Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A WEEK UNTIL THE FESTIVAL!

The action gets underway at 1.30pm on Tuesday, March 16, and runs through to Friday, March 19, totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup day, when the thrilling climax is Kauto Star versus Denman in a fascinating decider to the feature race.

Cheltenham in March is the focal point for all those interested in the very finest Jump racing, while millions more in Britain, Ireland and much further afield will keep up to date with the latest news by watching television, listening to the radio or logging on to the internet, especially www.cheltenham.co.uk

Below are facts and figures about The Festival, information on bonuses, the stars from the past who will be parading, the latest order of running for the four-day spectacular, with the field sizes and declaration times, plus background information about the historic Denman/Kauto Star clash.

For further information, please contact Andy Clifton, Cheltenham Racecourse’s Communications Manager, on 01242 513 014, 07876 330090 (mobile) or by e-mail at andy.clifton@jockeyclubracecourses.com

THE FESTIVAL - FACTS AND FIGURES

1. Gate receipts
Well over 200,000 spectators attend the four days of The Festival. With ticket prices ranging from £20 to £75, the estimated gate receipts will total around £7m.

Admission will be available on the day at the course on the first three days of the 2010 Festival - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 16, 17 & 18. Friday, March 19 - totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup day - has sold out in the Best Mate & Tattersalls Enclosures, with the remaining badges for the Club Enclosure due to be snapped up before the day.

2. Betting
The Festival is a massively important betting event, and one that can fundamentally affect the annual profits of bookmakers. Indeed, so important is the Cheltenham Festival that in 2003 when favourites won half of the races at the meeting, The Festival was blamed by the major bookmaking firms for significantly lower than expected profits that year. Through their 8,500 betting shops, telephone betting and online operations, Britain’s bookmakers put a great emphasis on the 26 races that comprise the Festival.

This year, something approaching £600m (over half a billion pounds) will be staked on the outcome of those 26 events. The Festival will also account for around 10 per cent of the Tote’s annual on-course pool betting turnover (not bad for four days’ racing out of a fixture list consisting of well over 1,000 meetings), while at least £1 million pounds changes hands on every race in the betting ring at the racecourse, with over 250 bookmakers in attendance for each day of The Festival.

3. Catering
Racecourse caterers Letheby & Christopher will serve some 20,000 bottles of champagne, 30,000 bottles of wine, 240,000 bottles of beer & lager, and 220,000 pints of Ireland’s national drink, Guinness, as well as 10,000 gallons of tea and coffee. Whilst around 12,000 people each day will sit down to three or four-course lunches in the various restaurants and hospitality areas, the remainder of the crowd will eat into a pile of burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches that if laid end to end, would stretch almost three miles!

4. Transport
When over 65,000 people converge on Cheltenham, as they will on totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup day, they will come in every form of transport you can imagine.

Race sponsor (and official airline to The Festival) Ryanair bring a vast throng of racegoers from Ireland, staging up to 20 additional flights to their normal schedule to Birmingham, Bristol and East Midlands.

Train operators Cross Country Trains, First Great Western and Virgin Trains all run additional services throughout the week. And Cheltenham’s very own steam railway brings several hundred spectators each day the eight miles from its station at nearby Toddington. On a local level, taxi firms do significantly more business in Festival week than in any other week of the year.

Typically, 30,000 cars, 2,000 coaches and 50 stretch limos bring people to the races and typically there will be up to 650 helicopter landings at the course during the meeting, making it the busiest temporary airfield anywhere in the country - and that includes Silverstone on British Grand Prix day.
Last, but by no means least, many people staying in town just walk to the racecourse - the best way to beat the traffic.

5. Cash
The racecourse is a place where a great deal of cash changes hands, whether in bars, the betting ring or with the Tote. Except via Tote vouchers that can be purchased on the day, no bookmaker will accept a debit card on the racecourse, so best to come with banknotes. In 2009, almost £1.2m was drawn from the 20 cashpoints around the site - refilling pockets, handbags and wallets before returning to the battle against the bookies.

6. Staying in Cheltenham
Cheltenham Tourism estimates that around 10,000 beds each night are filled during Festival week, ranging from four-star accommodation to local B & Bs. And night clubs and bars around Cheltenham all benefit from the uplift in the numbers in Cheltenham. Gloucestershire Tourism put the value of The Festival to the wider local economy at £50 million.

