# The Cheltenham Festival



## Elf On A Shelf (17 March 2021)

You can forget the rest of the Festival now! Watching Tiger Roll Bob round the Cross Country chase leaving them all in his wake will be the best sight of the week! What a cracking little horse he is! 

5 Festival wins going right back to a 4yo winning the Triumph Hurdle. A National Hunt Chase and 3x Cross Country Chases to his name along with 2 Grand Nationals and a plethora of other wins to his name! 

He truly is the King of the Festival!


----------



## sjb10 (17 March 2021)

Just saw this on BBC (news, not race sadly) - great result!!


----------



## Caski (17 March 2021)

Brought me to tears, such a brave little horse!


----------



## Nicnac (17 March 2021)

Absolutely incredible. And don't forget the girls with Rachael yesterday and Put the Kettle On earlier.


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (17 March 2021)

Nicnac said:



			Absolutely incredible. And don't forget the girls with Rachael yesterday and Put the Kettle On earlier.
		
Click to expand...

Pft! Those lasses (human and equine) are on the upgrade. Tiger Roll coming back to form after everything that has gone on will be the biggest talking point of the week regardless of what has gone on before and will come after until last race Friday! He truly is the King of the Festival!

I mean no disrespect to the other horses in the slightest BTW! They will have other years too but this one belong to Tiger Roll!


----------



## Fraggle2 (17 March 2021)

Amazing little horse. You could see he was enjoying it. Watched him with a smile on my face 🙂


----------



## Crazy_cat_lady (17 March 2021)

Hope they retire him now, he's done more than enough let him retire on a high and get to enjoy a well deserved retirement. There's plenty of other jobs he can have fun doing 

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like they will, plus given the greedy owner, no chance


----------



## YorkshireLady (17 March 2021)

well they saying prob Irish National


----------



## Caski (17 March 2021)

Damn! I would like him as a hunter!


----------



## Crazy_cat_lady (17 March 2021)

Caski said:



			Damn! I would like him as a hunter!
		
Click to expand...

Whoever gets him will be very lucky. Just want him to get out safe, so many aren't so lucky. They're pushing their luck with him...

Just read "hopefully he gets to go back to Aintree next year"


----------



## Nicnac (17 March 2021)

Mustn't forget who trains Tiger either!  He certainly deserves some credit too.


----------



## McGrools (17 March 2021)

Put the Kettle On was the highlight for me today. Love it when the mares stick it to the geldings. She was just so tough! Her will to win was incredible. Aiden Coleman’s words were so well said. Brilliant racing today. 
But why do the Irish have all the best horses?


----------



## McGrools (17 March 2021)

fraggle2 said:



			Amazing little horse. You could see he was enjoying it. Watched him with a smile on my face 🙂
		
Click to expand...

He really loves it doesnt he. He was proof today that some horses just love what they do. 😊


----------



## Tiddlypom (17 March 2021)

Nicnac said:



			Mustn't forget who trains Tiger either!  SHe certainly deserves some credit too.
		
Click to expand...

Denise Foster, you mean ?


----------



## Nicnac (17 March 2021)

Tiddlypom said:



			Denise Foster, you mean ?
		
Click to expand...

Absolutely  aka (s)he who must not be mentioned.


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (17 March 2021)

McGrools said:



			But why do the Irish have all the best horses?
		
Click to expand...

Because they see them in the yards and point to points first and snap them up before the Brits get half a look in. Plus most of them are bred over there. And it's a numbers game.

I remember someone asking Mullins where he gets all his good horses from and he said - you look at pedigrees, you buy enough of them and hope that some of them turn out good enough. Nothing special really.


----------



## McGrools (17 March 2021)

Elf On A Shelf said:



			Because they see them in the yards and point to points first and snap them up before the Brits get half a look in. Plus most of them are bred over there. And it's a numbers game.

I remember someone asking Mullins where he gets all his good horses from and he said - you look at pedigrees, you buy enough of them and hope that some of them turn out good enough. Nothing special really.
		
Click to expand...

Thanks Elf. They are giving us a sound thrashing this year... so far. Hopefully a few English winners will come in over the next few days. Hoping the Gold Cup comes to the home team x


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (17 March 2021)

Gordon Elliot has missed 3 winners so far. Tiger Roll who remained at Cullentra, Galvin who went back to Ferguson and Sir Gerhard who won the Bumper today for Mullins. Tiger Roll will be the hardest one to swallow but hey! He f'ed up so serves him right!


----------



## Peregrine Falcon (17 March 2021)

Heaven Help Us ran a cracker.


----------



## Brummyrat (18 March 2021)

As much as I loved seeing Tiger doing what he loves, Heaven Help Us was the story of the day for me too.  Paul Hennessy walking her in after saying "She's my Enable".  How fabulous.

So sad for Kings Temptation, looked as though he landed awkwardly at a previous fence which I imagine caused something to give further down the course, RIP beautiful boy.


