Monday, March 12, 2007

RACENEWS RACECOURSE SERVICE
THE FESTIVAL
CHELTENHAM, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2007


GOING ON THE EVE OF
THE FESTIVAL -
UPDATE AT 4.30PM

For the first time ever this year, the rails will be moved every day to ensure there is fresh ground available for each day of The Festival.

About two miles of rail will be moved after racing each day.

WILLIE MULLINS DOUBLE-HANDED ON FIRST DAY

Irish trainer Willie Mullins will be double-handed tomorrow courtesy of Ebaziyan in the opening Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2pm) and Jayo in the concluding Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (5.20pm).

Speaking this morning at Prestbury Park while supervising his team, the County Carlow-based handler, who has saddled nine winners at the Cheltenham Festival, was complimentary about the course.

“It looks well and there is a nice bit of grass,” he enthused. “I haven’t yet walked the whole track though.”

Ebaziyan got off the mark at the second time of asking over hurdles, justifying favouritism by a length from Jumeirah Scarer in a maiden event at Thurles on the first day of February.

Mullins, who is chasing a second Supreme victory having taken the £120,000 event with Tourist Attraction in 1995, said: “He didn’t win well - he just won - and he would have to be a lot better than that to be in the first three.

“He does have that chance though because he ran back very quickly after his first run [at Cork on January 21] and was a bit dead.

“I needed to run him at Thurles and hopefully he will improve. The ground will be no problem and neither will the course.”

A victory for Mullins with Jayo in the Fred Winter would be a second Irish success in the two-mile contest, which was taken by Paul Nolan’s Dabiroun in the inaugural running in 2005, when the Festival became a four-day event from three.

Jayo scored on his hurdling bow in a maiden event at Limerick just after Christmas, but was then pulled up at Punchestown before falling at the second last at Fairyhouse last month.

“He pulled a muscle and fell on his next two runs after winning,” explained Mullins.

“With a clear run, he is nicely handicapped and the ground and track should suit.”

The trainer is a specialist in Wednesday’s concluding Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.20pm), having taken the race five times since it was first run in 1992 with Wither Or Which (1996), Florida Pearl the following year, Alexander Banquet (1998), Joe Cullen (2000) and, most recently, Missed That in 2005.

This year Mullins could run Cooldine, Fiveforthree and Mad Fish in a bid to continue the fine record of Irish-trained horses, who have won 11 of the 14 runnings, in this contest.

The last-named, who has been widely touted as the trainer’s best hope, is likely to again come up against Aranleigh, who beat him by five lengths in a bumper at Fairyhouse in January.

“All three are in good form and I haven’t changed my mind that Mad Fish is the one,” said Mullins. “He was on the track this morning and is in good form. He’ll handle the ground alright and it’s drying out all the time.”

Mullins is bringing a team of 14 horses to Cheltenham this year and believes that 12 of them will get a run.

TOM MULLINS HAPPY WITH ASIAN MAZE

Tom Mullins is hoping that he can emulate his father Paddy, who won the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle courtesy of the great mare Dawn Run in 1984, with another member of the fairer sex in Asian Maze in tomorrow’s £360,000 renewal.

The Anshan mare has four Grade 1 hurdles to her name, including the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown in April, but has failed to win in three starts this season, coming home 17 lengths adrift of dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in January on her last outing.

Mullins said: “Asian Maze is in good form and travelled over well - she’s as good as I can have her.

“She’s a stronger mare this year and that might be to her advantage. If she is happy in the first half a mile, I would say that she will go well, but if the pace is too hot for her, she might find it difficult.”

All five of the eight-year-old’s Graded race victories have come over a trip of two and a half miles or further and Mullins is considering running his charge in Thursday’s feature Ladbrokes World Hurdle as well.

“She’ll be declared for the World Hurdle tomorrow and her participation will depend how she is after running in the Champion.”

Mullins also intends running ante-post favourite New Field in Wednesday’s Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle and Chelsea Harbour in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase on the same day.

The former finished third in the Pierse Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown in January before coming seventh behind Heathcote in the totesport Trophy at Newbury last month.

“New Field is good and travelled over well as well. All of his work has been good and he was close up at Newbury.

