Get in touch with your comments and tips as the afternoon’s action unfolds. Leave a comment below, send your e-mails to sport@thescore.ie, tweet us@thescore_ie or find us on Facebook. Latest updates appear at the top.
5.30pm That wraps up another fun day at the Cotswolds. Check back tomorrow – we’ll be here all day.
In the meantime, Niall will host a Champions League minute-by-minute from 7pm. Dress code: smart casual.
5.17pm The Irish clean sweep is thwarted by Cheltenian, second is Destroyer Deployed, Aupcharlie is third for Ireland.
5.08pm Here’s our guys’ final predictions for the day:
TheScore 16pts: Oscar Magic
Twitter Julian 13pts: Tusa Eire
Uncle Bill 11pts: Tusa Eire
The Newsroom 10pts: Ericht
Tea Randomiser 2pts: Master Murphy
4.59pm In about 15 minutes, we’ll learn if Ireland can pull off an amazing clean sweep with victory in the Champions Bumper.
An Irish-trained horse has won 14 of the last 18 Bumpers. And the last six before last year were won by the raiding group.
4.49pm Paul Townend has a massive smile on his face – ‘as wide as the Irish Sea’ as the English commentators put it – as he trots in towards the crowd to a loud ovation. Who’s smiling around here though?
TheScore: 16pts
Twitter Julian: 13pts
Uncle Bill: 11pts
The Newsroom: 10pts
Tea Randomiser: 2pts
4.44pm What A Charm wins at 9-1 in an exciting finish with top-weight Kumbeshwar. Another winner for Ireland – this is an amazing run for the visitors. Paul Townend is off the mark too.
Plan A is fourth, Dhaafer 16/1 at 16-1.
4.43pm Plan A making really good progress now…
4.41pm Kumbeshwar with Mr Muddle setting the pace in the early stages here, then Dhaafer and Leminence Grice.
4.34pm For those keeping score, here’s the next round of predictions from our panel.
TheScore 16pts: Plan A
Twitter Julian 13pts: Plan A
The Newsroom 10pts: Plan A
Uncle Bill 8pts: What A Charm
Tea Randomiser 2pts: The Starboard Bow
4.26pm Right, next up is the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. It’s not one for the purists but should be a nice little romp – to use tabloid parlance.
Ricahrd Forristal writes in this morning’s Irish Independent: “The Triumph hurdle rarely appeals as a betting medium, and this year’s renewal is no exception.”
Too late! I’ve gone for Plan A under Paul Carberry at 9-2, though Paintball (11-2) and Kayef (12-1) are two other names our readers have bandied about today like the yahoos you all are. Maybe we should sit this one out?
4.20pm That one has gone down well in TheScore’s corner of the universe, I must say.
Milky Bars are on Niall. In the meantime, here’s a classified check on the prediction standings.
TheScore: 16pts
Twitter Julian: 13pts
The Newsroom: 10pts
Uncle Bill: 8pts
Tea Randomiser: 2pts
RESULT 1. Carlito Brigante 2. Bothy 3. Orsippus 4. Battle Group 5. Solix. 22 ran
Carlito Brigante wins the Coral Cup by maybe eight lengths, For Non Stop falls on the last. Daryl Jacob looks ok despite the mishap, Davy Russell makes it a double.
“Listen, everything went to plan,” he shrugs.
It’s five out of five for Irish-trained horses today and eight overall. Not bad is it?
4.04pm He’s reeled in by For Non Stop, with three to jump. Aegean Dawn in the mix coming the hill.
4pm And they’re off… Dantari’s well in the lead half the way round.
3.49 So, like life itself friends, despite disappointments, there’s always the next race. Next up is the Coral Cup.
On d’Twitter, The Examiner’s Fintan O’Toole queries whether Ballyhaunis can bring yet more glory to the county of Mayo. He’ll probably lose to Kerry in the final.
Ruby’s on Call the Police at 7-2 while Davy Russell on Carlito Brigante is surely due one, no?
