Cheltenham Festival 2008 – Day 1 Reviewed

Despite gale force winds scouring out the English midlands, the Cheltenham Festival 2008 races were able to start in schedule.

The first day of racing featured several surprises, with favourites faring poorly in most of the day’s races. The unfancied Captain Cee Bee won the first race of the day, the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle, pushing race favourite Binocular into second place.

The Irish Independent Arkle trophy, the second of the Cheltenham Festival 2008 races, was then taken by Denis O’Regan on Tidal bay, as Kuguyrova took second place ahead ante-post favourite Noland.

The day’s feature event, the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, provided unexpected Cheltenham Festival 2008 results. Osana led for most of the race before being overtaken by Katchit on the final stretch. Punjabi then took third place from Sublimity to seal a 1 2 3 finish for English horses. Disappointed Irish spectators watched Noel Meade’s Harchibald suffer over the heavy going, and ante-post favourite Sizing Europe pull up during the race.

The William Hill trophy provided the first win of the day for a race favourite when An Accordion won a brilliant race, with New Alco and L’Ami coming in second and third. The race provided the first Cheltenham Festival 2008 result to see Irish horses finish in the top three positions.

The fifth of the Cheltenham Festival 2008 races provided a rare win for a female jockey as Nina Carberry rode short odds favourite Garde Champetre to victory in the Big Cross Country Handicap Chase.

The final race of the day saw the Nina Carberry’s brother, Paul, take a win in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle on Crack Away Jack. Ante-post favourite Ashkazar finishing in second place with Grand Schlem coming in third place.