National Hunt Challenge Cup
The National Hunt Challenge Cup is the opening race of day two at the Cheltenham Festival. The race is for novice chasers aged five and older, and is run over a distance of 4 miles with twenty-four fences to be jumped. It is the longest distance race of the festival, and is exclusive to amateur riders.
The National Hunt Challenge Cup is the most run race in the history of the Cheltenham Fesitval, now in it’s 152nd year. It is not the oldest race, that honour goes to the Grand Annual Chase. However, that race has been had been absent for a period of time which makes the Challenge Cup the most run race. Up until the 1930′s the race was regarded as the most significant jumps race of the national hunt calendar after the Grand National.
Challenge Cup 2012 – Staying The Distance
Heading the market for this year’s National Hunt Challenge Cup is Harry The Viking. The Paul Nicholls trained gelding, who is owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, has shown solid form this season. He won his two starts over hurdles before taking a further two successes, over the fencer this time. Winning over 3 miles and 2 furlongs last time, the step up in trip looks ideal for the stayer and the race has been confirmed as his target. It has to be noted Paul Nicholls has a poor record in this race, but he will be hoping to change that stat.
It is worth nothing that the marker favourite has a poor record in winning this race. Chicago Grey was a winning favourite in the Challenge Cup last year, but you have to go back 20 years now to find the last winning outright favourite. Six of the last ten winners have been priced at double-digit odds, including back-to-back winners at 33/1.
The challengers are headed by Teaforthree, who has shown some really solid form this season. A length and a half second to Join Together at Cheltenham has worked out to be more than useful form, and the gelding franked that with an assertive win over Restless Harry at Chepstow. Restless Harry is next in the market and can’t be distanced too far from Teaforthree on his overral form. Allee Garde is an interesting contender from Ireland having run some good races at the top level, as is the progressive Groody Hill, who won the valuable Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan before a gallant third in an even more lucrative Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown.
Chicago Grey Takes The 2011 Challenge Cup
The 2011 National Hunt Challenge Cup was won by the Gordon Elliott trained Chicago Grey. The gelding was held up, before making good progress on the inside, looking full of running. Be There In Five and Alfa Beat also contested but it was Beshabar who pushed on in the lead with Chicago Grey sticking on his tail as the others struggled to cope. Beshabar cleared the last just in front but Chicago Grey was able to power up the hill to win under a nice ride from amateur Derek O’Connor. The top two have been prominent in the betting for this years Grand National but injury concerns may rule them out.
