20 OF THE BEST FROM HALF OF THE 2017 CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

THE ARKLE STATUE OVERLLOOKS THE WINNERS ENCLOSURE

THIS IS WHAT HE CAN SEE

THE

OPENINNG

DAY

DAVY RUSSELL PRESENTING PERCY

C'MON

THE IRISH

UN

DE

SCEAUX

YORKHILL

 YORKHILL

YORKHILL

RUBY,RUBY,RUBY,RUBY

WINNING JOCKEY GINA ANDREWS IN THE KIM MUIR

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

OK so, I wanted to do something different for my usual pilgrimage to the home of National hunt racing Cheltenham.

Well, it started well enough. Instead of the one day at the festival, usually on the Champions day, I'm set for two (the Thursday) £68 for Grandstand, car park and racecard, a fair deal I thought.

No not enough, I say to myself, overtaken by the buzz of Cheltenham when I arrive on the opening day I fancy a trip into members, so an upgrade is purchased, £30 mmmmmm. A deal or no deal????

So to the races, seven on the card,a new Champion hurdler to crown.

Yes this is yours truly before the Festival begins, and still not sure what to do.
I know,  lets write a small Blog on what is Cheltenham like from the visitors side of the rail.
Big cameras left in the bag, armed with only a camera phone and a racecard I set about the task.




Okay, lets have a look at the new stand and members enclosure, well first thoughts, again questioning my upgrade purchase. Is there a dress code????? Maybe not seeing some who swim in the Club tank with me.

And how on earth can the security really check who has badges or not?? Not tested by yours truly but i could see a few getting through the massive crowd that ascended on the hollowed ground.

It becomes very much apparent timing is essential to get from paddock to stand to watch the race with a good view, must admit I'm feeling a little negative at the moment, where can i see the racing, do i really want to watch the sports on the massive and impressive paddock big screen?

But not a bad call really not only do you see the horses in or out, positive pre racing work can get you a pole position for the day to see the action and it's participants up close and personal.

 

But can't stay here too long, have to investigate a little more of  what Cheltenham has to offer.
Let's see.........

Well if not scared of heights, going up high with a panoramic view of yes that screen, but the full paddock.

A good position you get on a sunny day, perfect views of Cleeve Hill, all the winners coming in and yes, again that big screen.  Perfect, what a day. I'm starting to feel a little more confident, the day might not be that much of a whitewash.

But i feel the best is still yet to come, a nugget to find and  a quick hop and a skip from the high up position, the saddling up area maybe to the perfect place.
Not as busy ( you can even hear the spring song of the nesting birds about) A very nice deli to get a bite to eat and a drink, you can see the winners, also rans and the about to runs all in the same place. and in view of, yes you guessed it that screen........
Well worth a visit in my book, yes my Cheltenham mojo has been restored

looking over the walkway, what a place to stand, you can see it all, and at an angle no one else can get to view......... HAVE A LOOK.

Well, if you want to shop, Cheltenham has increased this area year on year, no bargain bucket offers in place but quality. So if you want a hat, jacket, book bracelet or table???? and i see coffee and cake on offer this year, well this is the place.

OH YES,
Don't forget the horses











And yes we did mention earlier the also rans well past the newly unveiled statue, (one a many of the Cheltenham good and the greats) of Mr AP McCoy

go see the horse get washed off and the jockeys deal out more stories than a series of Jackanory. A great insight to racing.

Well, Mojo restored, day one over and another day to come.

What can i do on Thursday?? St Patricks day so it is billed, could be fun.

ANY SUGGESTIONS

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

FOUR SEASONS AND SIX RACES AT THE NEW FOREST MEETING LARKHILL 5-3-17

The winner of the Hunt charity race Badgerhill Fred ridden by Sonja Waite before main racing gets underaway

Sandwiched in between a Charity Hunt race and PRA pony racing six point to point races gave a good Larkhill faithful crowd all that they wanted. Sunburn with a smidgen of  a wash halfway through it was certainly a day for balaclavas and gloves and Her Majesty's military forces and point to point followers ventured out for The New Forest Hounds meeting on the well used Larkhill surface.
Good, Good to soft ground was on offer, with the going reported by some jockeys as the best so far this season at the Wiltshire course.