7. Shopping
Being at The Festival is not just about the racing. There are 80 stands selling everything from wellies to wine, silverware to Spanish property and books to binoculars. You could even treat yourself to a hand-made rocking horse. With hundreds of thousands of pounds sure to be changing hands at The Festival 2010, this is a four-day micro-economy in its own right at the Racecourse.

8. The totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy
A new totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup is minted each year. There is 10 ounces of gold in the trophy, which will make it worth around £8,500 in 2010.

9. Sponsorship/Race Values
Prize money at this year’s Festival is almost £3.5m, an amazing average of £131,154 per race. Around half of that total comes from our race sponsors.

Value of major races 2010

totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup £475,000
Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle £370,000
Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase £320,000
Ladbrokes World Hurdle £260,000
Ryanair Chase £250,000
BONUSES AT THE FESTIVAL

BOYLESPORTS

£200,000 bonus payment for the horse winning both the Boylesports.com International and the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in the same season. If won, this will be split £180,000 for the owner, £10,000 for the trainer and £10,000 for the successful yard’s stable staff. Khyber Kim, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, won the Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham in December and is a leading contender for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

PADDY POWER

£75,000 for the horse that wins the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown Park on Saturday, March 13, and goes on to win any race at The Festival. Olympian managed this in 1993, taking the Coral Cup at The Festival, while Blowing Wind in 1998 captured the Imperial Cup and the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle at The Festival. Gaspara took the Sandown handicap in 2007 and the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham the following week to become the latest horse to win the bonus, which until 2008 was offered by the Imperial Cup’s previous sponsor Sunderlands.

PLUMPTON

£60,000 for any horse that wins one of five selected novice or beginners’ chases at Plumpton and goes on to win any chase at The Festival. Bensalem, Kind Edmund, Nomecheki and Mobaasher are all potential winners of this bonus, which is sponsored by SIS. Voy Por Ustedes collected the bonus in 2006.

WBX.COM

£1 million for the horse that wins the WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November, the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in December and the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at The Festival. Last year’s Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor Go Native, trained in Ireland by Noel Meade and owned by the Docado Syndicate, is eligible for this bonus in 2010, having landed the Newcastle and Kempton contests. The bonus will be split with £700,000 going to the owner, £150,000 to the trainer, £100,000 to the groom and £50,000 to the stable staff.

THE FESTIVAL 2010


Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, March 16 to 19, 2010



Tuesday, March 16 (Old Course)
Time Race Distance Prize Money Max Field Decs
1.30pm Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 110yds £100,000 24 24 hour
2.05pm The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase (Grade One) 2m £150,000 20 24 hour
2.40pm William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade Three) 3m 110yds £80,000 24 24 hour
3.20pm Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade One) 2m 110yds £370,000 28 48 hour
4.00pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase (Handicap) 3m 7f £45,000 16 24 hour
4.40pm David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle (Grade Two) 2m 4f £90,000 24 24 hour



Wednesday, March 17 (Old Course)
Time Race Distance Prize Money Max Field Decs
1.30pm 140th Year of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup (Amateurs) 4m £75,000 20 24 hour
2.05pm Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 2m 5f £100,000 24 24 hour
2.40pm RSA Chase (Grade One) 3m 110yds £150,000 20 24 hour
3.20pm Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade One) 2m £320,000 24 48 hour
4.00pm Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m 5f £75,000 28 24 hour
4.40pm Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m 110yds £75,000 24 24 hour
5.15pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade One) 2m 110yds £60,000 24 24 hour



Thursday, March 18 (New Course)
Time Race Distance Prize Money Max Field Decs
1.30pm Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase (Listed Race) 2m 5f £80,000 20 24 hour
2.05pm Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle (Listed Race) 3m £75,000 24 24 hour
2.40pm Ryanair Chase (Grade One) 2m 5f £250,000 24 48 hour
3.20pm Ladbrokes World Hurdle (Grade One) 3m £260,000 24 48 hour
4.00pm Byrne Group Plate Handicap Chase (Grade Three) 2m 5f £80,000 24 24 hour
4.40pm Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Amateurs) 3m 1f 110yds £55,000 24 24 hour