“I was pleased with him there as he didn’t get the run of the race and I’m hoping for better luck. The plan that day was to be mid-division or better, but he was unlucky early on when they went very fast and he was too far back with too much ground to make up.

“The ground is perfect for him, although I’m hoping he’ll be suited by the stiff Cheltenham hill but I am not sure.”

Chelsea Harbour was successful in the three-mile Grade 2 Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase at Naas by five and a half lengths to O’Muircheartaigh, but could then only finish fourth in the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown in February.

“He won well at Naas, but then we did the wrong thing in his last race over 2m 5f when we should have pressed the pace but didn’t. The race wasn’t run to suit and he’s back to three miles and we’re hoping that he will be back to his best.

“The ground will be fine and I think that he goes on anything. He would be up with the best that I’ve trained but I’ve only been training three years.

“My best chance of the week would be Asian Maze.”


TONY MULLINS KEEN ON ARANLEIGH

Tony Mullins has issued an upbeat bulletin on Aranleigh, who is vying for favouritism with compatriot Cork All Star, in Wednesday’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

The Insan gelding created a huge impression when beating Mad Fish, who is highly regarded by Mullins’s brother and fellow trainer Willie, by five lengths on his racecourse debut at Fairyhouse in January - a victory that prompted legendary Irish owner and gambler, J P McManus, to purchase him from previous owner Sean Murphy.

“Aranleigh is fine and travelled well over from Ireland - he’s eaten and drunk plenty. He’s not exercised in Cheltenham yet, but he’s done plenty of exercise in the last few months!” said the County Kilkenny-based handler.

“He’ll be ridden out in the morning, possibly by Tony McCoy, but if not by myself. I think that, for once, I have come here with absolutely no interference - nothing has gone wrong and if he gets beaten, it will be because he’s not good enough.

“The ground is not a factor - he’s won on heavy and I think that he’ll handle good ground although he’s not run on it. My only worry was firm ground as he’s a big horse, a full 17 hands.

“Not many others in the Fairyhouse race have run since and it’s hard to get a full line. The time looked to be exceptional in that ground and both Willie and I want to win the race. He wants to retain his crown [having won the race already five times].

“JP bought Aranleigh and both Willie and I think a lot of our horses. McCoy will ride ours and then we’ll make a decision as to whether he’ll go hurdling or chasing, but nothing is set in stone. We’ll get the Champion Bumper out of the way and then see what we have.

“He’s related to Gala’s Image, who won the Irish Independent Arkle Chase in 1987 when Richard Linley rode him and put his shoulder out at the third last and still won.

“So Cheltenham is in his pedigree and every horse that we think is great we aim at Cheltenham.”

Mullins is also targeting the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle on Friday with Pedrobob, who was a creditable third to Heathcote on his last start in the totesport Trophy at Newbury last month.

“He is pretty exposed and we’ve got nothing up our sleeve, but he has nearly the strongest form going into the race,” said Mullins.

“You can look it up in the formbook but I think that he is in as good a form as when he ran at Newbury and it’s fingers crossed as that was a good solid performance.

“Earlier in the season he beat Beef Or Salmon in a conditions hurdle and he has got a good solid chance. He’s no secret weapon and his form is what he is.”

Pedrobob is owned by Barry Connell, who in his other capacity as an amateur rider partnered Mullins’s The Posh Paddy to success in a bumper here in November, 2003.

Mullins added: “That was a great day for a 7lb amateur to beat Richard Johnson up the hill! Aranleigh is a considerably better horse than The Posh Paddy potentially, although he has not done it on the track yet, but his homework would suggest that he is. From what he has shown, Aranleigh is a much better horse and I think that he is very good.”


BREEDER LOOKING TO COMPLETE HAT-TRICK

Breeder Michael Morrissey is hopeful that either Black Jack Ketchum or Fota Island, who respectively won the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle last year and the 2005 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase, can provide him and his father Edward Morrissey with a hat-trick of victories at successive Festivals with progeny that they have produced.

The former, trained by Jonjo O’Neill for Gay Smith, is favourite for Thursday’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle and connections are delighted with the continuing drying weather.