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (18 March 2021)

Correction to my previous post - GE has missed 4 winners which would have made him leading trainer at the moment. Black Tears was the other one.

I won't get to see much if any other Festival today as I am at that wonderfully delightful (please read Biggest Hell Hole On Earth instead) place that is Hexham today with 7 runners. Blah.


----------



## Parrotperson (18 March 2021)

Elf!!!! Dissing my local track!! Nought wrong with Hexham on a sunny day........


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (18 March 2021)

Parrotperson said:



			Elf!!!! Dissing my local track!! Nought wrong with Hexham on a sunny day........
		
Click to expand...

No except that fact that everything is on a hill ... 

Today was a grand day to be fair, warm but not sunny. Stable yard going - resurfaced with grit that got in your boots and refused to leave no matter how many times you shake it out, the turf was bare, heavy, tacky mud. Still the horses ran mostly well enough with Big Bad Borris finishing 2nd by a head ...


----------



## Parrotperson (18 March 2021)

yep. I'll concede everything is on a hill.....

But its a lovely natural amphitheatre so always good viewing 

Well done Big Bad Boris!!


----------



## Northern Hare (18 March 2021)

Parrotperson said:



			Elf!!!! Dissing my local track!! Nought wrong with Hexham on a sunny day........
		
Click to expand...

Another vote for Hexham Racecourse, but only on a sunny and still day! I cycled up past the Racecourse on Sunday and it was so windy I nearly got blown off my bike! 

We went to Hexham Racecourse last year for the same Cheltenham meeting as today's meeting. When we got out of the car you could hardly stand up, and the rain was like standing in front of a pressure washer! They did a test prior to the meeting being abandoned, and that was for the course officials to see if they could hold one of the screens up that they use to screen a casualty on the course - and they all nearly took of down to course!


----------



## Parrotperson (18 March 2021)

🤣🤣🤣🤣. Not surprised. 🤣🤣🤣


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (18 March 2021)

Northern Hare said:



			Another vote for Hexham Racecourse, but only on a sunny and still day! I cycled up past the Racecourse on Sunday and it was so windy I nearly got blown off my bike!

We went to Hexham Racecourse last year for the same Cheltenham meeting as today's meeting. When we got out of the car you could hardly stand up, and the rain was like standing in front of a pressure washer! They did a test prior to the meeting being abandoned, and that was for the course officials to see if they could hold one of the screens up that they use to screen a casualty on the course - and they all nearly took of down to course!
		
Click to expand...

I was there that day ... it was incredibly obvious that the racing could not go ahead! We were all hands on deck to get horses unloaded safely - it didn't matter which was round you parked your truck the wind still got you. People were holding ramps, doors and partitions whilst others were taking the horses off. Once one truck was done we all moved onto the next one. The clerk went out to check the course, the hurdles were barely staying in the ground and then they declared that racing was to go ahead but they would omit the fences with 60mph gusts and keep in the ones with 50mph gusts ... because the wind follows exactly the same course every time... it was then a paramedic that came into the weighing room and asked about the green screens so that caused a mad panic and dash out to the home straight to see about the screens. They pulled every member of fence staff from the entire course to hold these screens - 28 people in total - and they couldn't hold them. And if you needed another set of screens at the same time you were screwed. Plus you can't pull every member of fence staff to one place quickly. So they finally abandoned 30mins before the first race. And so the loading process began again with everyone chipping in to help hold doors and partitions so no one got decapitated. It was just ludicrous! 

I have been at Hexham when it has been abandoned before the 2nd race due to rain - there was a puddle of standing water in the dip down the back and the clerk was out standing in it, on TV, saying it's not that bad when 2 ducks swam past him and he admitted defeat.


----------



## Northern Hare (19 March 2021)

Hi Elf! 

How amazing that you were also there last year! It was really interesting to hear your memories of the day - I did really feel sorry for everyone on the racing side of things as getting horses ready in that weather must have been so difficult!

I guess it says a lot that the Racecourse provides an indoor shelter by the Parade Ring for the horses in a barn. 

This was a photo I took after the horses had been out in the Parade Ring, but the rain had started, so everyone went inside to cover, before the Meeting was sadly announced as abandoned.


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

Oh I didn't bother getting my horses ready 😂🤣 we weren't in til the 3rd race 🤣😂


----------



## Orangehorse (19 March 2021)

Interesting to see how Willie Mullins gets his horses!  Aren't there tax breaks for breeders and lots of farmers have 2 or 3 brood mares, so there is a wide choice.

Point to points in Ireland seem to be the nursery for potential NH hunt racehorses, whereas in the UK they are where the older/less successful, NH throw outs run (with some notable exceptions).  If a horse goes from point to point to NH racing in the UK it is newsworthy, whereas it seems to be the norm in Ireland.


----------



## Kadastorm (19 March 2021)

Rachael Blackmore is having an amazing week!

Only got a single each way bet on The Cob, Native River and Frodon (I couldn’t pick one & it’s just for fun).


