# Cheltenham Day 2



## Clodagh (15 March 2017)

Well, will I be able to watch Might Bite? I love him but am so worried about his jumping. He was going so well when he fell at the last at Kempton...fingers crossed.
I hope Douvan romps round I got bored with the Mullins & Walsh show last year but almost feel sorry for them now! Douvan is so impressive and I hope he comes home safe and sound.
Anyone else looking forward to specifics? I hope Neon Wolf matches the hype too.


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## Mariposa (15 March 2017)

I'm really excited to see Might Bite, I hope he shows the same class he did at Newbury and proves his doubters wrong!

As well as Douvan I'm looking forward to seeing Whisper in the RSA, Quantitiveeasing in the Cross Country...and I rather like My Mate Mark in the bumper! Oh and Fox Norton in the Queen Mother Chase...could he give Douvan a run for his money? ( Probably not but you never know!)

Happy Day 2 all!


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## Crazy_cat_lady (15 March 2017)

Got a good commentary yesterday from radio 5 so popped headphones in at work I was impressed with their updates on the horses who fell.

I think Fox Norton will win the champion chase not put any money on as don't really bet. 

Talking of betting just reading the BBC commentary and how does the below work? Why would you put money on and get less back? Or do they get their original money back too? Nice to have 400,000 not sure I'd be gambling it if I had it though!! 

"Horse racing.
Posted at 13:13
Yesterday a male punter placed a bet of £400,000, at odds of 1-4, on favourite Altior in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase.

It came in to earn the punter £100,000. Well, the same person is at it again, this time putting HALF A MILLION POUNDS on favourite Douvan to win the big race of the day - the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The odds are 1-5 and he will collect an additional £100,000 if Douvan wins.

Crikey."


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## Elf On A Shelf (15 March 2017)

You get your stake back so you put on 400k at 1/4 you get 500k back.


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## Crazy_cat_lady (15 March 2017)

Ah thank you did think it was weird to be paying with no return! Don't think I'd be brave enough to do that &#128552;


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## *Whinney* (15 March 2017)

RIP Consul De Thaix. Thoughts with all his people.


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## *Whinney* (15 March 2017)

Goodness me! Heart in mouth every time Might Bite took a fence! I hope he won.


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## *Whinney* (15 March 2017)

Wow! By the skin of his teeth.


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## Kadastorm (15 March 2017)

Woah, what a bit of luck for Nico. 
That loose horse looked to be having a ball and helped out too  

Really sad to hear of the loss of Consul De Thaix, crashing fall.


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## Mariposa (15 March 2017)

The best race of the festival so far I think! Feeling a bit frazzled now!


Very sorry to hear of Consul De Thaix, thoughts with all who loved him


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## Elf On A Shelf (15 March 2017)

Well! Mullins really can't buy a winner this week so far! Douvan should have been doing handstands and pulling googly eyed faces at the rest as he sauntered across the line but not today! 

He actually didn't look as though he travelled at all, nothing like the horse of previous runs that has blown everything else out of the water!

Well done to Special Tiara though! 

... Ruby does not look happy walking in! Whoops!


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## scotlass (15 March 2017)

Really gutsy run by Special Tiara.

Douvan didn't look happy a long way out.  Hopefully they can get to the bottom of that run, as he didn't even look ordinary today in the race.


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## PorkChop (15 March 2017)

Brilliant race from Special Tiara


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## Mariposa (15 March 2017)

Made me cry! Well done Special Tiara and Noel...what guts! I had my money on Fox Norton but you can't take anything from amazing Special Tiara!


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## Jenni_ (15 March 2017)

Had my money on Special Tiara as a total afterthought and joke with a colleague - she's a proper princess so I said 'That reminds me of you, Imma stick a tenner on it and if it comes in the cakes are on me tomorrow'

Bloody came in! I am going to start using that as my picking method from now on!


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## Elf On A Shelf (15 March 2017)

Its that man Elliott again! 1 and 2 in the cross country race!


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## Mariposa (15 March 2017)

He is on fire! Loving his happy facebook updates too!


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## Elf On A Shelf (15 March 2017)

I see  Elliott also won the Bumper. 

I did say in a previous thread that Elliott will be challenging Mullins for the top trainer accolade! But I will admit that I didn't expect it to be quite such a thrashing! It must be a real kick in the teeth for Mullins to be beaten in the 2 races he had made his own over the years - the mares race (beaten by one of his former inmates - ouch!) And the bumper.


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## scotlass (15 March 2017)

Douvan found to be lame behind on post-race vet examination.   Although not showing any signs of lameness at the end of the race, according to Willie Mullins, he is now "quite sore" and will be going for x-rays and possibly a MRI in the next few days.   Hopefully nothing major, because today's race apart, is a very good horse.

Ruby Walsh's comment of "We were beaten a long way out, he didn't jump well. He didn't feel right and he never got going." ... why then didn't he pull up?  He was on the horse's case well before the final bend.


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## marotelle (16 March 2017)

If Ruby Walsh felt the horse wasn't right, for Heaven's sakes why didn't he pull up? Surely he must know the horse well and his wellfare should have come first, the horse 
missed judged several jumps, the writing was on the wall, it was painful to Watch the pair were Lucky to come home without a fall,I hope the horse hasn't caused itself further damage by finishing the race.....


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## Wimbles (16 March 2017)

Had a thoroughly lovely day in the sunshine at Cheltenham yesterday with some fantastic racing and beautiful horses to enjoy.

My heart broke watching the lass of Consul de Thaix walking back into the paddock in floods of tears without her beloved horse.

It was a real privilege to watch Sprinter Sacre parade before racing, he looked as well and as keen as he had when we were lucky enough to watch him win his previous Champion Chases. 

We were lucky enough to speak to Nicky Henderson who is a real hero of mine and was as lovely, polite and enthusiastic as I hoped he would be.

I smiled watching Mick Fitzgerald handing out sweets to the paddock staff.

Won £97 off a £2 bet on Flying Tiger just because he had a similar name to my ex racer!  Ridiculous!

Hope it isn't anything too awful for Douvan, he didn't look too bad walking back so fingers crossed.


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## KautoStar1 (16 March 2017)

marotelle said:



			If Ruby Walsh felt the horse wasn't right, for Heaven's sakes why didn't he pull up? Surely he must know the horse well and his wellfare should have come first, the horse 
missed judged several jumps, the writing was on the wall, it was painful to Watch the pair were Lucky to come home without a fall,I hope the horse hasn't caused itself further damage by finishing the race.....
		
Click to expand...

I guess there is a big difference between a horse not feeling right as such and a horse that's wrong.  And although the horse made some wild jumps and didn't travel as well as he usually does that doesnt necessarily mean a jockey is going to pull up. 
He said on the radio this morning that he was waiting for the horse to settle and come back to himself and at the top of the hill Dickie J asked him why he was so far back and he said he wasn't travelling and did he look ok and Dickie said he looked to be moving fine.  So he sat and hoped the horse would pick up and the field would come back to them.  Neither did.  He's pulled up a few this week so I'm sure he would have had the horse felt lame.   Sometimes things aren't as clear cut.   It wasn't his usual performance but I can't say it was painful to watch as such.  He didn't get flogged. That would have been painful. 

Hopefully they will find a reason and fix it and we'll see him out again next season.


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