The trainer had suggested that the eight-year-old would not run on heavy ground, but he is looking an increasingly likely contestant.

Morrissey jr. said: “I think that Black Jack will repeat and I see no reason why he won’t turn up.

“At the third last fence, there are some softer bits but the ground has definitely improved since the January Meeting.”

It was at that meeting that the Oscar gelding suffered his first reversal in nine outings on unsuitable heavy going.

“I spoke to Tony McCoy after he had won on Wichita Lineman that day and he said that they were sinking in places on the far side.

“Everybody knocked the horse after that defeat but he won eight on the trot and you don’t become a bad horse overnight. If it keeps drying out that’s ideal and this race has always been his target. He’s a speed horse and he’ll come there on the bridle if it is proper ground.”

Fota Island found only Newmill too powerful in last season’s Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and was also the bridesmaid in Grade 1 races at Aintree and Punchestown.

“He is a spring horse who prefers better ground and runs in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday,” continued Morrissey.

“Two miles five furlongs is his ideal trip now he’s getting on and is 11 years old, although it looks one of the most competitive races of the meeting. He’s been a good servant who has been knocking on the door and maybe he has not got the recognition that he deserves.

“Remember very few horses win handicaps at Cheltenham and Aintree and he did in 2005.”

Morrissey, who is known as ‘the Guru’ in some quarters and hails from County Kilkenny, bred the two horses with his 81-year-old father, who has been making his annual pilgrimage to the Festival since the sixties and received the small breeder award at the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in February.

Morrissey junior thinks that Aran Concerto will be many people’s idea of the Irish banker in Wednesday’s Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle, but he is immensely keen on Whyso Mayo to follow up his victory in last year’s Christie’s Foxhunter Chase.

“He has been primed by a guy who is very shrewd in Raymond Hurley, who was involved in Imperial Call’s success in the 1996 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup,” he explained.

“If he was trained in England, I think that he would be even money and he’s a bit like some of those English horses that have run in the race that have been different class.

“The horse was very impressive at Punchestown after last year’s Festival and I think that he is different class.

“If the Irish can get six winners this year, they will be doing well.”


HUGHES HAPPY WITH HARDY

Dessie Hughes is “very happy” on the eve of Hardy Eustace’s bid to become the sixth horse to win the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle three times.

The 10-year-old won the race in 2004 and 2005 before finding Brave Inca, who reopposes tomorrow, too powerful last year.

The trainer said: “The horse is great and he travelled well. It’s a good race this year, but he is as good as I ever can have him.

“I think that the main danger is Detroit City, who beat us here before, but our fellow beat the others on his last run in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

“That was straightforward, but he has to be as good on the day.”



BRASSIL PLEASED WITH NICKNAME

Grand National winning trainer Martin Brassil is looking forward to saddling Nickname in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday.

Nickname, a 9/2 shot with totesport for the two-mile championship, has landed five out of six races this term including his last four starts.

Brassil’s charge captured the Grade One Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown in December and booked his Cheltenham ticket with an easy 12-length defeat of Gemini Lucy in the Grade Two paddypowerpoker.com Newlands Chase at Naas on February 24.

The Claudia Jungo-Corpataux-owned gelding is unsuited by quick conditions and with the ground currently rated soft, good to soft in places, connections are hoping for a drop of rain to help his cause.

Brassil revealed: “The ground is dead with some soft patches. As we stand here now, I’d say he’s definitely going to run unless there’s a dramatic change but some rain would be helpful.”

Nickname’s horsebox pulled into Cheltenham racecourse at around 5am this morning and the eight-year-old is reported in fine fettle for his first start in Britain, having arrived at Brassil’s County Kildare yard in 2005 after establishing himself as a top-class performer in his native France.

Brassil revealed: “It’s his first time away for us and he’s taking it great. He’s a grand sort of horse.”

Nickname is Brassil’s second Festival runner - the trainer’s only previous foray to Prestbury Park in March resulted in Miss Roberto finishing 22nd in the 1997 JCB Triumph Hurdle won by Commanche Court.

12 BID FOR TWO-MILE GLORY

A dozen runners have been declared for Wednesday’s feature £310,000 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase including last year’s runaway winner Newmill, star of John Murphy’s Co Cork stable.

