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CHELTENHAM 2026

R

rbtblb82

Colt
Might be a little bit early, but thought I might as well start a thread for this years festival....

Day 1 - Champions Day - Tuesday 10/03/2026
Day 2 - Ladies Day - Wednesday 11/03/2026
Day 3 - St Patrick's Thursday - Thursday 12/03/2026
Day 4 - Gold Cup Day - Friday 13/03/2026

Affordale Fury to win the Gold Cup @ 16/1.
 
A bit of a side track but what are the views on Cobden joining JP ? ,rumours doing the rounds that Bowen turned it down.
 
I heard it was offered straight to Harry Cobden. Should be good for both parties. Cobden is a very good jockey, I do think Bowen is better though, he's stronger and keeps the horse going longer with a more vigorous effort. Cobden is a good front runner though, and he has had a few rides in Ireland already, so he's familiar with the tracks and should do well.

As both he and Paul Nicholls said, it's too good of an offer for him to refuse, JP has a lot of good horses. Cobden's been champion jockey and I think he's now going for quality over quantity, he wants to win the big races, whereas I think Bowen is going to try to emulate A P McCoy and be champion jockey for years to come.

Cobden is defo going to have a fair few chances at Cheltenham.

I wonder if he will pull rank and take The New Lion away from Harry Skelton?
 
Well summed up. Agree with Bowen being the better. people always talk about his strength in a finish ,but it is often overlooked how versatile a jockey he is. He always has a plan A,B and C in running. Whilst i like Cobden , I worry how he will cope in Ireland in the bigger field races where things can often cut up rough. I think the New Lion is in safe enough hands with Harry Skelton.
 
Its interesting question actually completely different like mccoy and walsh. if you have a horse that travels really well then like walsh cobden just sits and lets the horses fine balance do its thing , where as if you need a horse that needs a bit of encouragement then who better than mccoy or bowen.
I think that bowen would have been better choice for the mcmanus style horses though.
 
Yeah i think Bowen wins on all types ,hold up jobs out the back ,front runners etc ,he can time a run to perfection , and. nobody sees a stride like him in UK or IRELAND. Although i hope it goes well for Cobden ,he is going to get some great rides for sure. A bit more cut throat over there though ,remember the days when Russell ,Cooper ,M Walsh and Townend ,always seemed to have a bit of needle, after the finish line in a close one, and everybody remembers the Mullins cousins having a bust up, and they were riding for the same trainer ! LOL.
 
Agreed, the same thing that I said and the same thing that Gerry said was said on the video I posted above as well -- that Cobden is going for quality and Bowen quantity (although Olly Murphy does have some good horses), and that Cobden is like Ruby Walsh and Bowen is like AP McCoy.

I wonder how many rides Mark Walsh will get at Cheltenham now, he should still get 2nd string JP horses as he's been retained for JP's horses with Irish trainers.

Nico De Boinville is having his concussion test before returning to racing soon, so should defo be back before Cheltenham (not that I rate him really).

Danny McMenamin, who is having a fine season so far, is touch and go to be back for Cheltenham apparently, his injury is quite bad.

Finally, Constitution Hill could be set to make his first appearance on the Flat after the British Horseracing Authority confirmed a £40,000 all-weather novice stakes at Southwell on Friday 20th February. Nicky Henderson said he will be running in this race, and has entered him for the Champion Hurdle, he said they will make a decision on whether or not he runs in the Champion Hurdle after the flat race at Southwell. Constitution Hill is currently listed at 12/1 for the Champion Hurdle, IF, and it's a big IF, but if he were to regain his confidence and get over the hurdles like he used to, that is a good price, if he runs and jumps like he has been, you'd want 100/1.
 
re- CONSTITUTIONAL HILL, In my opinion trotting around an all weather track and beating nothing is no more that we have seen with racecourse gallops, it won't demonstrate if he's capable of competing in group class flat races.
The problem appears to be his jumping and the only way to address that is by running him over hurdles, if you believe in that logic then surely they can find a small race before cheltenham and if that went wrong then surely he would be seen as a horse that is a danger to himself and jockey when it comes to hurdling.
 
I agree totally with you on that one T tacker get it over hurdles in small race get it jumping,
And i have heard n henderson say he has heard all the tips on what to do to get it to jump but not sure what to do in fact heard him say it couple times well i havnt seen you try get different jockey on it well he did when it did not run any race in ireland but was sore before race there but what about getting best jockey on it for champion hurdle the right bowen.
 
If CH goes to the festival and fatally falls heaven help NH racing . it was bad enough last Saturday ,the press and Antis would have a field day. Connections would be crucified ,and then imagine the focus on the sport come the Grand National.
 
If i were Michael Buckley i would not let CH near a hurdle ever again , run it on flat. The world we are living in now , if things went ass up ,it would be a serious dent in our sport. I hope i do not come over as a sensitive type. I did not agree with the reduction of the Grand National fences , and i also believe in the need of the whip. I just think in the case of such a high profile horse like CH surely it is a no brainer ?
 
stedz said:
If i were Michael Buckley i would not let CH near a hurdle ever again , run it on flat. The world we are living in now , if things went ass up ,it would be a serious dent in our sport. I hope i do not come over as a sensitive type. I did not agree with the reduction of the Grand National fences , and i also believe in the need of the whip. I just think in the case of such a high profile horse like CH surely it is a no brainer ?
Click to expand...
Well put stedz stedz
 
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Don't you think it's a shame though, he was such a good horse and jumper, where did it all go wrong, I really wanted him to keep smashing it up and end with an incredible record. I've only been a racing fan for 5 years or so, so I missed Best Mate, never really saw Desert Orchid, Arkle or Kauto Star (except re-runs on ITV4), I just think racing needs a big star atm.
 
The dam of Constitution Hill raced eleven times in two years and was whisked off to the paddocks, the grand dam raced eleven times and went to the paddocks and the great grand dam raced just four times before going to the paddocks.
Land Genie, Constitution Hill's half brother has raced eleven times.
Constitution Hill has gone backwards since racing in his twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth races.

For me, the pedigree does not display longevity, it suggests that this tail line becomes frail after a couple of years racing or 11 races.
 
Nature of the sport rbtbib82 ,i remember the foot and mouth ruling out istabraq going for his fourth ,i know it is a different scenario ,but it was a massive disappointment then too ,i was not into the sport then as much as i am now ,but certainly remember being gutted at the time. Another will come along for sure who knows without knowing it we may have already seen it. interesting stats on the ped there mimrob .
 
Bambino Fever just won in Ireland at 1/10 - I had her when she won at last years festival, she is a good horse, I do fancy her for Cheltenham but she's only the 5/2 favourite for the Mares Hurdle.
 
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