CHARLIE SWAN, successful on the Tony Mullins-trained Lady Daisy in yesterday's second division of the Lakelands Maiden Hurdle at Naas, is booked for 15 rides at Cheltenham this week, including two David Nicholson-trained fancies in Viking Flagship and Call It A Day. I doubt if any Irish rider has ever had such a full book at a major English meeting.
The six times Irish champion has ridden nine Festival winners to date and was the recipient of the Ritz Club Award for leading rider in 1993 and 1994. Only Peter Scudamore (13) and Richard Dunwoody (12) have exceeded that total in the last decade or so while Jamie Osborne has also ridden nine winners.
Swan is more hopeful than confident that he will gain his first Champion Hurdle success on Hotel Minella tomorrow, hoping that the ground will remain good. The forecast is for rain tomorrow but Cheltenham had fine weather yesterday and more sunshine is expected today and Wednesday, with a probability of showers on Thursday. Rye Fontaine, Double Symphony and Moonhono complete his bookings for the opening day.
Urubande, Viking Flagship, The Latvian Lark, Call It A Day, Charlie Foxtrot and Minella Lad are Swan's expected rides on Wednesday. Viking Flagship who is heading for his third successive win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, was ridden by Swan in last year's race. His chance is obvious. Charlie gives himself a good each-way chance on Minella Lad in the Sun Alliance Chase and Urubandi's prospects in the Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle would he enhanced on good ground. Charlie Foxtrot is well fancied by connections for the Festival Bumper as is Call It A Day in the Mildmay Of Flete Chase.
The champion ides Magical Lady, King Of The Gales. Brockley Court, Cockney Lad and Minella Man or Tiananmem Square in the Stayers Hurdle. If the ground is good he will ride Tiananinen Square, if faster than good, Minella Lad.
Grand National bound Wylde Hide stayed on well when making all the running to win yesterday's Fishery Novice Hurdle. Believe it or not it was the nine-year-old's first race over timber and was popped over hurdles at home for the first time on Friday.
The dual Thyestes Chase winner, a 45th birthday present for his owner J P McManus, is several, pounds out of the Grand National, Handicap, but it the ground is soft - "the softer the better" - he will have his chance. A massively built 16.3 hands Strong Gale gelding, he jumps well, gallops for ever and is very adaptable. Rider Frank Woods went on to achieve a treble on the Arthur Moore-trained Dee Ell in the novice chase, having earlier completed his double on the Peter McCreery trained Majestic Paddy in the first leg of the Lakelands Hurdle.
Arthur Moore says his Cheltenham team is in good shape. "Something, please God, will come up trumps."
Paul Carberry who, because of a whip abuse forfeits the first two days at Cheltenham, rode the Peadar Matthews-trained Quintillani to beat Prate Box in the Johnstown Handicap Hurdle. The winner has not won a race since capturing the Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh in 1994. The stewards enquired into the apparent improvement, of form compared to his previous runs over hurdles this season. Matthews stated that yesterday's weight of 10st 6lb was to his advantage and being a small horse the better ground was of significant benefit. The explanations were accepted, as were Peter McCreery's after Majestic Paddy had come under the steward's investigations.
Stan Murphy had a horrific looking fall when Oatflake was brought down at the second flight in Lady Daisy's race. Because he fell heavily on his chest, Murphy was removed to hospital for observation.
Gareth Cotter, who is good value for, his 7lb claim, was seen to effect in landing the Ted Walsh trained Alligator Joe an easy winner of the Moat Handicap Chase from the Charlie Swan-partnered Caragh Bridge. Huncheon Chance tell in the Naas, Handicap Hurdle, won by the Victor Bowens-trained, Brian Bowens partnered Tryfirion.