The nine-year-old coasted home nine lengths clear of Fota Island with Mister McGoldrick - who reopposes having joined Carl Llewellyn this season - a further length and a half back in third.

Newmill finished eight lengths clear of Macs Joy when returned to the smaller obstacles for the Grade Two Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park on February 17.

But it is Well Chief - trained by David Pipe for David Johnson - who looks set to start favourite on Wednesday. The German-bred finished two-lengths second to Moscow Flyer in the 2005 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and went on to land the Grade Two Celebration Chase at Sandown a month later.

He was then off the track until February this year but returned in fantastic style when landing the Grade Two Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on February 10 by 11 lengths from Ashley Brook - himself a 20-length winner of the Michael Doocey Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 27 after a long lay-off.

Voy Por Ustedes, trained by Alan King for Sir Robert Ogden, was one of last season’s best novice chasers, counting The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Chase among his victories, and has continued to progress this year.

Far from disgraced when finishing seven lengths behind Kauto Star in the Grade One William Hill Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on his seasonal return in December, he went on to land the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton on December 27 by five lengths from Oneway. He was travelling well when unseating jockey Robert Thornton in the Game Spirit Chase.

Soft ground specialist Nickname - a top-class performer in France - had done little wrong since joining Martin Brassill’s Curragh stable in 2005 and has won his last four starts this season, most recently when beating Irish Independent Arkle Chase hope Gemini Lucy by 12 lengths in the Grade Two paddypower.com Newlands Chase on heavy ground at Naas on February 25.

Dempsey, trained by Carl Llewellyn, is another to have scored on his most recent start, having landed a Sandown handicap chase under top weight by five lengths last month.

Justified, who finished 15 lengths second to Nickname in a Grade Two chase at Fairyhouse on January 21, will be partnered by champion jockey Tony McCoy while the Noel Chance-trained River City will have to step up on his two jumping starts this year to feature.

Similarly the two French-chased challengers - Marble Garden and Sybellius D’Artaix - who both ran in claiming company last time will need to step up their recent form for trainer Richard Chotard and owner Fergus Wilson.



DETROIT BIDS FOR MASSIVE BONUS

Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle favourite Detroit City is set to land a huge £200,000 bonus if successful in tomorrow’s feature event.

The grey was successful in the £200,000 Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham on December 9 and so qualifies for the new bonus. Boylesports sponsored Cheltenham’s December meeting for the first time this year and it has been transformed into one of the season’s biggest events, with prize money up 60 per cent on the 2005 total.

Indeed - taking into account the prize money from the Boylesports International and Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle - Detroit City will amass more than £½ million if scoring in the two races.

The £200,000 bonus will be split with £180,000 going to owner Terry Warner, £10,000 to trainer Philip Hobbs and another £10,000 to the staff at Hobbs’ yard.

FESTIVAL FACTS & MILESTONES*

A field of 11 has been declared for tomorrow’s highlight, the £360,000 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle. This is the smallest field since Sea Pigeon beat eight rivals in 1980 but includes the winners of the last three renewals (Hardy Eustace 2004 & 2005, Brave Inca 2006) as well as last year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle victor Detroit City, who is unbeaten in three starts at Cheltenham.

* If successful, Detroit City would be the fifth grey to land the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle following Rooster Booster (2003), Kribensis (1990), Victor Norman (1936) and Our Hope (1938).

* Asian Maze is bidding to become only the third mare to be successful in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle following Dawn Run (1984) and Flakey Dove (1994).

* Hardy Eustace would become the sixth horse to win three Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdles if he wins tomorrow, although all the previous triple winners completed the feat in successive years. Comedy Of Error (1973 and 1975) is the only horse to date to regain the hurdling championship.

* Last year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle victor Detroit City is aiming to become the first horse since See You Then (1984 and 1985) to land the four-year-old hurdling championship and progress to take the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle the following season.

* A dozen horses have been declared for Wednesday’s highlight, the £310,00 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. This is just one below the record field of 13 in 1999 and equal that in 2002 and 2006.

