feature Thomas Pink Gold Cup.

He said: "The Open 2000 is a meeting that my owners and I are really looking forward to. It marks the start of the main part of the jump season and has tremendous prize money.

"I will be saddling a number of runners at The Open 2000 and hope to come away with a winner or two."

The meeting is named The Open 2000 for a number of reasons. Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, explained: "We have decided to call the November three days The Open 2000 as they follow on from the close of the Flat turf season and effectively launch the core National Hunt season.
"In other sports, such as tennis and golf, Open denotes a quality sporting occasion and that is what the three days are.
"The ethos of National Hunt racing is that the sport is open to both professionals and amateurs - riders and trainers - something which is becoming increasingly rare in major sports."

BACKGROUND TO THE FEATURE RACES AT THE OPEN 2000

It is the joint richest handicap chase at Cheltenham, the Home of National Hunt Racing. For Thomas Pink, the well-known shirtmakers whose flagship shop is in London's Jermyn Street, this is a first venture into horse-race sponsorship.

The Thomas Pink Gold Cup and the Direct Answers Hurdle (see below) close for entries on Wednesday, October 25, with all the other races at The Open 2000 closing at the five-day stage.

Thomas Pink's involvement will extend to include the £10,000-added Thomas Pink Amateur Riders' Handicap at Cheltenham on the first day, Countryside Day, Friday, November 10.

The £50,000 Intervet Trophy is a new staying handicap chase, with a £25,000 bonus linking it to the Hennessy Gold Cup. The Intervet Trophy, run over three miles, three and a half furlongs, is sponsored by Intervet UK Ltd, a major supplier of animal health products to the UK veterinary profession including Panacur Equine Guard, which is the market-leading brand of horse wormer.

It is also run on Saturday, November 11, the middle day of the prestigious three-day meeting, helping make that day's card a formidable one. The Intervet Trophy is an open handicap chase which will be attractive to the leading staying chasers and it comes two weeks before the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

The Tote is sponsoring the feature handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 11. The Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle, worth £30,000 added, will be run over three miles and two furlongs. Last year's equivalent race only had £12,000 in added prize money.

The £50,000 Direct Answers Hurdle, over two miles and half a furlong on Sunday, November 12, is the first major handicap hurdle of the 2000/2001 National Hunt season. Much betting interest is always created by the competitive and valuable hurdle which attracts plenty of runners. Direct Answers is a new company offering high quality mobile phones and technology products direct to the public at highly competitive prices. The company, based in Swindon, Wiltshire, is sponsoring a race for the first time

The Independent sponsors the prestigious and valuable Grade Two novices' chase on the final day of The Open 2000 at Cheltenham, Sunday, November 12, 2000. The £25,000 Independent Novices' Chase is run over two miles and the equivalent contest in previous years has seen very good horses.

Also on the Sunday is the £25,000-added Ladbroke Casinos Handicap Hurdle, over two miles and five furlongs.

The £20,000 Capel Cure Sharp Novices' Hurdle, run on Friday, November 10, the first day of The Open 2000, will carry a bonus of up to £50,000 if the winner goes on to take the Capel Cure Sharp Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival in March, 2001.

The Open 2000 also features the £30,000-added Sporting Index Chase over three miles and seven furlongs of Cheltenham's cross country course on the opening day.

All Irish-trained runners at The Open 2000, who do not achieve any win or place prize money, qualify for travel allowances of at least £700. The travel allowances rise to £1,000 for unplaced Irish runners in the three major races at the meeting, the £80,000 Thomas Pink Gold Cup, the £50,000 Intervet Trophy and the £50,000 Direct Answers Hurdle.

There were 28 Irish-trained runners at the three-day meeting last year, with half of them gaining prize money through three wins, two seconds, seven thirds and two fourths. There are travel allowances of at least £300 on Sunday, November 12, for British-trained runners, who also qualify for 2.5% of the added money in chases on the other two days provided they complete a mile of their race and do not collect any prize money. In addition, there are owners' premiums for all novice chase and National Flat Race winners if they are British bred.

In a new initiative, Cheltenham Racecourse is offering a £25,000 bonus to the owner of any horse who wins at The Open 2000 and then goes on to success at the 2001 National Hunt Festival. If more than one horse qualifies, the bonus will be shared between them.

