Cheltenham's breakfast deepens the festival's big problems and there is a lot to dissect the first day of the meeting this year.
Today, Dominic King reflects on Sir Alex Ferguson's return to Cheltenham and the shock of Constitution Hill on the opening day.
Sir Alex still living every moment
If you think the competitive advantage feels that someone who has spent their lives in sport, think again. A look at Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, 83, was a lesson on how fire never goes out.
Ferguson's colors were carried by L'Auu Du Sud in the persecution of Arkle and, while the gray ran with credit, he ran out of puff in the final thrust to the line and his coach Dan Skelton took the defeat with good grace, extended his hands and swelling his cheeks. They could not have done more.
But there was a time when L'Auu Du Sud moved threateningly for the turn at home and Harry Skelton, who looks a terrible purple eye, sustained after taking a blow to the face of a pony at home, seemed to be ready to unleash a fulminating challenge.
And Ferguson saw everything with the same style that observed all those attacks by Reprer Manchester United in past years: cheap small, another step, a small shake of the arms and the expectation that a great moment was about to arrive.
Sir Alex Ferguson was in a good mood on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival
He observed the races with the same approach as when he was at Old Trafford Toad Line
The horse that was supporting, l'Uu du sud (in the photo) ran well but ran out of steam
There will be another day when Ferguson celebrates correctly and who can say that it will not be tomorrow? Jango Baie, the horse that came from the clouds to land the Arkle, immediately made you think of a race in Cheltenham last December.
Jango Baie defeated Caldwell Potter of Ferguson for the clear light of the day and it is worth taking that form, since Gray, which costs £ 634,000 when Ferguson and his friends bought him in February 2024, it has been declared that he declared himself in Jack Richards's rookies who pursue more than two miles and Half.
Will it be good enough? It is impossible to say it. But what can be declared with confidence is that Paul Nicholls, the castrated coach, has taken into account this contest since he ran in Windsor in January and when he is a goal in mind, he often approaches. Look at it with interest.
Constitution Hill remains the talk of the city
A fascinating appearance before Hurdle Champion was the large number of people who wanted to take a look at Constituted Hill. All points of view were taken by the ring prior to the stop long before it entered and there was a reverential silence while walking.
Even those who have been around horses were eager to get a bird view, among no less Donald McCain, who grew up with no less than the red rum in his patio at home. McCain, an outstanding coach in his own right, remained for 10 minutes, folded arms took everything.
Yes, the story ended in an overwhelming disappointment, but a fall will not define the race of this horse, all good, it will run in Punctown next month, and the scale of interest in it could be judged by the scene outside its set box: there were five camera teams recording each movement.
Everyone wanted to see a glimpse Constitution Hill before Tuesday on Tuesday Hurdle
Double bonus for betting runners
It is possible that he has noticed the bet of £ 20,000, reported in the dramatic Mail Sport Report on the champion's obstacle, which went up in smoke when Constitution Hill crashed, but how for this for a double bonus for the Geoffrey Hughes betting corridor.
With the stunned betting ring and nobody walking near the boards, Hughes looked at his book and declared: “There are no winning tickets!” Not a single person had been interested in even having a 25/1 bite on Golden Ace. Willie Mullins was right that the betting corridors were driving large cars.
No one backed Golden Ace to win after Constitution Hill fell with four obstacles to tour
The time of Williams's crossroads revealed
Some rugby players from England are expected in the course for day two and Rugby was a topic that decorated the first day, thanks to the winning riders Lorcan Williams and Ben Jones.
Williams, who is still the only professional pilot who has taken the place of fox of St. James fans, will feel the brightness of the win of Golden Ace Hurdle champion for many months, was on the cusp of playing for Scarlets in Wales. When I was a teenager, he had to choose between rugby and races.
At the time of making that decision, he played regularly against Ben Jones, who attached the last race of an absorbent day when he started the couleurs of Haiti in the national hunting persecution. Jones was a half fly for Carmarthen Quins.
“I chose the sport I loved,” said Williams. “I feel fortunate to be part of this and I am with shells.”
Lorcan Williams could have been a rugby player, but chose the races and won the victory in Golden Ace on Tuesday
Breakfast The Best Bet
This column has been waiting for the 120 pm race since February 1; Being in Leopardstown that afternoon was to see the emergence of a possible superstar and the final demand absolutely adjusted the bill.
Paul Townend's reaction immediately after having won the degree one Nathaniel Lacy Hurdle was simply: “This is a very, very good horse” and that for a man who thinks of everything he says was interesting.
The owner Brian Drew has taken an exception for some suggestions that his horse is inferior to the rival of markers, the Nuevo León, but it is not. He will show it here.