I’ve just been handed our panel’s tear-stained predictions:
TheScore 13pts: Carlito Brigante
Twitter Julian 13pts: Walkon
The Newsroom 10pts: For Non stop
Uncle Bill 8pts: Call The Police
Tea Randomiser 2pts: Aegean Dawn
In the bumper later, which is run after RTE finish up for the day, Colm Murray fancies the Tracey Shuffle, which tickles Ms Piggott in the studio. But he really does fancy Double Double.
3.45pm We’re talking fashion in the Cotswolds. It is Ladies Day.
Shout me a holler is you want the name of a nice little boutique that does a nice line in 18th century gothic/bo-ho chic gear in the Home Counties area, as I now know.
3.35pm Colm Murray explains that the Queen Motheris like the 100-metre dash in the Olympics. “It’s the one everyone wants to see”.
Here’s the standings after that Irish hat-trick.
TheScore: 13
Twitter Julian: 13
The Newsroom: 10
Uncle Bill: 8
Tea Randomiser: 2
3.30pm I’m not wearing a shirt – but I’m here.
Advertisement
They’re playing a soft-rock version of Hallelujah at Prestbury Park. It sums it up really.
3.25pm Result: 1. Sizing Europe (10/1) 2. Big Zeb (3/1) 3. Captain Cee Bee (14/1). An Irish 1-2-3 in the Queen Mother.
3.24pm SIZING EUROPE WINS THE QUEEN MOTHER.
3.20pm They’re off.
3.19pm Runners down at the start. We’re ready to go in today’s feature – the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase.
3.17pm I cannot stress – really – how much we need Big Zeb to win this. I’m sure you’d already worked that out though.
3.16pm Master Minded now as short as 9/4 in places. Here’s hoping that the favourites’ torrid run of form holds out for another race.
3.15pm This race is always one of my favourites of the festival. A fast-paced two-mile chase with absolutely zero margin for error. Add into the equation the fact that anyone could win it this year and it becomes even more intriguing.
3.12pm 5/2 Master Minded. No prizes for guessing who the racecourse punters are on.
3.11pm Quite a bit of money coming for Nicholls’ other horse, Woolcombe Folly. If he wins, I’ll be livid – and not just because it will take The Newsroom back into the lead in the Twitter challenge. Master Minded is now gone into 11/4 favourite.
3.10pm Nicholls says that the quickening ground will be a concern. It is worth mentioning that the going was good-soft when Master Minded won in 2008 and 2009. Is it really that much of an advantage for Big Zeb?
3.08pm All of the money is coming in for two-time champion Master Minded. He was 4/1 to won this morning but has been backed into 3/1 joint-favouritism now.
3.05pm Let’s get the formalities out of the way well ahead of the off. Here are the panel’s tips. Nobody’s gone for Master Minded – no wonder we’re having such a terrible time today!
TheScore: Big Zeb
The Newsroom: Woolcombe Folly
Twitter Julian: Big Zeb
Uncle Bill: Big Zeb
Tea Randomiser: Mad Max
3.02pm If you’re still looking for some last minute insight, we went for Big Zeb in our Queen Mother preview earlier.
The last 12 months have thrown up precious little evidence to suggest that Irish chaser Big Zeb might not be able to defend the crown which he won here last year. The traditional concern about the horse – his tendency to lose concentration and blunder through fences – appears to have significantly subsided in recent outings. If the rain holds off and the going stays good, Barry Geraghty’s mount will be very difficult to beat.
Confident? On the basis of today’s form, hardly.
2.57pm What to do, what to do? After a great start to the day for punters, it’s all gone a little bit pear-shaped. If by a little, you mean a lot.
2.54pm The jury are back with the scores in the Cheltenham Challenge. It’s all tied up at the top again although I don’t think anyone is really covering themselves in glory today.
