Cheltenham New Year's Day review and free video replays

Star eclipsed by 'Arry

Stage Star's bid to become only the fifth horse to win from a handicap mark of at least 165 ended in disappointment as the 11/10 favourite was pulled up in the Paddy Power New Year's Day Handicap Chase as Shakem Up'Arry (11/2) took the spoils by seven and a half lengths.

Harry Cobden jumped Stage Star off in front but he soon ceded advantage to Frero Banbou and was content to sit off the leader.

A mistake at the ditch and another at the fence at the top of the hill suggested this wasn't going to be Stage Star's day despite he, along with Al Dancer and Shakem Up'Arry, closing in on the leader.

Stage Star soon cried enough and Al Dancer could find no more but Shakem Up'Arry, more patiently ridden than usually the case, came through strongly to pick off Frero Banbou before the last.

There was a flicker up the hill when it appeared as though the Coral Gold Cup sixth might waver but jockey Ben Jones kept him up to his work and punched the air in delight as they crossed the line for the jockey's first track success.

Shakem Up'Arry is owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp and trained locally by Ben Pauling.

"Any winner at Cheltenham I'll take and to get the feature one on New Year's Day means a lot to me," said Jones.

"Usually Ben's horses, they like to freewheel out in front and enjoy themselves out in front but to be fair to him today he just kind of gave me the rein and told me take my time a little bit and come up the hill strongly and I'm glad we did that now!

"I just got pipped in the boys' race f(Martin Pipe) or Hobbsy and coming up that hill I thought was Deutschy going to come back and do me but I was fairly confident that I was going to keep on going, it's just when you're trying to catch a Venetia (Williams) horse up the Cheltenham hill it's very difficult so I'm glad I had a partner that was willing."

Pauling felt the change of tactics was the making of Shakem Up'Arry, saying: "We rode him slightly differently today.

"He's a very enthusiastic, flamboyant horse in his races - jumps superbly and has loads of scope - and he travelled far too well in the Hennessy, sorry the Coral, and didn't see three (miles) two (furlongs) out so we thought we had to drop back in trip but we've been here before, we've tried this trip and this track a few times and we always seem to be the bridesmaid, third or whatever it is.

"The ground played into our favour, he handles that ground very well. Not at one point did I ever actually feel he was going that well until coming down the hill, I think the hill was important; top of the hill, if you watch it back, it's starting to look like he was just on the edge of his limit and then he was down the hill and he was off then.

"It's great, it's amazing. He's been a fabulous horse for us but he's been missing that big pot and that's today.

"He has looked the winner nearly every race he's won here, just hasn't found an awful lot, and I think riding him a bit colder allowed him to finish his race off better. It's a great result for us all but for Harry and Sandra it means a lot.

"Unfortunately, Harry is at home as Sandra has got a bit of flu so they couldn’t be here today. He has already been on the phone and he is absolutely loving it. "

Star failed to sparkle

Assessing Stage Star – who was eased to 6/1 for the Ryanair from 7/2 by Coral – Nicholls said: “I think he landed on the ditch at the top and he just didn’t feel right afterwards. I’d say, just watching him trot up there, he’s a little bit off. He’s pulled himself about a bit, but there’s plenty of time to get him right.

“That’s why I didn’t want to run him a month down the line, he’s had a few little issues to get right along the way but I’d say he’s just landed on that ditch, that was the end of it really. He didn’t quite sparkle.

“It’s easy not to run them but he’s done that before, had a run and then thrown one in like that. We’ll soon sort him out and he’ll be back in the spring, you can put a line through that.”

Boy plays a blinder

James Bowen successfully produced Peaky Boy (13/8 favourite) relatively late on in proceedings in the Favourite From The Sun Now Daily Maiden Hurdle.

The Nicky Henderson-trained youngster, the winner of a point and a bumper for different connections, was strong in the market near the off on his hurdling bow after a wind operation and didn't disappoint his backers, recording a smooth success.

Bowen was content to let Magical King and Champagne Twist cut out the running, settling Peaky Boy in a share of third with market rival Innatendue. The latter's effort soon flattened out as Bowen stalked the leaders with Magical King the next to wilt.

Peaky Boy jumped the last alongside Champagne Twist but it wasn't until landing that Bowen asked his mount to lengthen and the £240,000 purchase did so willingly with five lengths the winning margin.

Betfair Sportsbook introduced Peaky Boy into the betting for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, back at Cheltenham in March, at 33/1 with Sky Bet going 25/1.

Henderson was quick to pour cold water on those quotes, saying: “I’d probably say he wants another year before we think about that. It’s not like he’s beaten anything staggeringly, he’s just done the job nicely and he’s on the right road which is good.

