cheltenham home 17s

Ladbrokes World Hurdle, heads the 16 acceptors at the six-day confirmation stage for this year’s renewal of the 260,000 contest (3.20pm), the feature race on day three of The Festival, Thursday, March 12, 2009.

Kasbah Bliss (C Pieux blue cap)
Cheltenham 13-03-08
racing-images.co.uk

Trained by Francois Doumen in , Kasbah Bliss was a hugely impressive winner on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock last month but is sure to face some stiff opposition from the likes of Big Buck’s, victorious in the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January and Punchestowns, who finished runner-up to Big Buck’s on Festival Trials Day having previously won the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December. Others in the mix include Blazing Bailey, who has been fourth and third in the last two renewals of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Fair Along, who was third in the Byrne Group Cleeve Hurdle and one of the toughest horses in training, Lough Derg. One of the most interesting horses among today’s acceptors is Mighty Man, off the track for almost two years but only beaten three quarters of a length by Inglis Drever in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase for amateur riders (4.40pm, 69 acceptors, 24 runners maximum).

GROUND

The going at Cheltenham is currently:

Old Course (used on Tuesday & Wednesday) - Good to Soft
New Course (used on Thursday & Friday) - Good to Soft, Soft in places
Cross Country Course (Tuesday only) - Soft, Heavy in places

TICKETSTickets will be available for purchase on the gate on the first three days of The Festival - Tuesday, March 10
Wednesday, March 11
Thursday, March 12

Badges for both the Club and Tattersalls enclosures are still available for Friday, March 13. However, these will not be available for purchase on the day and should be booked in advance via www.cheltenham.co.uk or by calling 08445 793 003.