TheScore: 11 pts
Twitter Julian: 11 pts
The Newsroom: 10 pts
Uncle Bill: 6 pts
Tea Randomiser: 2 pt
2.52pm Apparently, Jessie Harrington tipped up Boston’s Angel in the Examiner this morning. A 16/1 shot. If only I’d read the Examiner …
2.51pm If it’s any consolation, that’s three out of three for the Irish so far today. What price a clean sweep of the day’s seven races?
2.50pm Well well well, favourite backers. This is not looking good, is it? How many of you are brave enough to stay on Big Zeb now?
2.47pm Result: 1. Boston’s Angel 2. Jessie’s Dream 3. Wayward Prince. An Irish 1-2 in the RSA.
2.45pm Three out. Quel Esprit leads from Boston’s Angel … but falls three out.
2.44pm Mikael’s a faller. Rupert’s not jumping. This one is wide, wide open.
2.43pm Nothing much separating them as they turn into the straight with a circuit to go. 10 lengths max. Rupert just getting a bit of a shake of the reins to wake him up a bit.
2.41pm They’re off. Elysian Rock and Aiteen ThirtyThree making the early running. Rupert held up out back by Will Kennedy.
2.40pm Runners are at the start. Just about ready to get going in the RSA Chase. Now is probably not the time to remind you that Rupert is no certainty.
2.38pm Rupert now backed into 7-4. Mikael at 7/1 is the only one who people fancy against it. Aiteen and Wayward Prince are 8/1, with Jessie just behind them at 9/1.
2.36pm Here are the Cheltenham Challenge selections. Everyone’s gone for a different horse – this could shake up the standings a little bit.
TheScore: Time for Rupert
The Newsroom: Quel Esprit
Twitter Julian: Wayward Prince
Uncle Bill: Mikael d’Haguenet
Tea Randomiser: Wymott
2.33pm Though Rupert is a hot favourite, he’s by no means home and hosed. Jessie’s Dream and Mikael d’Haguenet lead the Irish challenge, while Paul Nicholls’ Aiteen ThirtyThree and Donald McCain’s Wymott lead the British challenge. It’s really interesting that Ruby has opted for Mikael over Aiteen ThirtyThree, despite the fact that the former is still a maiden over fences. What does he know that we don’t?
2.30pm At the head of the market is, unsurprisingly, Time for Rupert who is the English banker for the meeting. Irish jockey Will Kennedy will be on his back. As everyone has been saying all day, it will be a very emotional victory for Will if he wins. When he was just six-years-old, his older brother Vivian was killed in a fall at Huntingdon. I don’t even imagine how much a win would mean to him today.
2.27pm Right, onwards and upwards, let’s forget about that little mini-disaster. The next race is another cracker, the RSA Chase. Who do we fancy?
2.25pm A quick survey of Twitter confirms that everybody is still in denial about So Young’s defeat. Get it over it people, he lost. He’ll win again though.
2.18pm Here are the updated standings in the Cheltenham Challenge. Chance for people to make up a bit of ground there, but nobody really capitalised. Most importantly, however, is that we’ve pulled ahead of our newsroom colleagues. We’ll be looking to press home that advantage over the next two races.
TheScore: 11 pts
The Newsroom: 10 pts
Twitter Julian: 10 pts
Uncle Bill: 6 pts
Tea Randomiser: 2 pt
2.13pm Bad mistakes from So Young and Oscar Wells at the last look to have cost them there. Pity, as it was shaping up to be a cracking finale. Take nothing away from Davy Russell aboard the Michael O’Leary-owned First Lieutenant. When a horse is compared to War of Attrition, it’s probably worth paying a little bit of attention.
2.11pm First Lieutenant (7/1) looks to have taken it from Rock on Ruby (13/2) in a photo. So Young (2/1F) in third.
2.09pm Four out. Anyone could win it, all travelling well.
2.08pm 10-12 lengths separate them as they turn into the back straight. Aikman leads from Tornado Bob still. Nothing asked of the favourite yet.
2.06pm Off and running in the Neptune. Aikman making the running ahead of Tornado Bob and Highland Valley. Ruby sitting out the back on So Young.