TRAINER CHARLIE MANN'S LIKELY ENTRIES AT THE OPEN 2000, CHELTENHAM, NOVEMBER 10, 11 & 12

His two successes to date include a 2m 4f maiden hurdle at Tipperary in March 1997 and a 3m handicap hurdle at Thurles in February this year, where he carried 11st 11lb to victory.

He has a posible alternative at The Open 2000, the Sporting Index Chase



The £20,000-added Mitsubishi Shogun Trophy Chase, 2m, 1.50pm, Friday, November 10

REVEILLON (GER)

8 ch g Keen - Ringawoody (Auction Ring (USA))

Owner - Martin Myers

Reveillon was successful on his latest appearance, when taking a 2m 1f handicap chase at Stratford on August 12, by an impressive ten lengths from Run For Cover.

He was previously trained in Germany and finished ninth to Paddy's Return in the 1996 Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Keen gelding is likely to head straight to The Open 2000.

The £20,000 Capel Cure Sharp Novices' Hurdle Race (Grade Two), 2.25pm, Friday November 10

EL GRAN HOMBRE (USA)

4 ch c El Gran Senor - Conquistress (USA) (Conquistador Cielo (USA))

Owner - Stan Clarke

Formerly trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien, for whom he won a one mile, five furlong maiden at Wexford in August 1999.

He has schooled well and is likely to have an outing before The Open 2000.

The £20,000 Capel Cure Sharp Novices' Hurdle Race (Grade Two), 2.25pm, Friday November 10

MINIATURA (IRE)

5 ch g Accordion - Dalana's Pet VII (London Bells)

Owner - J E Brown

An Irish import, who ran with promise in three bumpers at Navan (fourth), Fairyhouse and Leopardstown (third) for Sheena Collins.

He could possibly head straight to The Open 2000.

The £30,000-added Sporting Index Chase, 3m 7f, 3pm, Friday, November 10

MORAL SUPPORT (IRE)

8 ch g Zaffaran (USA) - Marians Pride (Pry)

Owner - Tom Yates

Moral Support, a half-brother to Dorans Pride, has joined Charlie Mann since last season, having been trained previously by Mouse Morris in Ireland.

His two successes to date include a 2m 4f maiden hurdle at Tipperary in March 1997 and a 3m handicap hurdle at Thurles in February this year, where he carried 11st 11lb to victory.

He has a possible alternative target at The Open 2000, the Thomas Pink Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase.

The £10,000-added Countyside Raceday Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, 2m 5f, 4.05pm, Friday, November 10

KASID (IRE)

5 b g Caerleon (USA) - Headrest (Habitat)

Owners - Mr C L Sturgeon and Mrs P A Sturgeon

Kasid is on course for a crack at the Countryside Raceday Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at The Open 2000.

The Caerleon gelding was successful in May, 1999, when taking a juvenile hurdle at Uttoxeter in 1999, and last time out on May 1 finished third in a Fontwell handicap hurdle.

The £15,000-added Courage Best Novices' Chase, 1.50pm, 2m 5f, Saturday, November 11

ROYAL SNOOPY (IRE)
8 b/br g Royal Fountain - Lovely Snoopy (IRE) (Phardante (FR))

Owner - The Dunnkirk Partnership

Had a great time of it last season winning four handicap hurdles at Sandown, Wincanton and Market Rasen (twice).

Will be tackling fences this season and has schooled well.

Finished sixth over hurdles at Market Rasen on October 14 and is likely to have an outing in a novice chase before The Open 2000.

The £80,000 Thomas Pink Gold Cup (Grade Three), 2.55pm, 2m 4 f, Saturday, November 11

CELIBATE (IRE)

9 ch g Shy Groom (USA) - Dance Alone (USA) (Monteverdi)

Owner - The Stamford Bridge Partnership

Celibate is the star of the yard, consistently running well in the highest grade over fences.

His biggest success to date came in the 1999 Grade One BMW Chase at the Punchestown Festival, where he defeated Space Trucker and Direct Route.

He had a warm-up in a handicap hurdle at Southwell on October 7, finishing eighth, and will appear next in the Desert Orchid Chase over 2m 5f at Wincanton on Sunday, prior to a possible crack at the Thomas Pink Gold Cup.

The £50,000 Intervet Trophy Handicap Chase, 3m 3 f, 3.30pm, Saturday, November 11

STORM OF GOLD (IRE)

7 b g Glacial Storm (USA) - Tipperary Tartan (Rarity)

Owner - Stan Clarke

Storm Of Gold, a half-brother to the 1991 Capel Cure Sharp Supreme Novices' Hurdle victor Destriero, was successful last season in a decent novice chase over 3m 1f at Market Rasen in December.

