Scotia on Cheltenham ante-post.

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Dry forecast sees Kauto Star shorten further

KAUTO STAR gets stronger and Denman weaker as the dry weather warning continues in the build-up to next week's showdown in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

Coral lengthened Denman to 9-2, with spokesman Simon Clare predicting he could be 6-1 if the ground continues to dry out. Paddy Power cut Kauto Star to 4-6 from 8-11.



Coral also cut Big Buck's to 1-2 from 4-7 for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Betfred are offering 10-1 about the big four - Dunguib, Master Minded, Big Buck's and Kauto Star - all winning from 9am on Saturday morning.

Voler La Vedette is in to 7-4 for the David Nicholson Mares' Only Hurdle as last year's winner Quevega eases from evens to 11-8 with Boylesports.

On Raglan Road, who has the distinction of being the only horse to have beaten Dunguib, is a springer in the Coral Cup betting with Victor Chandler, who go 16-1 from 25-1.

Qaspal and Ashkazar have also shortened for the new Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

David Pipe supporters are digging into their pockets as Hills have cut the trainer to 16-1 from 25-1 to be top trainer at the Festival in the market without Paul Nicholls.

All is well for a great weeks racing.

Cheltenham continues to dry after sunny Sunday


A SUNNY, breezy Sunday continued the drying of Cheltenham and led clerk of the course Simon Claisse to admit that the Festival could open on ground slightly quicker than the latest description of good to soft, good in places.

With the weather set to stay dry until at least Wednesday and watering on the Old Course ruled out, Cheltenham will ride as nature intended on Tuesday.


Claisse said: "At this time of year, the top layer dries out in the breeze, but there's plenty of moisture in the ground. It's slowly drying out and I wouldn't rule out that at some point on Tuesday we might well end up good, good to soft in places.

"I can't predict when, though, as I can't second guess the rate at which it dries out as that depends on a combination of the sun, the strength of the wind and the direction of the wind."

With Cheltenham's own forecast predicting between 2.5mm and 3.5mm of rain on Thursday and up to 3mm on Friday, Claisse has delayed a decision on watering of the New Course, used on Thursday and Friday, until Monday at the earliest.


After walking Cheltenham on Sunday, trainer Alan King said: "There's plenty of moisture in it and I think it will ride a bit dead."

Captain Cee Bee's trainer Edward Harty added: "At the minute, it's on the soft side, but if the prevailing weather stays as it is now, I'd say it will be riding good on Tuesday."

Cheltenham Gold Cup sell-out looks likely

FEWER than 1,000 admission tickets to Gold Cup day at Cheltenham were available on Saturday night with the racecourse warning that none would be on sale on the day of the race.

Cheltenham managing director Edward Gillespie yesterday reported Festival badge sales to be considerably stronger than last year and stressed that time is running out for those who want to see the Gold Cup in the flesh to book their place.

Gillespie said: "We are within 1,000 sales of the final figure we achieved at last year's Festival.

"We are currently at over 205,000 sold tickets, including membership, so if we get 7,000 or 8,000 extra sales during the first three days, which we might well do given the weather, we could be up to an attendance of 215,000 people, which would be really good and on the high side of our expectations.

"For the first three days, people can just turn up to all three enclosures where tickets will be available. However, for Friday, we have less than 1,000 Club badges to sell. Racegoers can get those at the entrances over the first three days, but only for as long as there are tickets to sell.

"There will definitely not be any tickets sold on Friday even if we happen to have come up 50 short."

Cheltenham ranks amongst the most hazardous of Britain's 60 racecourses. In 2006, 11 horses perished at the Festival, two more died in 2007 and another in 2008. There are several reasons for the high mortality rate. Among them is Cheltenham's notorious downhill fences and hurdles that, over many decades, have killed seasoned and novice horses alike.

Nationally, around 420 horses are raced to death every year. Some 38 per cent of these fatalities occur during, or immediately after, a race. The other victims die as a result of training injuries or are killed after being assessed by their owners as no-hopers. Some of these animals will end their days in a UK abattoir – their meat destined for human consumption on the continent.

Commenting recently on the Cheltenham Festival, The Guardian’s racing correspondent Greg Wood stated: ‘Horses will still die at the Festival. Nothing will ever change that.’ (Guardian, 24 February 2009) Animal Aid believes that this is unacceptable and will be calling on the public to withhold their betting money and attendance fees.

Says Animal Aid Horse Racing Consultant, Dene Stansall:

‘Animal Aid will be at the Cheltenham Festival to let punters know that their attendance and betting money is funding an industry responsible for the on-course and in-training deaths of some 420 horses nationally every year. Additionally, many horses who are of little financial worth will be sold on repeatedly and may even be sent to a British abattoir, so that their meat can be sold abroad. Cheltenham has witnessed 14 horses killed at its course during the last three years but appears content with this casualty rate. Cheltenham is one of the worst courses in the country, with an appalling record for killing horses. If people care about animal welfare, they need to withhold their money from this so-called “sport”.’

Some Scotia in the UK pics,Saturday morning visit to Betfair offices,over 800 employees,who wouldn`t want to work here?

Cheers Bob magic catching up will you come past the bookies today having a few problem getting on line

Good dave,got you a slim a soup and a banana for your lunch..

sorry i could not make it bob but the haggis and black pud was magic ()