2.05pm Just about off. Here are our selections:
The Newsroom: Oscars Well
TheScore: So Young
Twitter Julian: So Young
Uncle Bill: So Young
Tea Randomiser: So Young
2.02pm Of course, there are some British contenders as well. Nicholls has Rock On Ruby, Nicky Henderson has Minella Class (tipped by our own Mark Hobbs this morning), and Donald McCain has Tornado Bob who I fancy as an each-way shout.
2.01pm Mullins has just been interviewed on TV, and he says that So Young was his nap of the meeting before they travelled over. Considering how good Hurricane Fly was yesterday, that’s a bold bold statement.
1.59pm If you don’t like So Young, there are plenty of other Irish chances. Jessie Harrington’s Oscars Well probably has the best form out of all the runners – he’s won his last three races. Another Irish chance is Mouse Morris’s First Lieutenant, described by his trainer as “the next War of Attrition”. High praise indeed.
1.55pm We’re just ten minutes away from the next race, the Neptune Novices Hurldle. Let’s take a look.
The buzz horse is obviously So Young who has been backed in from 3/1 on Monday afternoon to 2/1 this morning. He may well go off shorter than that. The Mullins camp absolutely love this horse and with the form Willie and Ruby are in at the moment, you can see why the price has shortened so dramatically.
Ted Walsh was joking on the Morning Line today and he said that So Young beat Hurricane Fly by six lengths in a piece of work a few weeks back – and then got up on Hurricane Fly and rode him to victory as well. That’s the kind of hyperbole surrounding this horse at the moment. Are we ripe for a disappointment?
1.51pm Colin Murray is talking about the Queen Mother on RTE. “A two horse race” according to Murray. Not everybody agrees.
1.49pm I was right about Time for Rupert’s price shortening as well. He’s cut from 11/4 to 9/4 following Chicago Grey’s win.
1.47pm The results of the Cheltenham Challenge are in. Good start to day for Uncle Bill – he’s on the favourite in the next for what it’s worth, labelling it as “nap of the week”.
The Newsroom: 10pts
TheScore: 10pts
Twitter Julian: 9pts
Uncle Bill: 5 pts
Tea Randomiser: 1pt
1.45pm More importantly, that’s Ireland 4-4 Great Britain after 8 races. With Willie Mullins’ So Young the favourite in the next, it might be time to start keeping count …
1.43pm The Channel 4 team are full of praise for Derek O’Connor, the amateur jockey who was on Chicago Grey. Winning trainer Gordon Elliot was on the Morning Line this morning and he picked Plan A (4:40) as a better chance than Chicago Grey. Make of that what you will.
1.39pm Result: 1. Chicago Grey (5/1) 2. Beshabar 3. Be There In Five.
1.38pm Alfa Beat backers, your man is in about 5th. Chicago Grey just being ridden slightly. Three out. Beshabar leads.
1.37pm Ted Walsh reassures us that favourite Chicago Grey is still “full of horse” and that it’s Derek O’Connor’s riding style to come late on the horse. See, told you there was nothing to worry about.
1.36pm Rounding the bend ahead of their final circuit. Sona Sasta and Captain Americo leading. Mistake there from Some Target who drops to the back.
1.33pm Some Target and Chicago Grey both held up towards the back, but nothing to really worry about there. Yet. About ten lengths covers them all at the moment.
1.32pm All the big runners still standing, but there’s only a quarter of this four-miler gone.
1.30pm They’re off. As a point of note, if you’re wavering on Time For Rupert, back him now before Chicago Grey wins this. He was second to Rupert here in December.
1.28pm Niall here now - Adrian has passed the reins to me. I may have been slightly delayed returning from my the bookies.
There’s a strong Irish showing here in the National Hunt Steeplehunt. Alfa Beat (11-2), Chicago Grey (5-1) and Some Target (6-1) head up the market at the moment. They’re just going to post now – who do you fancy?
