GORDON ELLIOTT GOT off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival when Wodhooh justified favouritism with a game display in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
The six-year-old won the last race of the meeting, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, 12 months ago and proved a welcome tonic for her handler once again after some disappointing reversals in the opening two days of the meeting.
Sent off the 5/6 market leader in the hands of Jack Kennedy after two impressive victories this term, she demonstrated her class to hold off last year’s runner-up Jade de Grugy up the run-in and strike at the highest level for the first time.
Bambino Fever never challenged as 40/1 outsider White Noise won the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, the opener on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins’ mare, winner of the Champion Bumper here last year, was a red-hot favourite at even money but never got involved as White Noise earned jockey Tom Bellamy his first festival win.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Oldschool Outlaw, ridden by Mark Walsh, was a length and a quarter back in second at odds of 15/2, while Willie Mullins’ Place de la Nation was third at odds of 28/1.
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White Noise wins the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle 🏆
A three-time winner earlier in the season, she was then defeated in Grade Two company at Warwick last month, but roared back to form with a brilliant performance from the front end.
A superb leap at the last sealed victory for White Noise, who is also a first Festival success for Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey in combination with training partner Mat Nicholls.
“I got in no rhythm,” Bambino Fever’s jockey Paul Townend said afterwards. “The ground might have been a little too quick for her.”
Golden Miller Handicap Chase
Meetmebythesea provided Ben Pauling and Ben Jones with the perfect Cheltenham Gold Cup appetiser when storming to victory in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The King George-winning trainer and jockey will go for gold with The Jukebox Man on Friday, but Meetmebythesea had long been talked of as one of their leading chances of the Festival and delivered in style at odds of 9/1.
As has been the theme of the week, Jones had the six-year-old up with the pace throughout and having entered the home straight locked in battle with runner-up Gold Dancer, a tremendous jump at the last enabled Meetmebythesea to surge four and three-quarter lengths clear.
Meetmebythesea takes the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase 🏆
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Cheltenham round-up: Wodhooh gets Gordon Elliott off the mark, Bambino Fever falls flat
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
GORDON ELLIOTT GOT off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival when Wodhooh justified favouritism with a game display in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
The six-year-old won the last race of the meeting, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, 12 months ago and proved a welcome tonic for her handler once again after some disappointing reversals in the opening two days of the meeting.
Sent off the 5/6 market leader in the hands of Jack Kennedy after two impressive victories this term, she demonstrated her class to hold off last year’s runner-up Jade de Grugy up the run-in and strike at the highest level for the first time.
Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle
Bambino Fever never challenged as 40/1 outsider White Noise won the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, the opener on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins’ mare, winner of the Champion Bumper here last year, was a red-hot favourite at even money but never got involved as White Noise earned jockey Tom Bellamy his first festival win.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Oldschool Outlaw, ridden by Mark Walsh, was a length and a quarter back in second at odds of 15/2, while Willie Mullins’ Place de la Nation was third at odds of 28/1.
A three-time winner earlier in the season, she was then defeated in Grade Two company at Warwick last month, but roared back to form with a brilliant performance from the front end.
A superb leap at the last sealed victory for White Noise, who is also a first Festival success for Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey in combination with training partner Mat Nicholls.
“I got in no rhythm,” Bambino Fever’s jockey Paul Townend said afterwards. “The ground might have been a little too quick for her.”
Golden Miller Handicap Chase
Meetmebythesea provided Ben Pauling and Ben Jones with the perfect Cheltenham Gold Cup appetiser when storming to victory in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
The King George-winning trainer and jockey will go for gold with The Jukebox Man on Friday, but Meetmebythesea had long been talked of as one of their leading chances of the Festival and delivered in style at odds of 9/1.
As has been the theme of the week, Jones had the six-year-old up with the pace throughout and having entered the home straight locked in battle with runner-up Gold Dancer, a tremendous jump at the last enabled Meetmebythesea to surge four and three-quarter lengths clear.
Cheltenham results – Thursday
1.20pm – Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle
1. White Noise (40/1)
2. Oldschool Outlaw (15/2)
3. Place De La Nation (25/1)
2pm – Golden Miller Handicap Chase
1. Meetmebythesea (9/1)
2. Gold Dancer (25/1)
3. Regent’s Stroll (5/1jf)
4. King Alexander (20/1)
2.40pm – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle
1. Wodhooh (5/6f)
2. Jade de Grugy (2/1)
3. Feet Of A Dancer (6/1)
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Cheltenham Day Three Horse Racing