Friday, March 19 (New Course)
Time Race Distance Prize Money Max Field Decs
1.30pm JCB Triumph Hurdle Race (Grade One) 2m 1f £100,000 24 24 hour
2.05pm Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m 1f £75,000 28 24 hour
2.40pm Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 3m £100,000 20 24 hour
3.20pm totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup (Chase) (Grade One) 3m 2f 110yds £475,000 24 48 hour
4.00pm Christie’s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup (Amateurs) 3m 2f 110yds £40,000 24 24 hour
4.40pm Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 110yds £50,000 24 24 hour
5.15pm Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (Handicap) (Grade Three) 2m 110yds £80,000 24 24 hour

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY IN 2010 OF £3,410,000
(An average of £131,154 per race)

EQUINE HEROES ON PARADE AT THIS YEAR’S CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL


An impressive line-up of ex-racehorses is due to parade at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, March 16. Organised by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) in liaison with Cheltenham Racecourse, the parade will be held in the Parade Ring before the first race.

Ten horses are likely to parade, who between them won 16 races at The Festival. They include two totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Kicking King, who last year finished second in a RoR/Tattersalls Show Series class to qualify for the final at Hickstead later this year, and Master Oats, who now enjoys hunting and hacking.

Other Cheltenham heroes due to line-up include Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and Spinal Research Supreme Novice’s Hurdle winner Brave Inca, and Moscow Flyer, winner of The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy and Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, both of whom are also doing well in the show ring.

Another Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner, Make A Stand, will return to Cheltenham for the day taking a break from his new life hunting and show jumping.

Di Arbuthnot, RoR director of operations, said: “We are delighted to have such an impressive line-up of former racehorses parading at this most prestigious race meeting, all of whom show that ex-racehorses can enjoy a long and successful second career after racing.”

Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is British Horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing. For more information, please visit www.ror.org.uk

The horses due to parade are listed below, although the exact line-up is subject to change.

BRAVE INCA - Champion Hurdle winner now showing
BLOWING WIND - Cheltenham Festival winner now hunting and show jumping
EARTHMOVER - Christie’s Foxhunter winner now team chasing
HUSSARD COLLONGES - Royal & Sun Alliance Chase winner now showing
KICKING KING - Cheltenham Gold Cup winner now showing
MAKE A STAND - Champion Hurdle winner now hunting and show jumping
MASTER OATS - Cheltenham Gold Cup winner now hunting and hacking
MOSCOW FLYER - Arkle Challenge Trophy and Queen Mother Champion Chase winner now showing
ROYAL PREDICA - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup winner now showing
STORMYFAIRWEATHER - Cathcart Challenge Cup winner now hunting

DENMAN (IRE) FACTFILE
10 ch g Presenting - Polly Puttens (Pollerton)
Form: 11112/11111/1111/22F-1U Owners: Paul Barber & Margaret Findlay Breeder: Colman O'Flynn
Born on April 17, 2000, Denman was bred by haulage contractor Colman O’Flynn at his farm close to Fermoy in Co Cork, Ireland, after a liaison between his mare Polly Puttens and the stallion Presenting at the neighbouring Rathbarry Stud. Denman was due to be sold at the 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale but was spun for his wind and immediately afterwards had a hobday operation.

He went into training with former jockey Adrian Maguire in Ireland and won his only point-to-point start at Liscarroll on March 20, 2005. Owner Paul Barber and trainer Paul Nicholls were impressed and bought the gelding privately, reportedly for £82,000, and he has never finished out of the first two in 17 completed starts.

His debut season in Britain produced four straight wins, scoring in novice hurdles at Wincanton in October and November, 2005, and landing the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Cheltenham in January, 2006, as well as collecting a minor event at Bangor the following month. His only defeat that season came when second in the 2006 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

His novice chasing career began at Exeter in October, 2006, with an easy victory over 2005 JCB Triumph Hurdle victor Penzance and was followed by a three quarters of a length verdict over Don't Push It in the Jim Brown Memorial Novices' Chase at Cheltenham the following month.

