Entries are revealed today for the £60,000 Grade Two
galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (3.35pm) which takes place over three miles on
Festival Trials Day, Saturday, January 25.
As
expected, the entries are headed by the record-breaking Big Buck's, who
will be making his first appearance since December 1, 2012. Owned by the
Stewart Family and trained by Paul Nicholls, the remarkable 11-year-old has
landed the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at The Festival a record four times (2009,
2010, 2011 and 2012) and has registered a record 18 consecutive races over
Jumps.
Big
Buck's won the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle in 2009 and 2012. The Stewart
Family and Paul Nicholls could also run Saphir Du Rheu, winner of the
Listed Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton Park on January 11. Sam Twiston-Davies is
set to partner Big Buck's for the first time on Saturday.
Sam
Twiston-Davies, who enjoyed three winners from three rides at Leicester today,
said: "I can't wait until Saturday. Days like today are great because they
just help your confidence.
"If
you just go and do what you normally do, then hopefully things will go right.
Big Buck's is a very, very exciting horse and I am very lucky guy.
"The
entries came out today (for Saturday's race) and there are 11 of them and eight
or nine may turn up. After sitting on him the other day, I couldn't be happier.
He just finds everything very easy. I did three kind of routine canters on him
on Friday and then schooled him.
"Everything
for him is very, very easy. It is all in his stride - he is never out of breath
or doing anything that is too strenuous. He just has that engine - he is a top
horse.
"I
am looking forward to it. It is a nice position to be in because you are riding
the best horse in the race. Do things right and hopefully it will work
out."
A total
of 11 horses have been entered for the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle. The
strongest opposition to Big Buck's could well come from Reve De Sivola (Nick
Williams) who won the contest 12 months ago and has taken the last two renewals
of the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. At Fisher's Cross (Rebecca
Curtis) won the 2013 Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, while Boston
Bob (Willie Mullins) is a Grade One winner over both hurdles and fences.
Welsh
handler Evan Williams has entered Lienosus, who could make a quick
reappearance after recording a facile victory under top-weight in a handicap
hurdle at Taunton on January 18. The lightly-raced eight-year-old had
previously finished third in the Grade Two Persian War Novices' Hurdle at
Chepstow on October 26.
Williams
reported today: "We will keep an eye on the Cleeve Hurdle for Lienosus,
but I am not saying he is going to run.
"I
can't imagine there will be many runners and if he seems OK come declaration
time, we will definitely keep an eye on it.
"It
was a terribly poor run in Bangor on his penultimate appearance, but it was
good to see him bounce back at Taunton. He did it nicely there and is a horse I
have always thought the world of.
"I
think on his day when we have got him spot on he is a nice horse. Obviously,
the competition in the Cleeve will be very hot, but there is some good prize
money for the placings."
Also entered
are Knockara Beau (George Charlton), Lie Forrit (Lucinda
Russell), Mikhael D'Haguenet (Willie Mullins), Quartz de Thaix
(Venetia Williams) and Bravo Bravo (Mark Gillard).
Entries
were also unveiled today for the £30,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
(12.40pm), run over two miles and a furlong and the opening race on Festival
Trials Day.
Evan
Williams could also be represented in this contest by Ballyglasheen, who
was victorious last time out at Cheltenham at The International on December 14,
when causing a 33/1 upset. On that occasion, the son of Galileo beat Kentucky
Hyden (Nicky Henderson) by a neck with Commissioned (John Ferguson)
and Vincenzo Mio (Paul Nicholls) in third and fourth respectively.
Williams
commented: "We will definitely have a look at the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial
for Ballyglasheen. He has been in very good form and has probably improved a
bit since his win there last time.
"I
was very surprised at Cheltenham and thought it was a very fluky performance,
but I thought it was a poor race.
"The
second, third and fourth horses are probably over-hyped and we were a little
bit more streetwise."
Another
possible starter is Goodwood Mirage (Jonjo O'Neill), a former smart
performer on the Flat who was sold for 380,000 guineas at Tattersalls in
October. He made a winning debut over hurdles when scoring at Kempton Park on
January 11.
About
Festival Trials Day
Many of
the horses that run on Festival Trials Day are having their final preparation
before The Festival and it is rare that this meeting does not feature at least
one subsequent Festival winner. In 2013, two horses found themselves in the
winner's enclosure on both Festival Trials Day and The Festival itself,
Sprinter Sacre and At Fishers Cross.
Festival
Trials Day is a great opportunity to see Jump racing's superstars and
experience the excitement as The Festival draws closer. Even better, it takes
place on a Saturday so there is no need to take a day off to enjoy a visit to
The Home of Jump Racing.
After
racing, there is another Brightwells Bloodstock sale. Seewww.brightwells.com
for more information.
The
gates open at 10.30am with the first of seven races at 12.40pm and the last
race due off at 4.10pm.
The
seven-race card features four Grade Two contests - the JCB Triumph Hurdle
Trial, the Argento Chase, the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle and
the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.
Complementing
the four Grade Two contests are three competitive handicaps - the Grade Three
freebets.com Trophy Handicap Chase, the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase and
the Steel Plate & Sections Handicap Hurdle.
The
Festival, which takes place on four days between Tuesday, March 11 and Friday,
March 14, is the next racing at Cheltenham.
About
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham
Racecourse is situated in Prestbury on the outskirts of the historic spa town
of Cheltenham. The Home of Jump Racing, Cheltenham Racecourse is the venue for
the world's pre-eminent Jump Racing meeting, The Festival, which takes place in
March every year. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Cotswolds,
Cheltenham Racecourse is a stunning natural amphitheatre and offers the highest-quality
action throughout the Jump season.
Cheltenham
has been voted Britain's Racecourse of the Year for the last 10 years by
members of the Racegoers Club. Between 1972 and 2013, there have been 41
Racecourse of the Year Awards voted for by Racegoers Club members and
Cheltenham Racecourse has achieved the top accolade on 19 occasions.
Please
find more details at www.cheltenham.co.uk and
through Twitter (@CheltenhamRaces) and Facebook www.facebook.com/thehomeofjumpracing
Cheltenham
Racecourse is part of The Jockey Club, which has been at the heart of British
racing for more than 260 years. Today the largest commercial group in the
sport, The Jockey Club runs the largest racecourse group in the UK by turnover
(2012: £142.1m), courses (15) including those at Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom
Downs and Newmarket, attendances (2012: 1.8m), total prize money (2012:
£35.3m), contribution to prize money (2012: £16.5m) and quality racing (Group
and Graded races); more than 3,000 acres of world-class training grounds in
Newmarket and Lambourn; The National Stud breeding enterprise and education
provider; and the charity for racing's people in need, Racing Welfare. Governed
by Royal Charter, every penny The Jockey Club makes it puts back into British
racing. More information is available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
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