On his only subsequent start, he departed at the second fence in a novice chase at Uttoxeter later in the month

He heads straight to the Open 2000 for the Intervet Trophy.

The £10,000-added Gloucestershire Cricket Treble Novices' Hurdle Race, 2m 5f, 1.10pm, Sunday, November 12

POLAR PEER

6 b g Arctic Lord - Gilzie Bank (New Brig)

Owner - Dodd Fox Hunter

Polar Peer had four outings last season, with his best effort coming when fourth to King Kato in a maiden hurdle at Newbury in March.

He is likely to have an outing somewhere before The Open 2000.

The £25,000-added Independent Novices' Chase, 2m, 2.15pm, Sunday, November 12

VIRTUOSO

ch g Suave Dancer (USA) - Creake (Derring Do)

Owner - Mrs M Devine

Virtuoso got off the mark over fences at Southwell on October 7, defeating Eden Dancer by nine lengths.

The Suave Dancer gelding put up some decent efforts over both hurdles and fences last season, mostly notably when finishing fourth to Blue Royal over hurdles at Ascot and when one and three quarter lengths second to Samakaan in a novice chase at Newbury.

The £50,000 Direct Answers Handicap Hurdle, 2m f , 2.50pm, Sunday, November 12

LAWAHIK

6 b g Lahib (USA) - Lightning Legacy (USA) (Super Concorde (USA))

Owner - Granville J Harper

Lawahik, a winner over hurdles at Haydock and Bangor, will be attempting to improve on his fifth place in the equivalent event last year, where he finished six and three quarter lengths behind Rodock.

That was his last racecourse appearance and he will head straight to The Open 2000.

The £10,000-added Open 2000 Bumper, 2m f, 4.00pm, Sunday, November 12

LADY LUPIN

5 ch m Derrylin - Needwood Fortune (Tycoon II)

Owner - The Lavender Cottage Partnership

Lady Lupin will probably make her racecourse debut in The Open 2000 bumper.

She is a half-sister to the top-class staying hurdler Lady Rebecca, while her sire Derrylin has sired several useful National Hunt performers including Hurricane Lamp, Old Dundalk and Royal Derbi.

THE OPEN 2000

CHELTENHAM
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 10th, 11th & 12th
ORDER OF RUNNING

(Old Course)

CHELTENHAM COUNTRYSIDE DAY
- Friday, November 10th
* 1-15 The Thomas Pink Amateur Riders' Handicap Steeple Chase 3m 1f £10,000
* 1-50 The Mitsubishi Shogun Trophy (A Handicap Steeple Chase) 2m £20,000
* 2-25 The Capel Cure Sharp Novices' Hurdle Race (Grade 2) 2m £20,000
* 3-00 The Sporting Index Steeple Chase (a Cross Country Steeple Chase) 3m 7f £30,000
3-35 The Steel Plate & Sections Novices' Steeple Chase 3m 1f £15,000
4-05 The Countryside Raceday Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle Race 2m 5f £10,000
total £105,000


Second day - Saturday, November 11th
1-15 The Jet UK Three Year Old Novices' Hurdle Race 2m f £10,000
1-50 The Courage Best Novices' Steeple Chase 2m 4 f £15,000
* 2-20 The Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle Race 3m 2f £30,000
* 2.55 The Thomas Pink Gold Cup Handicap Steeple Chase 2m 4 f £80,000
* 3.30 The Intervet Trophy (A Handicap Steeple Chase) 3m3 f £50,000
* 4-05 The sport4cast.com Novices' Handicap Hurdle Race 2m f £10,000
total

£195,000
Third day - Sunday, November 12th
1-10 The Gloucestershire Cricket Treble Novices' Hurdle Race 2m 5f £10,000
* 1-40 The Ladbroke Casinos Handicap Hurdle Race 2m 5f £25,000
* 2.15 The Independent Novices' Steeple Chase (Grade 2) 2m £25,000
* 2-50 The Direct Answers Hurdle Race (Handicap) 2m f £50,000
* 3-25 The Food Brokers Handicap Steeple Chase 2m 4 f £15,000
4-00 The Open Bumper (Standard Open N H Flat Race)
2m f
total £10,000
£135,000


TOTAL ADDED PRIZE MONEY £435,000
An increase of 24.6% increase over the previous year's prize money figure of £349,000
* Televised Races

For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink Archive

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