Denman comfortably saw off three rivals to land the Grade Two Berkshire Novices' Chase at Newbury in December and returned to the course for a facile success in a three-mile event in February, 2007. He extended his winning sequence to five with an emphatic success at The Festival in the 2007 RSA Chase, slamming Snowy Morning by 10 lengths

Nicknamed ‘The Tank’, he began the 2007/08 season in December with a foot-perfect display to win the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury under top-weight, ridden by Sam Thomas, and then travelled to Ireland for the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown later that month, when he proved too good for rivals Mossbank, The Listener and Beef Or Salmon.

He returned to Newbury in February, 2008, easily accounting for three rivals in the Grade Two Aon Chase. The 2008 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup was billed as a match between Denman and his stable companion, the reigning champion Kauto Star. Denman was an awesome sight as he took up the running a long way from home and powered clear of his rival for a seven-length success.

Denman missed the first half of the 2008/09 season after being treated for a fibrillating heart and made his belated comeback at Kempton on February 17 when - sent off at 8/11 - he trailed in 23 lengths behind Madison Du Berlais.

But the chaser is a champion with true courage and he returned to something nearer his best in the 2009 totesport Gold Cup, staying on to take second, 13 lengths behind the brilliant winner, Kauto Star. Denman then went to Aintree for the totesport Bowl but was never travelling on the tight track and took a crashing fall two fences from home.

Denman faced a formidable task on his first start of the 2009/10 season as he lined up for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury under top-weight of 11st 12lb. The remarkable gelding repeated the feat of two years earlier with a second triumph in the race as he defeated subsequent Grade One winner What A Friend by three and a half lengths, despite conceding 22lb to that rival.

In the AON Chase at Newbury on February 13, Denman was not in the same formidable form. A mistake four out cost him the lead and as he attempted to reassert, the 10-year-old blundered at the next fence, unseating new jockey Tony McCoy. He is after his second totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 19, the fourth and final day of the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.

Race Record: Starts: 19; Wins: 14; 2nd: 3; 3rd: 0; Win & Place Prize Money: £904,074

KAUTO STAR (FR) FACTFILE
10 b g Village Star (FR) Kauto Relka (FR) (Port Etienne (FR))
Form: 211/1F2353/112/21F/111111/211122/1U111-11 Owner: Clive Smith Breeder: Mme H Aubert
A Grade Three winner over hurdles at Auteuil when trained in France, Kauto Star has developed into one of the greatest chasers the sport has ever known since arriving at Paul Nicholls’ stables in 2004. His six straight wins in the 2006/2007 season included a stunning Grade One four timer that culminated in an impressive totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victory. Last season he became the first horse ever to regain the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and this term he enjoyed another slice of history as the first to win four consecutive renewals of the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton Park.

He made his British debut at Newbury, in December, 2004, with an emphatic victory over Grade One Irish Champion Hurdle winner Foreman in a novice chase. On his next start, at Exeter in January, 2005, he fell two out with the race at his mercy. After being remounted, he just failed to reel in the winner, but it came to light afterwards that the horse had injured his near hind leg and he was forced to miss the rest of the season. Kauto Star reappeared in November, 2005, turning in a fine comeback effort to chase home Monkerhostin in the Grade Two William Hill Gold Cup Chase at Exeter. He improved on that run to win the Grade One Tingle Creek Trophy Chase over two miles at Sandown the following month. The Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase at The Festival in March was Kauto Star's next port of call but, after tracking the leaders in the early stages, he took off too early at the third fence and hit the deck.

He returned to action in the 2006/2007 season at Aintree in October, 2006, over two and a half miles in the Grade Two Old Roan Chase and romped home by 21 lengths. A month later, he defeated the best three mile chasers around when easily taking the Betfair Chase at Haydock by 17 lengths, before showing himself to be one of the most adaptable top class chasers of recent times when cruising to a second victory in the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase over two miles at Sandown a fortnight later. Clive Smith's gelding evoked memories of Desert Orchid as he went directly from that triumph to capture the 2006 King George VI Chase over three miles at Kempton on Boxing Day. Ruby Walsh sat tight to survive a last fence blunder and the pair finished eight lengths clear of the chasing Exotic Dancer. Another final fence error made life more difficult again for the pair in the Grade Two Aon Chase at Newbury, but he rallied to hold the determined challenge of L'Ami by a neck. A hot favourite for the 2007 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, he did not disappoint. Ruby Walsh struck the front two fences out and, despite hitting the last hard, Kauto Star stormed up the hill to prevail comfortably from Exotic Dancer. Kauto Star thus collected the Betfair Million bonus by winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park and the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

