Michael Prosser, Director of Racing at Newmarket, reported today (Friday, May 2) that the ground on The NatWest Rowley Mile course continues to dry out.
He walked the track on Friday afternoon and once again gave the official going description as good.
Prosser commented: “The GoingStick reading is now 8.6 (from 8.3 on Thursday).
“The ground is still good and Friday has been dry with sunny spells and, thus far, we have avoided all the localised showers. These will still be around until early evening but once they have passed through, it promises to be a dry night.
“It is forecast to be dry tomorrow and a warm day with sunny spells. Temperatures are expected to rise to 18 degrees Celsius.”
ZARA PHILLIPS TO SADDLE HER FIRST RUNNER AT CHELTENHAM
Meeting - Hunter Chase Evening, Cheltenham Racecourse
Date - Wednesday, May 7, 2008
First Race - 5.35pm
Gates Open - 3pm
Admission Prices - Club & Tattersalls enclosure - £16; Best Mate enclosure - £7; Accompanied children under 16 admitted FREE to all enclosures. FREE car parking.
Cheltenham’s Hunter Chase Evening takes place on Wednesday, May 7, and is the final fixture at Prestbury Park until the new season starts in October.
The evening has six competitive hunter chases over distances ranging from an extended two miles to four miles and one furlong.
After another fantastic season, highlighted of course by The Festival in March, the Hunter Chase Evening is the perfect way to end the campaign at Cheltenham with many of the top riders in the amateur ranks on show.
Zara Phillips, who is competing this weekend at the Badminton Horse Trials, is set to saddle her first runner under Rules as a trainer in the Red Mills Intermediate Point-To-Point Championship Final Hunters’ Chase (6.45pm).
Manor Down was successful for Phillips in an intermediate point-to-point at the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase meeting at the beginning of March.
Phillips, who won the individual gold medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, missed seeing the 10-year-old spring a 20/1 surprise as she was competing in a three-day event in Portugal.
Dolly Maude, who was representing the handler at the point-to-point, is hoping that the daughter of the Princess Royal will be on hand this time.
She said: “Hopefully, Zara will be there to see him because he is her first runner on the track and she’s really looking forward to it.
“Manor Down has not performed well at Cheltenham in the past but he’s got to try. He can be a bit temperamental at proper racecourses, he quite likes point-to-points but his win in March qualified him for this race so it seemed like a good idea to have a go.
“Zara had him in training with me and then he went to Grant Cann while I was having a baby. She asked me what she should do with him at the start of the season and I said that I thought she should train him herself because she’s better at it than the rest of us, so that’s what she’s doing.
“Zara does absolutely everything with him. She rides him out every day and schools him - the whole lot is all down to her. She’s done a fantastic job because he is quirky but she’s made him really, really happy.”
Zara Phillips has a strong connection with Cheltenham Racecourse, having been the first president of Cheltenham’s Club 16-24.
Manor Down, who has been pulled up in his two previous visits to Cheltenham (at this fixture in 2005 and 2007), faces a stiff task in the extended three mile and one furlong contest, which has attracted a large entry of 27.
There are a number of recent winners in the field, including the Angela Davis-trained Massimo, who scored readily at Towcester last month. Marcus and Carolyn Gorman are represented by progressive six-year-old Merry Vic, the winner of his last four starts between the flags, while Richard Barber’s Range Rover and Paul Jones’ Bravery Scotch have similar profiles, both having completed hat-tricks last time. Other notable entries include consistent performer Holly Walk, Flax Hill, Fred Farrow’s Ballyowen and Tim Tarratt’s Sovereign Quest.
Each of the other five races have also attracted strong entries, with 17 entered in the three-mile, two and a half furlong Grimshaw Group 60th Anniversary Champion Hunters’ Chase (6.10pm), headed by recent dual winner Take The Stand. The 12-year-old, runner-up to Kicking King in the 2005 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, was successful on his last two hunter chase starts for Peter Bowen, most recently over this course and distance last month.
Trainer Paul Davies and rider Dai Jones will be hoping that Cannon Bridge can repeat last year’s victory in the race, while Mister Friday, winner of the race in both 2005 and 2006, has been entered once again by Clive Mulhall. Fergal O’Brien has put in multiple winner Marblehead, triumphant at Exeter last month while Gaelsbob, who rattled off three wins in a row between the flags recently, has been entered by Emma Baker.
The Winning Post At Cheltenham Hunters’ Chase (7.55pm) over the marathon trip of four miles and one furlong has attracted 20 entries, including last year’s easy winner Gallik Dawn. Also entered is Richard Ford’s recent Chepstow winner Chabrimal Minster, Tinarana Lord from the stable of Nantwich trainer Gary Hanmer and Jenny Gordon’s Splash And Dash.
The opening Peugeot 4007 4WD Hunters’ Chase (5.35pm) over two miles and a half a furlong has last month’s Leicester winner Only Dreams among the 25 entries. Trained by Nick Lampard, the seven-year-old was formerly campaigned in similar contests in Ireland. Also entered is De Luain Gorm, who carries the colours of former Raceform race-reader Mary Trueman. After some mixed results between the flags, he scored on his first track start for his new connections at Newton Abbot. He finished second on his most recent start on Thursday, May 1 at Hereford, a race in which Viscount Bankes was fourth and Ice Rain, Iochtaran and Wainhill Lad all pulled-up.
The extended three mile and one furlong Colin Nash Memorial For the Hunt Staff Benefit Society United Hunts’ Challenge Cup (7.20pm) has received 24 entries including the hat-trick seeking duo of Beauchamp Oracle and Caught At Dawn. The first-named was successful in this race in 2006 and 2007, while the latter was victorious in 2004 and 2005.
The final contest of the evening, the two mile, five furlong Friends At VC Remember Nick Hill Hunters’ Chase (8.30pm), has attracted the biggest entry with 34 engaged, headed by Carolyn Gorman’s Cape Stormer and Michelle Bentham’s Jurado Express. Also doubly engaged here are Wainhill Lad, Cannon Bridge and Massimo, while Five Seven Live is also a notable entry.
The going at Cheltenham is currently soft.
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