The Main Takeaways From Cheltenham Trials Day

A day in which its spark was taken away after the terrible news of Sir Gino’s injury still ended up being an informative and enjoyable day throughout, and there was certainly a lot to take ahead of the festival in March, and here are some of the biggest things we learned from today's racing.

Ireland may already have the stayers hurdle in the bag

Of all the races on the big Cheltenham card today, the Cleeve Hurdle was the one that would probably give us the best insight into what the Stayers Hurdle could look like in March, and not only did it give us a lot to note, but it highlighted that even prior to the Dublin Racing Festival next week that Ireland have the ammunition that may already have the Stayers Hurdle won. 

It was one of the Stayers biggest fancies Impose Toi of Nicky Henderson and JP McManus who was set to take on some rivals in the Cleeve today in his four timer bid, and to properly put his hand in the ring with a win at Cheltenham. Despite being one of the day's more stable market movers, leaving the post as the even money favourite purely based on previous merit was understandable, but it seemed that the infamous Cheltenham hill was his biggest weakness.

Although his form this season is outstanding and he has already blown past market rivals such as Gordon Elliot’s Honesty Policy, his performance today wasn’t as expected, and gives the Irish that extra step ahead at the festival already.

Despite still being a very favourable candidate, his weaknesses were shown today against lesser opponents, and with how well Teahupoo, Bob Olinger and Honesty Policy seem to be improving over in Ireland, it is more than likely that the Stayers Hurdle division will stay over the Irish sea, and today proved that Impose Toi may have hit his ceiling in terms of being a progressor, and for the Irish raiders, they have the history and they have the form.

The New Lion will have big trouble competing in the Champion Hurdle

His race which offered real promise and real insight into how good The New Lion could be against top opponents like Sir Gino was casted away after Sir Gino pulled up with a suspected pelvic injury, and although the International Hurdle went the Skelton’s way, it hasn’t really given them much pleasure or reassurance that they could be true competitors in the Champion Hurdle.

From the off the two market leaders were never looking very keen, fractions of 18 second furlongs didn’t help the pair show off their skills, and has told the racing world a lot about how The New Lion could fare in the Champion Hurdle. The Skelton’s star hurdler just about quickened up in a final furlong sprint to defeat Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion by just about a length and a half, and despite looking somewhat comfortable on the track and trip, the race itself doesn’t look like one that would produce a truly inspired Champion Hurdle winner.

A truly raced Champion Hurdle will most definitely be run quicker than the average pace of the International was run today, and as far as The New Lion is concerned, that could be a real issue. Even though the Champion Hurdle picture has now vastly opened up, there is still going to be doubts about the run. The speed Dan Skelton believed he had may not be too much of a factor over two miles up the Cheltenham hill, and the race today showed that an easy cantering race with a dash at the end won’t be something to expect in the Champion Huirdle, and doesn’t look like something that The New Lion is poised to step away from into grade one company.

A new cross country champion could be crowned in Favori De Champdou

The Glenfarclas Cross Country is arguably one of the more fun races at the festival and on trials day, and it looked nothing but fun for Jack Kennedy and Favori De Champdou today, and come March, it could be Gordon Elliot, Jack Kennedy, and Gigginstown on top in the Cross Country once again.

Defying a weight of 12 stone and winning in what some would say was a common canter isn’t normal for a horse, but for Favori De Champdou, he couldn’t have enjoyed it more. He comfortably wiped out a very likeable favourite in J’arrive De L’est, and now looks like an extremely fancied horse for the race at the festival, and could be the one to de-throne Stumptown as the Cross Country champion.

Stumptown trained by Gavin Cromwell is a Cross Country legend, winning it twice in amazing fashion hasn’t took to his favourite course yet this year, and ever since he won over in Czechia, we haven’t seen the green and yellow on the Cross Country course, and that lack of racing could cause him to lose his place at the top of the ladder. Although today’s winner will once again be giving away a lot of weight to his opponents, the Cross Country is one of the races where weight isn’t a massive factor, and if Favori De Champdou enjoys himself in March as he did today, we have real competitor on our hands for the Glenfarclas.