* The 2006 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase victor Newmill will be bidding to become the 10th dual victor in the two-mile championship following Fortria (1960 and 1961), Drinny’s Double (1967 and 1968), Royal Relief (1972 and 1974), Skymas (1976 and 1977), Hilly Way (1978 and 1979), Pearlyman (1987 and 1988), Barnbrook Again (1989 and 1990), Viking Flagship (1994 and 1995) and Moscow Flyer (2003 and 2005). There has also been one triple winner - Badsworth Boy (1983, 1984 and 1985).

* Voy Por Ustedes, successful in the 2006 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy, would follow in the footsteps of previous Arkle winners Azertyuiop (2004), Moscow Flyer (2003 and 2005), Flagship Uberalles (2002), Klairon Davis (1996) and Remittance Man (1992) if he were to go on to victory in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase.

TRAINERS & JOCKEYS -
POSSIBLE MILESTONES

* Tony McCoy with 18 successes is currently third on the all-time list for winning jockeys at The Festival, just one winner behind Fred Rees but still seven adrift of the overall leader, Pat Taaffe.

* Nicky Henderson is the most successful current trainer at The Festival with 31 wins. He is third on the overall list behind the now-retired Martin Pipe (34 wins) and the late Fulke Walwyn (40 wins).

* Ireland’s most successful current trainer is Edward O’Grady, who has 18 winners to his name, nine clear of his nearest rival Willie Mullins. The late Tom Dreaper is the most successful Irish trainer at The Festival, with 26 wins followed by Vincent O’Brien on 23 victories.

* The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle/totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup double has been won 11 times in the past by jockeys, most recently Tony McCoy in 1997 on Make A Stand and Mr Mulligan. This year, Ruby Walsh looks to hold a strong hand in both races as he is set to partner Brave Inca tomorrow and Kauto Star on Friday. Similarly, Tony McCoy has a realistic chance in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on Tuesday with Straw Bear while he will partner course specialist Exotic Dancer in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

* Trainers seeking their first Festival winner: David Pipe, Paul Webber, Eamonn Sheehy, Niall “Boots” Madden, Charles Byrnes, Nick Gifford, Tom Mullins, Tony Mullins, Keith Reveley, Sue Smith, Peter Bowen, Charlie Mann, Carl Llewellyn, Philip Fenton, Thierry Doumen, Kevin Bishop, Donald McCain Jnr and Eoin Griffin.

* Jockeys seeking their first Festival winner: Tom Doyle, Tony Evans, Tom Messenger, Philip Carberry, Andrew Glassonbury, Leighton Aspell, Sam Thomas, Niall “Slippers” Madden, Tom O’Brien, Daryl Jacob and Wayne Hutchinson.

LATEST BETTING NEWS

The 2007 Festival is expected to be the biggest yet in terms of betting turnover with Coral predicting that £500 million will be wagered over the next four days.

Coral representative David Stevens reports significant liabilities on Detroit City in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle tomorrow, Aran Concerto in Wednesday’s Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle and Kauto Star in the totesport Gold Cup on Friday.

He revealed: “We already expect to lose in the region of half a million pounds if Detroit City wins but it’s difficult to gauge an accurate figure as he will continue to be incredibly popular with punters tomorrow. He’s broken the mould and people see him as the new Rooster Booster.”

“He’s a 9/4 shot and we really want to see him beaten. We’ll certainly know our fate for the rest of the week after race three tomorrow!

“Aran Concerto has been a real steamer. He was a 20/1 shot last autumn but has been backed at all prices down to 9/4. If Detroit City is the British banker then Aran Concerto is the Irish banker. If they both lose then we wouldn’t mind if Kauto Star were to win the Gold Cup!”

Coral has also seen considerable money for Gaspara ahead of the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle on Friday.

The four-year-old filly was backed down to 7/2 with the firm in the immediate aftermath of her success in the Sunderland’s Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday and the Pipe/McCoy factor has seen her shorten to 7/2 today.

The Willie Mullins-trained Mister Hight is a significant market mover with Ladbrokes ahead of Wednesday’s Grade Three Coral Cup. The five-year-old, eighth to Detroit City in the JCB Triumph Hurdle in 2006, has been supported into 10/1 from 14/1.