The 2007/08 campaign also began with the Old Roan Chase at Aintree, but the champion found conceding a stone to the talented Monet's Garden just a length and a half beyond him. He improved for the run to land the 2007 Betfair Chase for a second year running by half a length from Exotic Dancer and went on to win the King George VI Chase again, scoring by 11 lengths from Our Vic. He dropped back to two miles, five and a half furlongs in the Commercial First Chase at Ascot in February but that proved no problem and he won by eight lengths from Monet’s Garden. The chance of winning a second Betfair Million bonus was lost in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March when his stable companion Denman proved seven lengths too strong. Kauto Star’s jumping was not as fluent as usual and that theme continued at Aintree the following month when a bad mistake two out cost him victory by a nose in the totesport Bowl which was won by Our Vic.

Kauto Star had a long break and reappeared in the Grade One Jnwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal in Northern Ireland on November 1, 2008, when he won unchallenged. He then unseated Sam Thomas at the last fence in the Betfair Chase at Haydock 17 days later. Normal service was resumed at Kempton on Boxing Day, when he won his third King George VI Chase by 10 lengths from Albertas Run. He was rested before returning to Cheltenham and an historic second victory in the 2009 totesport Gold Cup, beating Denman by 13 lengths in tremendous style. As in the past, Kauto Star was a little rusty for his reappearance this season. That came in the Betfair Chase but the champion was still able to win, albeit by only a nose, from Imperial Commander - his third success in the race. He then added a fourth King George VI Chase with as stunning a performance as one could wish to see. Kauto Star jumped exquisitely and drew clear down the finishing straight for a 36-length romp. Kauto Star has his 10th birthday on March 19 - totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup day - and is aiming to become the fifth horse to win the chasing’s championship race three times.
Race Record - Starts: 33; 1st: 20; 2nd: 7; 3rd: 2; Win & Place Prize Money: £2,012,654

KAUTO STAR versus DENMAN


Clive Smith OWNER Paul Barber/Maggie Findlay

Ruby Walsh JOCKEY Tony McCoy

Paul Nicholls TRAINER Paul Nicholls

Nick Child GROOM Lucinda Gould

March 19, 2000, Le Lions d’Angers, France BORN April 17, 2000, Rathcormac, Co Cork, Ireland

Village Star SIRE Presenting

Kauto Relka DAM Polly Puttens

10 AGE 10

16.3hh HEIGHT 17hh

Bay COLOUR Chestnut

Bordeaux le Bouscat, France, March 1, 2003 (2nd) DEBUT Liscarroll pt-to-pt, Ireland, March 20, 2005 (1st)

400,000 euros BOUGHT FOR £82,000

Newbury, December 29, 2004 (1st) BRITISH DEBUT Wincanton, October 23, 2005 (1st)

33 STARTS 19

20 WINS 14

2 totesport CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP WINS 1

60.6% WINNING PERCENTAGE 73.7%

13 GRADE ONE WINS 4

£2,012,654 PRIZE MONEY WON £904,074

4/6 CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP SPONSOR totesport BETTING 4/1

66% VOTING ON WWW.RACINGPOST.COM 34%

KAUTO STAR OUTSELLING DENMAN THREE TO TWO IN THE MERCHANDISE STAKES AT CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

The third and deciding clash, for the moment at least, between stable companions Denman and Kauto Star in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, March 19, has generated unprecedented sales of merchandise at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Scarves in the colours of the owners of the two Paul Nicholls-trained horses, as well as t-shirts, IJF charity bracelets, mugs, hobby-horses, caricature cartoons and authentic sports memorabilia prints, are proving very popular.

Paul Barber and Maggie Findlay, mother of high-profile gambler Harry Findlay, own Denman, whose colours this season and the year in which he won chasing’s blue riband are dark green, white chevron, light green sleeves and a dark green and white check cap, while the colours of Clive Smith, Kauto Star’s owner, are emerald green, yellow spots, yellow and emerald green halved sleeves and a purple cap.