“I think he’s a horse with a big future, especially over fences.”

Bowen told Racing TV: "He shows a bit of pace at home. He jumped really well. He's a little bit behind the bridle which I loved about him because every time I squeezed him then he was in my hands.

"Going down to the last on my own he came up out of my hands and obviously had a little bit left, probably a bit idle on his own but he was impressive. He was green, I had to go out on my own and he was having a look at everything he could find. I didn't want to hit the front miles out and I was in front plenty long enough but every time you get stuck into him he gives you more.

"He's got a nice attitude and he'll probably be a stayer in time."

Owner Olly Harris said: "We knew the ground would suit and the trip so we were pretty confident today. He's definitely not on the slow side but there's lots to work with, there's a good engine there. Ultimately I think he's going to be a three mile chaser."

Harris also owns Willmount who disappointed in the Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury but he was happy to put a line through the performance.

"Obviously he was way too keen through the race and I think he absolutely hated the ground," he continued.

"I think on his next run we'll be dropping him back to two and waiting for better ground but it was too bad to be true; Nicky and the vet have got to the bottom of that and we'll see a different appearance next time."

Hunter gathers them in

Adam Wedge and Libberty Hunter (3/1) bided their time before launching a successful challenge in the Close Brothers Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

As is his wont, Matata had set out in front and jumped boldly for Daryl Jacob. The pair were still there at the foot of the hill where Jacob took a look behind him on the run to two out and he'd have been happy to see both Fine Casting and Petit Tonnerre struggling.

Matata increased his lead over Libberty Hunter approaching the last but it wasn't until negotiating that fence that Wedge asked for an effort and the eight-year-old quickly reduced the gap, going on to win by a length.

"From where we started out at Chepstow he's learned a lot," explained Wedge.

"He learnt a lot around Wincanton and today he's made a couple of mistakes early, let fly a little bit early, but he's learning again. I didn't want to go and force him too much because I knew we'd stay strongly from the back of the last; met the last very well, we've landed running and kept galloping."

Trainer Evan Williams added: "He's very much a baby. He's a horse for proper winter ground. We had him off a good friend of ours, Brian Eckley who trains up in the hills in Wales, and he always told me he was a good horse.

"I hope so (he has an exciting future). There are plenty of horses we have that we have exciting, hopeful futures for and they never get the luck. It's all very well saying such things but until you get into the winner's enclosure at Cheltenham it's all talk. He's a lovely, lovely horse and to get that under our belts today was wonderful.

"I'm probably an old dinosaur and perhaps I'm too cautious with the way I go about the job but unless you teach these young horses you'll never, never get where you want to go. I'm always of the opinion there's only one winning post and it's certainly not at the bottom, three from home. I'm lucky that I've got a jockey who understands how obsessed I am with such things but I don't have to tell him because he knows that as well.

"I'm very, very keen that my horses hit the line hard and today it was ever more important to do that."

Blinkers reignite Stumptown

The decision to fit Kim Muir runner-up Stumptown (5/1) with blinkers paid dividends as the seven-year-old returned to form to enhance trainer Gavin Cromwell's brilliant course record this season.

Five went to post for the Paddy Power Handicap Chase and they were taken along by the veteran Cloudy Glen who jumped cleanly - and notably better than rivals The Wolf and Angels Breath - for Charlie Deutsch.

Cloudy Glen had Stumptown for company approaching two out though and the writing was on the wall for his supporters with the patiently ridden hat-trick seeker Inch House also closing in. Inch House could never quite get to the leading pair on the most testing ground he'd encountered and, although he did pass Cloudy Glen for second, he was no match for Stumptown who crossed the line five lengths to the good.

This was Cromwell's seventh course success in the current campaign from only 17 runners.

It was a fifth win from 13 rides for Keith Donoghue who felt the headgear had made a difference: "I think the blinkers and maybe the smaller field got his confidence back. I think the last time they went such a good gallop and he made a couple of mistakes, he just got further back and nearly got brought down.

"He'd only had one or two bad runs, in the Irish National after a long season and then Newbury. We did think today that he'd go very close and the blinkers definitely made a difference. We probably went a nice enough gallop on the ground. I was anxious enough coming down the hill, I knew we were going to stay but there were some decent horses up front; I wasn't sure what Charlie (Deutsch) was holding on to, but once we lined up for the second last I knew it was going to take a good one to get by me.

"If we can keep that (his successful run) going into March! But when we have to take on Willie (Mullins) and Gordon (Elliott) it might be a bit harder."