----------



## DabDab (19 March 2021)

Who's watching this afternoon? 
I'm slightly in love with the no17 (vanillia) in this one


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

DabDab said:



			Who's watching this afternoon?
I'm slightly in love with the no17 (vanillia) in this one
		
Click to expand...

You've picked a good one! They have ran a cracking race! 

I can't watch the Albert Barlett without watching Brindisi Breeze's race first!


----------



## DabDab (19 March 2021)

Yay! It won. That horse can come and live with me any day 😍


----------



## Kadastorm (19 March 2021)

I’m watching! Rachael is having an amazing week. I did well the second day with my bets but the last two days I’ve been pants 😂

I would love to see Frodon or Native River win the Gold Cup and if not, then I would love to see Rachael Blackmore get there. It’s been a great few days.


----------



## Fraggle2 (19 March 2021)

Also watching this afternoon. 🙂


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

I would love to see Al Boum Photo do the treble! But I would also love to see Native River win. Sorry but I think Bryony Frost will be an absolute disaster on tv if she wins. We have had a week of Rachael Blackmore being very straightforward, matter of fact speaker and ok maybe I am just a bit harder from racing compared to most horsey people but she is pathetic and childish in her interviews. 

It was nice of both Blackmore and Bromhead to give credit to the team at Cullentra over the win of Quilixios in the Triumph.


----------



## DabDab (19 March 2021)

Like the look of Champ (5) and of course Native River is gorgeous


----------



## DabDab (19 March 2021)

Well so much for Champ, he never seemed to be comfortable did he

Frodon can't half jump!


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

Well an absolute whitewash from the Irish! Rachel Blackmore is an amazing tactician! 
the home team are going to be scratching their heads now!


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

McGrools said:



			Well an absolute whitewash from the Irish! Rachel Blackmore is an amazing tactician!
the home team are going to be scratching their heads now!
		
Click to expand...

I did think it would be an interesting Festival with the restrictions on the travelling for most of the racing season which meant a lot of horses only met for the first time this week.


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

Elf On A Shelf said:



			I did think it would be an interesting Festival with the restrictions on the travelling for most of the racing season which meant a lot of horses only met for the first time this week.
		
Click to expand...

If they’d have met before we probably wouldnt have bothered turning up for the festival! Lol!


----------



## DabDab (19 March 2021)

Love the expression on the face of minella Indo. What a day for de Bromhead


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

[QUOTE="Frodon can't half jump![/QUOTE]

he is a superstar! Brave as a lion and loves it


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

[QUOTE="DabDab, post: 14574917, member:  What a day for de Bromhead[/QUOTE]
All 3 championship races! Some acheivement!


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

McGrools said:



			If they’d have met before we probably wouldnt have bothered turning up for the festival! Lol!
		
Click to expand...

Exactly! 🤣😂🤣 Nothing has really stuck out for me over here this year.


----------



## Kadastorm (19 March 2021)

The Irish have been incredible! Glad Native River got up for 4th and Frodon set a great pace but just couldn’t stay, I would love to jump him. I really like Bryony, people in racing don’t seem to but you can’t be everyone’s cuppa tea.


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

Elf On A Shelf said:



			Exactly! 🤣😂🤣 Nothing has really stuck out for me over here this year.
		
Click to expand...

i’m glad they televised quite a lot of the irish racing this season so at least we were more familiar with their runners, but yes they look in a different league x


----------



## Elf On A Shelf (19 March 2021)

So pleased for Will Bidick beating the big boys at their own game! Well deserved win!


----------



## Old school (19 March 2021)

Great week of racing. Delighted to see that it is big mix of winning owners and no one team wiping everyone's eye. For years the Irish breeder watched their horses win for English trainers and owners. It was always apparent how well schooled UK horses are. The Irish then improved their flatwork for racehorses and there is improved awareness of the other side, i.e. physio, dentist etc. Growing up in Ireland, the wolf teeth were removed and it sort of ended there. The UK had always been superior in their management. Maybe we are just catching up. Also delighted to see so few dramas of unpleasant fallers, screens etc. Did BHA give everyone a strict talking to? Certainly with the social stable having something like 40million plus engagement, how NH racing presents itself is crucial. Finally, poor Francesca seems to be choking with how well the Irish are doing.


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

Love that little grey mare Ellie May! Balls of steele! Reminds me of Little Tiger the 4* eventer from a few years back! 
fabulous week of racing! I think it will have done well for the image of the sport


----------



## McGrools (19 March 2021)

McGrools said:



			Love that little grey mare Ellie May! Balls of steele! Reminds me of Little Tiger the 4* eventer from a few years back!
fabulous week of racing! I think it will have done well for the image of the sport
		
Click to expand...



edited to add, very dodgy spelling! Meant to say Elimay! just looked at her breeding!


----------



## Velcrobum (19 March 2021)

I have been glued to my TV all week and really enjoyed the racing. Everyone tried so hard to make up for no spectators. It was nice to see the smaller fields only a few who should not have been there.


----------