Rebecca Morgan, Commercial & Operations Manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, revealed: “In total, we will have sold over 6,000 scarves, the equivalent of almost 10 per cent of the likely Gold Cup day crowd of 67,000, celebrating the colours of Kauto Star and Denman.

“The split on overall sales at the moment is 60 per cent in favour of Kauto Star products and 40 per cent for Denman products although it fluctuates week by week.

“The last time we did anything of this sort was during the Best Mate era but the response to Denman and Kauto Star has been massive compared to then.

“We are delighted that racing fans want to show their support loud and proud, and are grateful to Paul Nicholls and the owners for their support and enthusiasm about what we are doing to promote the rivalry between the two horses.

“People can purchase online at www.cheltenhamcollection.co.uk, by calling us on 01242 513 014 or on racedays from the Cheltenham Superstore.”

The Denman and Kauto Star merchandise, which also includes limited edition memorabilia, can be seen at www.cheltenhamcollection.co.uk/Category/50 denman kauto star.aspx

The 2010 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, which takes place on the fourth and final day of The Festival at Cheltenham, is one of the most eagerly awaited clashes in years.

Cheltenham Racecourse also has a Facebook Page which encourages people to pick sides in the hottest debate in Jump racing. Go to http://www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing

Boylesports.com TO SPONSOR CHAMPION CHASE AT PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL

The newly titled Boylesports.com Champion Chase has been won by Paul Nicholls trained horses for the last two years and welcoming the announcement the British Champion trainer said: “We have been lucky enough to have the last two winners of the Champion chase at Punchestown.

“It is a great race to win and we are delighted to see Boylesports.com taking over the title sponsorship. We intend on making it a hat-trick this year when we send over either Master Minded or Twist Magic.”

Commenting on the sponsorship, Mark Nunan, Head of Marketing at Boylesports said: “We’re delighted to take the opportunity of sponsoring the Champion Chase at Punchestown.

“We saw it as a natural extension to our very successful involvement with the Champion Novice Chase last year. Punchestown racecourse have proven to be very progressive in their approach to sponsorships and we are convinced that the festival involvement represents great value for our brand. We look forward to April and the great racing ahead.”

With just six weeks to go to the opening day of the Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival, Dick O’Sullivan, Punchestown General Manager, was pleased to welcome the increased involvement of the new title sponsor. He said: “Boylesports have been great supporters of ours and we are delighted to announce that they will be taking their sponsorship to a new level as title sponsors on the opening day of the Festival. The Champion Chase is a feature race in the Irish jump racing calendar and with past winners including Moscow Flyer, Flagship Uberalles and most recently Master Minded, the quality of the race speaks for itself”.

The Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday, April 20 to Saturday, April 24. General Admission tickets €30, Admission with Reserved Enclosure €40, Student and Senior Citizen €18. Party Pack €29pp.

**Party On Punchestowns Ticket Offer – Purchase your Punchestown Festival Tickets between now and 2.00pm On Wednesday, March 17 and if Punchestowns wins the RSA Chase we will refund your purchase. Terms & Conditions Apply.

For further information please contact:

Leon Blanche, Head of PR, Boylesports, +353 87 9807986

Shona Dreaper, PR & Communications Manager, Punchestown Racecourse on: +353 45 897704 or at sdreaper@punchestown.com

Editor Notes:
Boylepsorts.com Champion Chase Fact File:

* The first running of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase was as a handicap in 1950.

* The Boylesports.com Champion Chase is classed by many as Ireland’s Queen Mother Champion Chase equivalent.

* It is a Grade Obe run over two miles at the Punchestown Festival.

* No horse has won the contest more than twice.

* Pat Taaffe is the winning most jockey with five winners.

* UK trained horses have won seven of the last 12 runnings of the race.

* Tom Dreaper is the winning most trainer with 6 wins.

Past winners of the Champion Chase at Punchestown include:

Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2000 Get Real Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2001 Micko’s Dream Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2002 Strong Run Paul Carberry Noel Meade
2003 Flagship Uberalles Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2004 Moscow Flyer Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington
2005 Rathgar Beau Shay Barry Dusty Sheehy
2006 Newmill Andrew McNamara John Joseph Murphy
2007 Mansony Davy Russell Arthur Moore
2008 Twist Magic Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2009 Master Minded Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls

The Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival, Tuesday, April 20 to Saturday, April 24, 2010

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

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