Trainer Sally Alner coming to the races well handed as always on one of her favourite courses took the opener of the day The Intermediate with Thereyarsee an eight year old already a winner early doors on the track.

Thereyarsee 

Ridden by leading novice rider Lorcan Williams, listen to what the young seventeen year old jockey has to say about the horse, the course and his season.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/lorcan-williams-jockey-on-thereyarsee-trained-winner-of-the-intermediate-at-larkhill-5-3-17

Lorcan Williams on Thereyarsee

The jockey and the trainer had to wait through whatever the Larkhill climate had to throw at them until the last before they could bag their double for the afternoon.
Tom Barton taking the PPORA novice riders race in fine form.

By then only press hacks and owners were left smiling (sort of) to chat about the seven year old gelding.
Listen to the Four Dames Partnership chat about how they came about their winner, the trainer and the jockey.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/the-four-dames-partnership-owners-of-tom-barton-winner-of-the-novice-riders-race-at-larkhill-5-3-17

Tom Barton

Cold, wet but engorged by point to point action I returned to my car.
But not before four more races were placed on to entertain the pointing faithful.

 Sidbury Hill

The Timico Mixed open saw the horse Sidbury Hill, full of what was needed to get the job done taking the race for trainer Sally Rawlings by seven lengths.

A double for the day for the Irish Jockey Martin McIntyre  in addition to his interviews wanted to thank all his trainers he rides out out works for during the week ( he did give me names, apologies will name check next time we chat to Martin)
All these trainers help the jockey produce what has been a good season for him, listen to him chat to me about his second winner of the afternoon

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/martin-mcintyre-jockey-of-sidbury-hill-winner-timico-mixed-open-for-sally-rawlins-larkhill-5-3-17

A double for the day for the Irish Jockey Martin McIntyre 

The first of his winners came in the open maiden, Harriette Besent a local trainer sending out Bee Crossing to take the race by eight lengths from Delgany Devil and Ed Doggerell.
Listen to the trainer as she chats to me about her horse.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/trainer-harriette-besent-after-bee-crossing-wins-the-maiden-open-at-larkhill-5-3-17







We also caught up with the in form Irishman about the six year old mare and his season so far.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/jockey-martin-mcintyre-after-bee-crossing-wins-the-maiden-open-at-larkhill-5-3-17

Bee Crossing (right) on the run to the line with Delgany Devil

Champion trainer and jockey Jack Barber and Will Biddick took the two mile four furlong open maiden for 4,5 and 6 year old with a very nice looking five year old King Calvin,

King Calvin,

Listen to both trainer and jockey chat about the horse, and the preparation of their Cheltenham Foxhunter entry Ask the Weatherman a winner at the beginning of the year here at Larkhill.

Trainer
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/jack-barber-trainer-of-king-calvin-winner-of-456-year-old-open-maiden-2m-4-f-larkhill-5-3-17

Jockey
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/will-biddick-jockey-on-king-calvin-winner-of-456-year-old-open-maiden-2m-4-f-larkhill-5-3-17

Will Biddick drives home impressive winner King Calvin

James king notched up the winner of the  two mile four furlongs restricted on Swivel for Axelle Wall, who coupled his successes on the flat and under rules to take the race by a distance from David Mansell on Joey Kangaroo.

Swivel

We chat to the jockey about the horse after the race.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/james-king-jockey-of-swivel-winner-of-the-2m-4-f-restricted-at-larkhill-5-3-17

James king on Swivel

Don't forget you can listen and view images and podcasts from the 2016-17 season at

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

SEE YOU SOON

OVER THE MOON AT UNDERWOODS DOUBLE AND A TRIP WITH YORK

Rainbows end but no gold at Kingston Blount

The first of five meetings at the Oxfordshire point to point course Kingston Blount, The Kingston Blount Racing Club (well worth the money if you wanted to join at £20) hosted the first meeting in 2017 at the left handed  undulating track.

some well attended maidens, restricted and conditions races. Not so many in both the Ladies and men's opens, but what lacked quantity  the races gained massively in Quality.

Seamusjay

Seamusjay took the first race, the 4,5,6 year old open maiden race over 2m 4 f by four lengths from Alan Hills Big Time Frank.

Trained by Gerald Bailey and ridden by Tom McClorey, listen to what the jockey has to say about the five year old Gelding

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/tom-mcclorey-on-board-seamusjay-winner-of-the-456-year-olds-open-maiden-kingston-blount-4-3-17

For the older maidens over the full three miles Thomas Gallagher saddled Top Man Tim to win the maiden race for the ten year old  gelding.

