Latest 2012 Cheltenham Report

With just a week and a bit from the 2012 Cheltenham Festival we're starting to get down to crunch time in preparing for the de facto world championships of steeplechasing. All the best jumpers from across the land will be lining up for the penultimate race in their divisions. A number will continue on to races at Aintree or Punchestown but Cheltenham bragging rights are well and truly up for grabs with a number of open contests this year.

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Concerns about especially firm going have been eased now that a good spate of rain was received over the weekend. Approximately 12mm of rain fell on the track.

To put into a bit of perspective. The going has been listed as good, good to firm in places prior to Sunday and the rain has seen the surface go well on course for a good to soft listing by the time of the off in the Supreme Novices.

Speaking to the media, clerk of the course Simon Claisse declared, “After 12mm of rainfall on Sunday morning, the going on both chase and hurdles course is good to soft, good in places and the cross-country course is good to firm. The outlook remains cool with a little light rain until the middle of the week when it becomes predominately dry but mild.”

Aside from the going concerns, the biggest question mark at Cheltenham this year would be whether Kauto Star would line up to tackle Long Run once again and wrest his Cheltenham Gold Cup after being beaten last year.

The living-legend chaser took a tough fall when schooling last week with Ruby Walsh. Paul Nicholls immediately spoke to the media and declared Kauto “50/50” for Cheltenhma. Since then, the old boy has come on extremely well and he had cantered twice by the end of Monday morning onthe gallops. The legendary chaser came through the work in good order.

Paul Nicholls declared “he had a canter up the hill with the same horse. We will keep adding to this workload and tomorrow [Tuesday] he will do the same, but have two canters up the hill instead of one. Again, he is fine and we are heading in the right direction at the moment.”