Review of the day

Some days, it feels as if the tips don’t really matter that much – and today was such a day…

Today was all about the racing – and one horse in particular, Sprinter Sacre…

I’ve waxed lyrical about him in the past, so I won’t bore you all going on about him again now.

Suffice to say, his victory in todays Champion chase was what NH racing is all about.

A magnificent horse putting in a magnificent performance – and it was fully appreciated by all – even the connections of those he beat.

From a tipping perspective, we effectively lost interest at the very first fence, when Sizing Granite made a shocking mistake.

I therefore felt no guilt about shouting on Sprinter Sacre – though to be honest, I might have done the same if it had been Sizing Granite that he was passing !

It wasn’t – it was Un de Sceaux. The apparent champion in waiting – put in his place by the returning king.

Splendid stuff !

It was almost as good in the very next race.

The 13 year old, Any Currency, finally getting his day in the sun after glorious defeats in the same race, the past 2 years.

You can only imagine how much it meant to his trainer, Martin Keighly…

And you wonder why the festival draws record crowds every year…

In terms of the remaining tips...

Then Vyta Du Roc was a disappointment in the RSA chase.

He never really featured in a race which I think he could have won.

With More of That and No More Heroes disappointing, the race was there for the taking – and I honestly think there is little in it, ability wise, between Vyta Du Roc and Blaklion.

However, where Vyta du Roc faltered, Blaklion stepped up to the mark – and won in tenacious fashion.

The following race did see a winning tip – courtesy of Diamond King.

We had been on him earlier in the season, when he was beaten at Fairyhouse.
That was in a good race – but he was running from a mark 17lb lower – and watching him power home today, you did wonder how he lost that day.

I guess the difference was how tuned up he was – today, I think it’s fair to say, he was fully tuned !

The other 2 tips in the race, Politologue and Hunters Hoof, ran reasonable races – as did the other 3 on my short list (Blazer finished fourth and Baouelt Delaroque fifth).

As for the mentions:

Then A Toi Phil was disappointing in the opener.

It was won in imperious fashion by Yorkhill – whose turn of foot made Yanworth look like a soft ground plodder !

The Fred Winter was won by one of the obvious ones, in Diego de Charmil – with one of the less obvious ones, Coo Star Sivola, a creditable third.

Finally, Ballyandy took the bumper, completing a great day for the Twiston Davies.

New to this Town was a big disappointment – whilst First Figaro put in a spirited finish – considering his jockey, Davy Russell, had no irons !

Good job Davy wasn’t so careless on Diamond King 

TVB