1.20pm So here’s our motley crew’s predictions for the first race:
The Newsroom (10pts): Alfa Beat
TheScore (10pts): Alfa Beat
Twitter Julian (9pts – carried over): Some Target
Uncle Bill (2pts): Chicago Grey
Tea Randomiser (1pt): Sona Sasta
1pm As an Italian-speaking Ian Rush said when he landed in Turin in the 80s: welcome!
We’re so glad you could join us for the second of our four daily Cheltenham liveblogs.
We’re a mere 30 minutes away from the first race of the day – the National Hunt Chase 1t 1.30. We’ll again run our predictions game throughout – with Navan man Julian Lee today representing you lot on Twitter – and the Newsroom getting yet more competitive. We also expect a strong showing from Niall’s Uncle Bill today.
After yesterday’s Ruby Tuesday, today could again be a grand day to be Irish.
Betting for five of the scheduled seven races are headed by the visitors. Big Zeb leads a strong field in the day’s feature, along with Captain Cee Bee, Golden Silver and a lot of people’s fancy Sizing Europe also in the mix.
It’ll be an interesting few hours. So send us your tips, thoughts, comments in the usual way. Let’s go racing…
LIVE: Cheltenham Day Two
Get in touch with your comments and tips as the afternoon’s action unfolds. Leave a comment below, send your e-mails to sport@thescore.ie , tweet us@thescore_ie or find us on Facebook. Latest updates appear at the top.
5.30pm That wraps up another fun day at the Cotswolds. Check back tomorrow – we’ll be here all day.
In the meantime, Niall will host a Champions League minute-by-minute from 7pm. Dress code: smart casual.
5.17pm The Irish clean sweep is thwarted by Cheltenian, second is Destroyer Deployed, Aupcharlie is third for Ireland.
5.08pm Here’s our guys’ final predictions for the day:
4.59pm In about 15 minutes, we’ll learn if Ireland can pull off an amazing clean sweep with victory in the Champions Bumper.
An Irish-trained horse has won 14 of the last 18 Bumpers. And the last six before last year were won by the raiding group.
4.49pm Paul Townend has a massive smile on his face – ‘as wide as the Irish Sea’ as the English commentators put it – as he trots in towards the crowd to a loud ovation. Who’s smiling around here though?
4.44pm What A Charm wins at 9-1 in an exciting finish with top-weight Kumbeshwar. Another winner for Ireland – this is an amazing run for the visitors. Paul Townend is off the mark too.
Plan A is fourth, Dhaafer 16/1 at 16-1.
4.43pm Plan A making really good progress now…
4.41pm Kumbeshwar with Mr Muddle setting the pace in the early stages here, then Dhaafer and Leminence Grice.
4.34pm For those keeping score, here’s the next round of predictions from our panel.
4.26pm Right, next up is the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. It’s not one for the purists but should be a nice little romp – to use tabloid parlance.
Ricahrd Forristal writes in this morning’s Irish Independent: “The Triumph hurdle rarely appeals as a betting medium, and this year’s renewal is no exception.”
Too late! I’ve gone for Plan A under Paul Carberry at 9-2, though Paintball (11-2) and Kayef (12-1) are two other names our readers have bandied about today like the yahoos you all are. Maybe we should sit this one out?
4.20pm That one has gone down well in TheScore’s corner of the universe, I must say.
Milky Bars are on Niall. In the meantime, here’s a classified check on the prediction standings.
RESULT 1. Carlito Brigante 2. Bothy 3. Orsippus 4. Battle Group 5. Solix. 22 ran
Carlito Brigante wins the Coral Cup by maybe eight lengths, For Non Stop falls on the last. Daryl Jacob looks ok despite the mishap, Davy Russell makes it a double.
“Listen, everything went to plan,” he shrugs.
It’s five out of five for Irish-trained horses today and eight overall. Not bad is it?
4.04pm He’s reeled in by For Non Stop, with three to jump. Aegean Dawn in the mix coming the hill.