The same firm has also seen interest in the Nicky Henderson-trained Copsale Lad who has also shortened from 14/1 into 10/1.

Today’s big mover ahead of Thursday’s Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle is the Francois Doumen-trained Kasbah Bliss, with the sponsor going 9/1 from 10/1.

Ben Clarke representing William Hill reports significant support for the Nicky Henderson-trained Amaretto Rose in the Festival curtain-raiser, the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

He revealed: “Amaretto Rose is now 2/1 from 3/1. Having been backed down from 20/1, she is one of our three biggest liabilities along with Detroit City - who would be a very big loser for us - and Kauto Star whom we laid at 10/1 and is now 13/8 favourite.

William Hill has also seen a major move for Opera Mundi in the Racing Post Plate on Thursday. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding shortened to 7/2 from 4/1 this morning having been available at 20/1 last week, while Far From Trouble, owned by legendary gambler J P McManus, has been backed into 6/1 from 8/1 for the same contest.

William Hill has also shortened Burntoakboy to 8/1 favourite from 12/1 for the Coral Cup on Wednesday, while Wichita Lineman is 7/4 from 2/1 for Friday’s Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle and there has been a small move for Monet’s Garden into 11/4 from 3/1 for the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.



totepool - The Festival, 2007

totejackpot
Pick the winner of all 6 races
* £100,000 guaranteed minimum pool each day
* Paid £35,500 to £1 on Champion Hurdle Day last year
* Big Rollovers likely throughout the week

toteplacepot
Pick 6 placed horses (races 1-6)
* Pools of over £750,000 expected each day
* Average dividend £1,821 to a £1 stake at the 2006 festival

totequadpot
Pick 4 placed horses (races 3-6)
* Pools of over £35,000 expected each day
* Average dividend £345 to a £1 stake at the 2006 festival

totewin
Pick the winner of the race
* A £10 totewin on all winners at the 2006 festival paid £573 more than Starting Price
* Totewin paid £61.90 v £41.00 on the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle

toteplace
Pick a horse to be placed
* The only way to bet place only at the festival
* A £10 toteplace paid £19 more than the bookies on last year's Christie’s Foxhunter Chase

toteexacta
Pick 1st & 2nd in the correct order
* Toteexacta beat straight forecast in 21 out of 24 races at the 2006 Festival
* A £10 bet paid £1,313 on the 2006 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase

totetrifecta
Pick 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the correct order
* £10,000 guaranteed pool on a selected race daily
* Paid a massive £8,258 to a £1 stake on the 2006 champion chase


CHELTENHAM’S £150-MILLION DAILY GAMBLE SAYS TOTESPORT

Punters will bet a staggering £150 million a day over four days at this week's Cheltenham Festival according to totesport, with bookmakers praying the testing going will swing results their way.

Totesport spokesman Damian Walker said: “The battle between the bookmakers and punters is at its fiercest during the four days at Cheltenham in March.

“The bookies have painful memories of the 2003 Festival when a freakish run of results saw half the races won by favourites and the share prices of bookmakers fall.

“But with Cheltenham having five times their normal winter rainfall, bookmaking firms may feel they have a chance of keeping a nice share of the £600 million as soft ground can throw the form book out of the window.”

The fate of a handful of short-priced favourites - such as 6-4 shot Kauto Star in the feature race, the totesport Gold Cup - will determine whether it is the punters or the bookies that are smiling come Friday night.

The 220 or so on course bookmakers expect to take a cool £1 million a race, plus the tote's course outlets will enjoy turnover of more than £11 million over the four days.

Walker added: “The tote had a record-breaking year at the 2006 meeting with a 5.6% increase on the previous year. We hope to continue that trend this time.”

Anticipation of the four days at Cheltenham is nowhere greater than in Ireland but the signs are they may fail to get close to last year's record total of 11 winners. Totesport make seven and eight Irish winners the 4-1 joint favourites.

Almost 250,000 pints of Guinness will be drunk by racegoers at the track over the four days

Grand National-winning jockey Ruby Walsh is 6-4 favourite with totesport to be crowned top Festival jockey.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is 11-10 to be top trainer at the meeting and saddles Kauto Star, the red-hot favourite for the week's showpiece event, the totesport Gold Cup.

