The opening day of the Cheltenham Festival was nothing but action packed.
As is the custom, the roar rang through the track when the tapes went up for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and at a ferocious pace, Vautour stormed clear in a very impressive performance to get the powerful stable of Willie Mullins off the board early on. A fantastic ride by Ruby Walsh and an even better performance from Vautour to give Ireland an early lead.
There was no bigger roar than the one for Quevega after her record breaking win in the Mares Hurdle at 4.00pm. This unprecedented success was one of fairytale proportions having looked beaten approaching the last, she somehow managed to find more and win on the line from stable mate Glens Melody.
A sixth win for Quevega at the Cheltenham Festival surpasses the previous record of five wins held by Golden Miller in the 1930’s and the mare deserves all the accolades that will put her into Cheltenham folklore forever.
Afterwards jockey, Ruby Walsh admitted that he was getting nervous coming around the bend; ‘’That’s the quickest ground she’s run on and I was fairly panicking off the bend as I didn’t think I would get Glens Melody back. She has everything. It’s a super performance to keep bringing her here to win.’’
Trainer Willie Mullins added; ‘’She’s an absolute superstar, I’m so pleased for her and her connections. She’s got her own place in history.’’
English trained runners didn’t leave the track without a win as Tom Scudamore and Western Warhorse clobbered the hat trick seeking Champagne Fever right on the line. In what proved to be a really canny ride from Scudamore, he came with a very late run after the last to catch the long time leader on the line.
Richie McLernon and Jonjo O’Neill teamed up once more to claim the Bayliss & Harding Handicap Chase in really good style with Holywell who was winning at the Festival for the second year in a row. He beat the Nicky Henderson trained Ma Filleuile who got a fantastic ride from Dave Bass having almost come off with a circuit to go.
Alan King’s Midnight Prayer made it honours even after six races as he got up under a really good ride from Josh Newman in the Terry Biddlecombe National Hunt Chase. Several contenders were breathing down his neck coming to the last but Midnight Prayer pulled out a little more to fend off the staying on Shotgun Paddy who didn’t jump with great fluency throughout and the fast finishing Suntiep took third.
The last race went the way of Present View who benefitted from a strong ride from Brendan Powell having hit the front a long way out to give the young rider his second Cheltenham winner. He beat Attaglance who was rallying in dying strides after the winner idled a little inside the final furlong and forced the runner up to go around him.
The Stewards took a look at the closing stages of the race but made no alteration and trainer Jamie Snowden breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Trainer mused; ‘’If I trained the 2nd, I’d be having serious word with the jockey. He should have never been trying to go up there.’’
It’s now on to tomorrow’s racing highlighted by the Two Mile Queen Mother Champion Chase. Lots to look forward to.
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