4pm And they’re off… Dantari’s well in the lead half the way round.
3.49 So, like life itself friends, despite disappointments, there’s always the next race. Next up is the Coral Cup.
On d’Twitter, The Examiner’s Fintan O’Toole queries whether Ballyhaunis can bring yet more glory to the county of Mayo. He’ll probably lose to Kerry in the final.
Ruby’s on Call the Police at 7-2 while Davy Russell on Carlito Brigante is surely due one, no?
I’ve just been handed our panel’s tear-stained predictions:
In the bumper later, which is run after RTE finish up for the day, Colm Murray fancies the Tracey Shuffle, which tickles Ms Piggott in the studio. But he really does fancy Double Double.
3.45pm We’re talking fashion in the Cotswolds. It is Ladies Day.
Shout me a holler is you want the name of a nice little boutique that does a nice line in 18th century gothic/bo-ho chic gear in the Home Counties area, as I now know.
3.35pm Colm Murray explains that the Queen Mother is like the 100-metre dash in the Olympics. “It’s the one everyone wants to see”.
Here’s the standings after that Irish hat-trick.
3.30pm I’m not wearing a shirt – but I’m here.
They’re playing a soft-rock version of Hallelujah at Prestbury Park. It sums it up really.
How many of you lost out with Big Zeb there?
3.28pm Don’t say I didn’t warn you … Adrian’s in the hot-seat in a mo. See you later.
3.25pm Result: 1. Sizing Europe (10/1) 2. Big Zeb (3/1) 3. Captain Cee Bee (14/1). An Irish 1-2-3 in the Queen Mother.
3.24pm SIZING EUROPE WINS THE QUEEN MOTHER.
3.20pm They’re off.
3.19pm Runners down at the start. We’re ready to go in today’s feature – the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase.
3.17pm I cannot stress – really – how much we need Big Zeb to win this. I’m sure you’d already worked that out though.
3.16pm Master Minded now as short as 9/4 in places. Here’s hoping that the favourites’ torrid run of form holds out for another race.
3.15pm This race is always one of my favourites of the festival. A fast-paced two-mile chase with absolutely zero margin for error. Add into the equation the fact that anyone could win it this year and it becomes even more intriguing.
3.12pm 5/2 Master Minded. No prizes for guessing who the racecourse punters are on.
3.11pm Quite a bit of money coming for Nicholls’ other horse, Woolcombe Folly. If he wins, I’ll be livid – and not just because it will take The Newsroom back into the lead in the Twitter challenge. Master Minded is now gone into 11/4 favourite.
3.10pm Nicholls says that the quickening ground will be a concern. It is worth mentioning that the going was good-soft when Master Minded won in 2008 and 2009. Is it really that much of an advantage for Big Zeb?
3.08pm All of the money is coming in for two-time champion Master Minded. He was 4/1 to won this morning but has been backed into 3/1 joint-favouritism now.
3.05pm Let’s get the formalities out of the way well ahead of the off. Here are the panel’s tips. Nobody’s gone for Master Minded – no wonder we’re having such a terrible time today!
3.02pm If you’re still looking for some last minute insight, we went for Big Zeb in our Queen Mother preview earlier.
Confident? On the basis of today’s form, hardly.
2.57pm What to do, what to do? After a great start to the day for punters, it’s all gone a little bit pear-shaped. If by a little, you mean a lot.
I know how you can make some of that money back. Print out TheScore.ie’s Office Sweepstakes Kit for the Queen Mother and do a whip around in the office.
2.54pm The jury are back with the scores in the Cheltenham Challenge. It’s all tied up at the top again although I don’t think anyone is really covering themselves in glory today.
2.52pm Apparently, Jessie Harrington tipped up Boston’s Angel in the Examiner this morning. A 16/1 shot. If only I’d read the Examiner …
2.51pm If it’s any consolation, that’s three out of three for the Irish so far today. What price a clean sweep of the day’s seven races?