The trainer talks to me about his winning maiden.
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/thomas-gallagher-after-top-man-tim-wins-6-year-olds-and-up-open-maiden-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Top Man Tim

Jockey Shane Roche, who is now a regular on the point to point podcasts on board yet another winner for the Irish trainer, mentioned in his second season so far in the UK he is having a very positive education into the English Point to point scene.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/shane-roche-riding-top-man-tim-to-win-the-6-year-olds-and-up-open-maiden-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Jockey Shane Roche, who is now a regular on the point to point podcasts

Done with the maidens, the meeting progressed onto the Conditions race, where a duo that has given many years service to the Point to Point industry took the race with Ten Year old Templepirate.

Trainer Tim Underwood chats about his winner.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/tim-underwood-templepirate-wins-part-one-of-a-double-conditions-race-at-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Jockey Phil York who at this racecourse last year notched up a memorable milestone in winners ridden, took over the ride on a horse were novice riders early on in the season have had success.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/phil-york-after-riding-templepiratepart-one-of-a-double-conditions-race-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Templepirate.

The duo struck again later in the afternoon in the Lawney Hill Racing Restricted,.

The sponsor wife of at present leading point to point trainer Alan Hill, and herself a well respected under rules trainer gave the prize to the double winning Tim Underwood and Phil York, who she has know for many years.

Listen to both trainer and jockey chat about Cheltenham Mati a five year old grey mare  who battled her way to the line to take the race by a couple of lengths

Trainer
https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/tim-underwood-cheltenham-mati-wins-part-two-of-a-double-in-the-restricted-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Cheltenham Mati

Jockey

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/phil-york-after-riding-cheltenham-matipart-two-of-a-doublerestricted-race-at-kingston-blount-4-3-17

The duo struck again later in the afternoon in the Lawney Hill Racing Restricted

Both Opens lacked quantity, but what they lacked in that quarter the made up plenty in quality.
The Skinners pet foods ladies open four went to post
Lynn Redmans Goodnight Vienna ridden by Tabatha Worsley 91
Alan Hills Vesperal Dream Ridden by Izzie Marshall  102
West Cork Flash ridden and trained by Lucinda Ticehurts 76
Vedettariat from the Tom Ellis yard, ridden by Gina Andrews.104
The latter showed class and staying power, with a touch of speed to beat Vesperal Dream by twelve lengths.

Vedettariat

Listen to the trainer chat about the eight year old and his possible future.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/tom-ellis-after-vedettariat-takes-the-skinners-pet-foods-ladies-open-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Also I chat to leading and retaining lady rider Gina Andrews on what she thought of the  horse rated 104 in the pointing ratings

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/gina-andrews-after-riding-vedettariat-the-skinners-pet-foods-ladies-open-kingston-blount-4-3-17

 leading and retaining lady rider Gina Andrews

The men's open, the same amount of runners
Alan Hills Consigliere Joe Hill 108
Laura Thomas Full Throttle ridden by Johnny Bailey 110
Tim Underwood's Golden Crisp ridden by Phil York 83
David Kemp's Master Workman ridden by Sam Davies Thomas 99

Full Throttle took the honours by eight lengths from Master Workman again in impressive style

Full Throttle

Listen to Laura Thomas

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/laura-thomas-trainer-of-full-throttle-winner-of-the-volvo-xc90mens-open-kingston-blount-4-3-17

And Johnny Bailey

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/johnny-bailey-jockey-of-full-throttle-winner-of-the-volvo-xc90mens-open-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Chat about this horse that now has been successful from the beginning of the season.

The intermediate, again a good contest for a last race of the afternoon was played out to a crowd that were seeking shelter from the forthcoming rain showers.

Peeping Thom from the yard of Craig Pilgrim and ridden by Paige Fuller for her first win under pointing flags this season. Her under rules campaign going slightly better.

We caught up with Paige to chat about the horse and her season.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pugh-850602593/paige-fuller-peeping-thom-to-win-the-connollys-red-mills-intermediate-at-kingston-blount-4-3-17

Peeping Thom

Don't forget to listen to other podcasts from throughout the season, and look at images taken

WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK