Cheltenham Festival Declarations
The Cheltenham Festival declarations for the feature races came out this week with only four weeks to go to the start of the 2008 festival. The Cheltenham declarations for the Gold Cup, the Ryanair Chase, the Champion Hurdle, the Queen Mother and the World Hurdle all have the very best in the final decs. The eagerly-awaited clash between Paul Nicholls’ two brilliant chasers, Denman and Kauto Star, in the 2008 Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup moved one step closer today following the publication of the remaining forfeits for chasing’s Blue Riband event, which takes place on Friday, March 14.
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The big two have failed to deter their opponents in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with 34 entries remaining, five more than at the same stage in 2007. The 2006 winner Kicking King, 2007 runner-up Exotic Dancer, Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner The Listener and Letheby & Christopher Chase victor Knowhere are among other leading contenders.
There are 29 remaining in the Champion Hurdle with 17 of those trained in Ireland, including the 2007 winner Sublimity and brilliant AIG Europe Champion Hurdle victor Sizing Europe. Osana winner of the Grade Two Boylesports International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December, adds further spice to the contest as does the runner-up that day, 2007 JCB Triumph Hurdle hero Katchit.
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March 12 sees the running of the Quenn Mother Champion Chase and this promises to be another race to savour with Master Minded and Voy Por Ustedes - who finished first and second in Saturday’s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury - among the 22 remaining in the two-mile contest as well as the likes of Twist Magic and five Irish-trained contenders including 2006 winner Newmill.
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The Ryanair Chase is a Grade One event for the first time this year on Thursday, March 13, and it has a star-studded 41-strong entry remaining after the forfeit stage. Mossbank, owned by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, would be an appropriate winner and he is one of 11 Irish-trained entries.
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There are 33 entries remaining in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, with the brilliant Inglis Drever set to start a red-hot favourite to land an event in which he was also successful in 2005 and 2007. The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Wichita Lineman, Blazing Bailey, winner of the Steel Plates and Sections Hurdle at Cheltenham on January 1, and dual Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace are among others engaged.