Ger Teahon, spokesman for owners the Furze Bush Syndicate, said: “He schooled a week ago (in the blinkers) and it really sharpened him up. He hasn’t run badly all season, he has just jumped really poorly. We got close into one second time down the back, but Keith said he jumped really well, and he made ground in the air, which we hadn’t seen probably since last March.

“He is a dude of a horse as he gives everything. We were gutted (at Newbury). We went in there, and we really fancied him, but he jumped the first and he got hammered. That really set him back and I think our race was run then. He didn’t become a bad horse overnight."

Following the race William Hill made Stumptown a 10/1 chance to go one better than last season in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival while the same firm went 12/1 for the Ultima Handicap Chase at the same meeting.

And an outing in one of those contests appears likely now according to connections.

Teahon said: “We would love to come back to The Festival. We will go home and have a look. You have got five owners in him that have come to the Cheltenham Festival for the last 12 years so that will probably get the priority if we can (over the Grand National at Aintree).”

Butch battles for hat-trick

The hat-trick seeking Butch (7/2) denied My Bobby Dazzler, and followers of Value Bet, a celebratory start to the New Year with a hard-fought success in the Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle.

The field was quite tightly grouped at the top of the hill with My Bobby Dazzler, advised each-way at 18/1, to the fore as he had been throughout but progressive youngsters Butch, Ed Keeper and Springwell Bay were all poised.

The latter could never quite mount a challenge and it looked as though the finish would concern Butch and Ed Keeper, racing together on the stands' side, but Charlie Deutsch gathered My Bobby Dazzler together for another push and he closed to within a neck at the line.

Butch, trained by Olly Murphy, has now won half of his eight career starts; this was his first handicap success at the second attempt after landing novice hurdles at Cheltenham and Southwell.

Jockey James Bowen, who was completing a double on the card, said: "He's very tough. I set him alight very early on and, to be fair, he just kept galloping. Sean (Bowen) did that on him the last day and I thought I'd try and do the same thing; he did well anyway.

"I think if they'd challenged me on my girths, I'd have probably won half a length, but they challenged wide of me and that probably wouldn't have given me the chance, if they did get to me, to go again but thankfully they didn't get to me."

Murphy added: "He's tough isn't he? Never knows when he's beat.

"Big weak horse still that's only going to improve with time. I'm very conscious of not overdoing it with him this year, whether you'll see him back here this year for a Festival I'd be very unsure but I can't wait to jump a fence with him. He's got a great attitude, jumps great and I'm chuffed.

"He's a homebred of my father's which is fantastic and when they've got heart like him you've got a chance. He puts everything into his races now - he hadn't run for over two months - he puts his life and soul into it and he'll have a nice break again now.

"Whether we'll look at something like the Rendlesham at Haydock for his next start I'm not sure but he'll be the most beautiful horse next year."

Going Large in the last

Kel Du Large (7/2 joint-favourite) ran on strongly against the stands' side rail under David Noonan to win the Family Fun "Junior" National Hunt Flat Race.

A winner at Exeter on debut for Jane Williams on debut in October, the three-year-old was well supported in this Listed contest and hit the front travelling strongly.

Noonan kept the son of No Risk At All up to his work and the pair finished two and three quarter lengths clear of Dirty Den with Sorceleur another length and three quarters back in third.

Chester Williams said: “It has all been quite easy as he has bounced out and made the running and nothing ever got to him. It was a good performance, and he is clearly a nice horse.

“It is actually mum’s official first winner at Cheltenham. She has trained plenty of winners here with Nick (Williams), but to have one in her own name it will mean a lot to her.

“The owners are very good supporters. Tom Chadney and this syndicate, along with the Chasing Gold Racing Club which he also runs are big supporters of the yard. It is so good to get a winner here for them.

“He went to Exeter as it is the most local track to us, and it was a junior bumper and we thought that was a nice race to run him in to start off with. He surprised us all when he won that day, but after that we had to aim to come here.”

No four-year-old has won the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival since Cue Card back in 2010, however Williams has not ruled out the prospect of Kel Du Large appearing in the Grade One contest in March.

Williams added: “That’s beyond my pay grade (to make a decision over the Champion Bumper). I’m not sure what we will do. He is only four. Cue Card won the Champion Bumper when he was four, but he was exceptional.

“At home he has been a touch mentally fragile, but he has come here today and he has been an absolute professional from the moment he has got here. He has not been fazed by the crowd and as soon as he has hit the front he has gone and done it. He is an absolute professional.

“Come October he will be novice hurdling, but I wouldn’t know what will happen now, but it wouldn’t be impossible (that he came back for the Champion Bumper) as he is a proper horse.”

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