Over 230,000 people will attend the four days at the Gloucestershire track

In 1990 the totesport Gold Cup was won by Norton's Coin - at 100-1 he is the biggest-priced winner in the history of Cheltenham Festival's feature race


TOTESPORT CHELTENHAM SPECIALS

Top Cheltenham Festival Jockey
6-4 R Walsh, 5-2 A McCoy, 11-2 R Johnson, R Thornton, 10 M Fitzgerald, T Murphy, 12 B Geraghty, 33 P Brennan, 40 S Thomas, 50 C O'Dwyer, N Fehily, G Lee, 66 A Dobbin

Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer
11-10 P Nicholls, 5 J O'Neill, 6 D Pipe, 13-2 P Hobbs, N Henderson, 7 A King, 25 W Mullins, 33 N Meade, 40 H Johnson, Miss V Williams, 66 Mrs J Harrington, Miss H Knight, C Llewellyn, M O'Brien, N Twiston-Davies

Number of Irish-trained winners at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival?
Three or less - 12/1, Four - 10/1, Five - 7/1, Six - 9-2, Seven - 4/1jf, Eight - 4-1jf, Nine - 9-2, Ten or more - 5-1
Win Only

Number of Paul Nicholls-trained winners at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival?
None - 10/1, One - 4/1, Two - 11-4, Three - 11/4, Four - 4/1, Five or more 7-1
Win Only

QUICKER AT THE TOTE

The tote has launched a new centralised will pay system that provides totepool information faster than current betting shop board prices.

The new system was trialled in February and has already seen will pay information updated every 12 seconds compared to up to two minutes under the old system. The updates will now be in real time, where in the past there was a time lag, so this improvement provides a more accurate representation of the pool when will pays are displayed.

David Craven, totepool Managing Director said: ”We hope this new system will revolutionise totepool betting as the will pay information will be more up to date than board prices in betting shops. One of the criticisms of the totepool will pays in the past is that they were not updated quickly enough and punters often found that the dividend was far removed from a will pay displayed just before the off.

“We are also producing final will pays within 15 seconds of the "race off" when under the old system dividends were not declared until after the race. The centralised will pays provides the foundation for a large programme of work which we are undertaking around the centralisation of pool bets and dividends.”

In the past, will pays have been generated on multiple racecourse systems and the information was then published to the other systems. With the new central will pay system, the information is now generated centrally for all pools from the data centre in Wigan, resulting in faster and more accurate will pays. The new central will pay system is a significant step forward for the tote as it encompasses leading edge technologies and design practices.

The system has been implemented using a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) in conjunction with an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) for routing of messages.

Tote hoping to build on record 2006 Festival

The tote is looking to build on a record-breaking performance at the 2006 Festival with another strong set of figures this week.

Cheltenham 2006 was a memorable one for the tote's pool-betting operation which saw on-course turnover touch nearly £11 million - an increase of 5.63% on 2005.

In 2006, the biggest increase came on totesport Gold Cup Day, with an 11% rise to £3,518,334.

David Craven, totepool Managing Director, said: "We're hoping to build on last year's figures and repeat the successful formula that saw our partnership with Cheltenham racecourse pay dividends.

"We've never been better prepared for a Cheltenham Festival and are geared up for a strong marketing campaign together with a stack of new initiatives, plus for the first time the whole William Hill shop estate will be adding to our already sizeable pools."

The 2006 Festival produced record Cheltenham pools for the placepot and quadpot on Gold Cup Day, with the former taking a huge £664,183 and the bet continues to grow in popularity.

And a Tote Jackpot punter at Cheltenham racecourse could drive his or her winnings home in a brand new Mercedes Sport if they are the sole winner of the bet to a £1 stake*.

*The totejackpot must be won outright with a single ticket to a minimum of £1 unit stake. The bet must be placed at a totepool betting point on course at Cheltenham Racecourse. Straight lines and permutations are accepted, but only one car will be awarded for a multiple winning ticket.

Bet receipts must be retained for proof of purchase. All other normal totejackpot rules apply

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