Cheltenham 2006 - Day 1 Review

"A fantastic start to the 2006 Cheltenham Festival with a winner from my first ride of the day. Voy Por Ustedes gave me a great ride and victory over Monet’s Garden.

He completed a five-timer over fences and apart from one mistake down the back he jumped perfectly as we took full advantage of the weight concession for 5-yr-olds. When Alan legged me up he said ‘the danger was Monet’s Garden’ and he was proved absolutely correct. I am delighted for all the staff at Barbury Castle and owner Sir Robert Ogden.

The day did not start well with two punctures! First port of call was a visit to my sponsor Hayman-Joyce at their Broadway Office along side the Lygon Arms. JP did not put in an appearance but the 40 guests of my sponsor listened to my views on the weeks rides with Voy Por Ustedes as my nap. Hopefully they all backed the horse.

My other rides went very much as expected with Penzance coming back to form before taking a soft fall at the final hurdle. He appeared none the worse and remains a top class horse. Fork Lightening ran a cracker to finish sixth and showed his Sandown run to be all wrong.

My final ride in the Fred Winter was on Mystery Lot and she ran a great race from the front before tiring and will be a horse to follow on Flat tracks. A quieter day tomorrow with just three rides. I start off in the Royal & Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle with a ride for Richard Philips on The Mick Weston. I am replacing Dickie Johnson and hope the horse can reproduce his bumper form at the course.

Alan runs two in the Coral Cup and Wayne retains the ride on Mughas whilst I ride Il Duce, again I hope he runs a sound race. Finally I ride Pangbourne in the bumper. We will try and lead from the start but they are sure to go a furious pace. Alan has been talking the horse up at various preview evenings after two consecutive wins and we should run a good race.

I will be back after Wednesday’s racing with a review and a preview of my Thursday rides, which hopefully will include My Way De Solzen as long as the rains come. Every drop that falls on Prestbury Park increase his chances of success. I do not think there is a better horse on soft or heavy ground."

Choc

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Cheltenham 2006 - Day 2 Review

"After a fantastic first day Wednesday was always going to be quieter. The Mick Weston in the Royal & Sun Alliance Novices Hurdle ran a good race, finished 12th which will have done his confidence the world of good.

In the Coral Cup I rode Il Duce and basically the weight and the quality of the opposition found him out. He will now be schooled over fences and go Novice Chasing next season.

Pangbourn ran an absolute cracker in the bumper, finished 9th and is a lovely horse for the future. He will go hurdling next season.

I am still the leading English jockey at the meeting being swamped by the Irish. Let’s hope I can add to my tally on Thursday where I have four rides.

I ride Hand Inn Hand in the Ryanair Chase for Henry Daly and this horse has had some problems with his wind. Hopefully the treatment he has had will work and we should run a good race.

I have picked up a spare ride for Jonjo O’Neill in the Racing Post Plate on Royal Hector and know very little about the horse. I will find out more tomorrow.

Although we have not had a huge amount of rain My Way de Solzen takes his chance in the World Hurdle. On soft or heavy ground he would take all the beating and whilst he will be fine on the current ground a finish in the first four would be great. Finally, I ride Pretty Star in the Pertemps Hurdle and his lad Gary tells me the horse is in great form. Gary is a great judge of this horse and therefore I am expecting a good run.

If I could pick one horse to ride at the Festival it would be James Fanshawe’s Reveillez in the Jewson Novices Chase. I have ridden him twice and been successful both times and think he will take all the beating. AP takes over as the retained jockey and I expect a good performance.

If you have any influence over the weather in Gloucestershire then please pray for rain and fingers crossed."

Choc

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Cheltenham 2006 - Day 3 Review

"I didn’t think I could beat Tuesday’s experience but my win on My Way De Solzen in the World Hurdle was breathtaking. As you know we were concerned about the ground as he is a much better horse on softer ground however after today he appears to handle good ground very effectively, which gives us more options for the future.

He jumped and travelled brilliantly throughout the race and my only concern was that we might be done for toe on the home run so I kicked on at the home turn and although it was close at the line I never thought the other horse would get past us. I don’t often get the chance to ride against and beat a three times Derby winning jockey so it was a great feeling.

My other rides were very much as expected; Hand Inn Hand ran a great race in the Ryanair Chase to finish fifth and his breathing operation appears to have worked. Royal Hector could never go the pace in the Racing Post Plate and I was keen to look after him and pulled him up at the top of the hill. Pretty Star ran well in the Pertemps Final but didn’t see out the trip over three miles, he will probably go over fences in the future.

I hope you followed my tip on Reveillez in the first who confirmed my opinion of him and won well.

I have three rides tomorrow and my best chance would be on Blazing Bailey in the Triumph Hurdle, a race I won last year on Penzance. He has a great each-way chance and as I am tying for the leading jockey award it would be nice to win the first and put some pressure on my fellow jockeys! I also ride Five Colours in the Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle and he should go well but the favourite looks very useful.

My final ride is Nyrche in the Grand Annual who should again run his race. Alan runs Howle Hill in the County Hurdle but Wayne takes the ride as he gets on with the horse much better than me.

As I have done for the rest of the week I’ll head for a beer at the Plough at Ford before heading home and another early night. I might though be asking for a new video recorder as my current one is going to get a bit of use tonight.

I’ll be back tomorrow night with the final review and I think I am guaranteed to be top English jockey at least."

Choc

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Cheltenham 2006 - Day 4 (Final Day) Review

"A very pleasing final day, which brings to an end one of the best weeks of my racing life. To ride two winners for my boss Alan King gives me great satisfaction for him and all of the staff at Barbury Castle.

I finished as the leading English jockey and I was pleased to see my good mate Dicky Johnson finally get on the score board in the Triumph, even if he did beat me. My horse Blazing Bailey ran an absolute cracker in 3rd and I hope some of you were on him each-way.

Five Colours ran a sound race to finish 11th and the favourite looked very impressive under AP. Nyrche also ran a blinder to finish 4th in the Grand Annual and reward each-way backers.

So how does the leading English jockey at the Festival celebrate? He is having an early night as I have got to ride at 10st at Uttoxeter tomorrow! No celebrating for me tonight although to be honest I am probably drunk on success.

This feature on my website has been very popular and I would like to thank everybody for their messages of congratulation and support. I will certainly repeat this at Aintree and all the other major meetings where I am riding.

I am also going to sit down with my Commercial Agent, Roger Hart to discuss all the ideas you have sent in such as fan club etc. I did not realise how many people who are not at the races support my in my rides.

Don't forget you can read my column in the Gloucestershire Echo each Friday previewing my weekend rides by linking through to their website."

Choc