2.50pm Well well well, favourite backers. This is not looking good, is it? How many of you are brave enough to stay on Big Zeb now?
2.47pm Result: 1. Boston’s Angel 2. Jessie’s Dream 3. Wayward Prince. An Irish 1-2 in the RSA.
2.45pm Three out. Quel Esprit leads from Boston’s Angel … but falls three out.
2.44pm Mikael’s a faller. Rupert’s not jumping. This one is wide, wide open.
2.43pm Nothing much separating them as they turn into the straight with a circuit to go. 10 lengths max. Rupert just getting a bit of a shake of the reins to wake him up a bit.
2.41pm They’re off. Elysian Rock and Aiteen ThirtyThree making the early running. Rupert held up out back by Will Kennedy.
2.40pm Runners are at the start. Just about ready to get going in the RSA Chase. Now is probably not the time to remind you that Rupert is no certainty.
2.38pm Rupert now backed into 7-4. Mikael at 7/1 is the only one who people fancy against it. Aiteen and Wayward Prince are 8/1, with Jessie just behind them at 9/1.
2.36pm Here are the Cheltenham Challenge selections. Everyone’s gone for a different horse – this could shake up the standings a little bit.
2.33pm Though Rupert is a hot favourite, he’s by no means home and hosed. Jessie’s Dream and Mikael d’Haguenet lead the Irish challenge, while Paul Nicholls’ Aiteen ThirtyThree and Donald McCain’s Wymott lead the British challenge. It’s really interesting that Ruby has opted for Mikael over Aiteen ThirtyThree, despite the fact that the former is still a maiden over fences. What does he know that we don’t?
2.30pm At the head of the market is, unsurprisingly, Time for Rupert who is the English banker for the meeting. Irish jockey Will Kennedy will be on his back. As everyone has been saying all day, it will be a very emotional victory for Will if he wins. When he was just six-years-old, his older brother Vivian was killed in a fall at Huntingdon. I don’t even imagine how much a win would mean to him today.
2.27pm Right, onwards and upwards, let’s forget about that little mini-disaster. The next race is another cracker, the RSA Chase. Who do we fancy?
2.25pm A quick survey of Twitter confirms that everybody is still in denial about So Young’s defeat. Get it over it people, he lost. He’ll win again though.
2.18pm Here are the updated standings in the Cheltenham Challenge. Chance for people to make up a bit of ground there, but nobody really capitalised. Most importantly, however, is that we’ve pulled ahead of our newsroom colleagues. We’ll be looking to press home that advantage over the next two races.
2.13pm Bad mistakes from So Young and Oscar Wells at the last look to have cost them there. Pity, as it was shaping up to be a cracking finale. Take nothing away from Davy Russell aboard the Michael O’Leary-owned First Lieutenant. When a horse is compared to War of Attrition, it’s probably worth paying a little bit of attention.
2.11pm First Lieutenant (7/1) looks to have taken it from Rock on Ruby (13/2) in a photo. So Young (2/1F) in third.
2.09pm Four out. Anyone could win it, all travelling well.
2.08pm 10-12 lengths separate them as they turn into the back straight. Aikman leads from Tornado Bob still. Nothing asked of the favourite yet.
2.06pm Off and running in the Neptune. Aikman making the running ahead of Tornado Bob and Highland Valley. Ruby sitting out the back on So Young.
2.05pm Just about off. Here are our selections:
2.02pm Of course, there are some British contenders as well. Nicholls has Rock On Ruby, Nicky Henderson has Minella Class (tipped by our own Mark Hobbs this morning), and Donald McCain has Tornado Bob who I fancy as an each-way shout.
2.01pm Mullins has just been interviewed on TV, and he says that So Young was his nap of the meeting before they travelled over. Considering how good Hurricane Fly was yesterday, that’s a bold bold statement.
1.59pm If you don’t like So Young, there are plenty of other Irish chances. Jessie Harrington’s Oscars Well probably has the best form out of all the runners – he’s won his last three races. Another Irish chance is Mouse Morris’s First Lieutenant, described by his trainer as “the next War of Attrition”. High praise indeed.
