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Cheltenham Festival 2011
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Wichita Lineman a couple of years ago, when he almost put the horse on his own back to get him to the line to win by a neck from Maljimar.
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The race itself is often viewed as a trial for the Aintree Grand National but it has not produced many winners, in fact it has not produced any winners who have won this race then gone on to Aintree in the same year and won there too. However both Rough Quest in 1995 and West Tip in 1985 both won this race and took the honours in the Grand National the following year. Charter Party, trained by David Nicholson won this race in 1986 then went on to take the Blue Riband at the Festival by winning the Gold Cup in 1988.
Nonetheless there will be several in the field this year who will go on to Aintree in April to try their luck, but any that do will know that they have already been in a mighty race already by competing in this. The race itself is run over 3 miles and 110 yards on the Old Course at Cheltenham with 19 fences to jump, there is usually a big field of runners.
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