1.55pm We’re just ten minutes away from the next race, the Neptune Novices Hurldle. Let’s take a look.
The buzz horse is obviously So Young who has been backed in from 3/1 on Monday afternoon to 2/1 this morning. He may well go off shorter than that. The Mullins camp absolutely love this horse and with the form Willie and Ruby are in at the moment, you can see why the price has shortened so dramatically.
Ted Walsh was joking on the Morning Line today and he said that So Young beat Hurricane Fly by six lengths in a piece of work a few weeks back – and then got up on Hurricane Fly and rode him to victory as well. That’s the kind of hyperbole surrounding this horse at the moment. Are we ripe for a disappointment?
1.51pm Colin Murray is talking about the Queen Mother on RTE. “A two horse race” according to Murray. Not everybody agrees.
1.49pm I was right about Time for Rupert’s price shortening as well. He’s cut from 11/4 to 9/4 following Chicago Grey’s win.
1.47pm The results of the Cheltenham Challenge are in. Good start to day for Uncle Bill – he’s on the favourite in the next for what it’s worth, labelling it as “nap of the week”.
1.45pm More importantly, that’s Ireland 4-4 Great Britain after 8 races. With Willie Mullins’ So Young the favourite in the next, it might be time to start keeping count …
1.43pm The Channel 4 team are full of praise for Derek O’Connor, the amateur jockey who was on Chicago Grey. Winning trainer Gordon Elliot was on the Morning Line this morning and he picked Plan A (4:40) as a better chance than Chicago Grey. Make of that what you will.
1.39pm Result: 1. Chicago Grey (5/1) 2. Beshabar 3. Be There In Five.
1.38pm Alfa Beat backers, your man is in about 5th. Chicago Grey just being ridden slightly. Three out. Beshabar leads.
1.37pm Ted Walsh reassures us that favourite Chicago Grey is still “full of horse” and that it’s Derek O’Connor’s riding style to come late on the horse. See, told you there was nothing to worry about.
1.36pm Rounding the bend ahead of their final circuit. Sona Sasta and Captain Americo leading. Mistake there from Some Target who drops to the back.
1.33pm Some Target and Chicago Grey both held up towards the back, but nothing to really worry about there. Yet. About ten lengths covers them all at the moment.
1.32pm All the big runners still standing, but there’s only a quarter of this four-miler gone.
1.30pm They’re off. As a point of note, if you’re wavering on Time For Rupert, back him now before Chicago Grey wins this. He was second to Rupert here in December.
1.28pm Niall here now - Adrian has passed the reins to me. I may have been slightly delayed returning from my the bookies.
There’s a strong Irish showing here in the National Hunt Steeplehunt. Alfa Beat (11-2), Chicago Grey (5-1) and Some Target (6-1) head up the market at the moment. They’re just going to post now – who do you fancy?
1.20pm So here’s our motley crew’s predictions for the first race:
1pm As an Italian-speaking Ian Rush said when he landed in Turin in the 80s: welcome!
We’re so glad you could join us for the second of our four daily Cheltenham liveblogs.
We’re a mere 30 minutes away from the first race of the day – the National Hunt Chase 1t 1.30. We’ll again run our predictions game throughout – with Navan man Julian Lee today representing you lot on Twitter – and the Newsroom getting yet more competitive. We also expect a strong showing from Niall’s Uncle Bill today.
After yesterday’s Ruby Tuesday, today could again be a grand day to be Irish.
Betting for five of the scheduled seven races are headed by the visitors. Big Zeb leads a strong field in the day’s feature, along with Captain Cee Bee, Golden Silver and a lot of people’s fancy Sizing Europe also in the mix.
It’ll be an interesting few hours. So send us your tips, thoughts, comments in the usual way. Let’s go racing…
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Big Zeb Captain Cee Bee Cheltenham Cheltenham Festival CheltFest Golden Silver Liveblog