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| Cheltenham Festival 2010 |
cheltenham festival / 2010 news /
Equine Heroes On Parade at This Year’s Cheltenham Festival
10/03/10
An impressive line-up of ex-racehorses is due to parade at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, March 16. Organised by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) in liaison with Cheltenham Racecourse, the parade will be held in the Parade Ring before the first race.
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Ten horses are likely to parade, who between them won 16 races at The Festival. They include two totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Kicking King, who last year finished second in a RoR/Tattersalls Show Series class to qualify for the final at Hickstead later this year, and Master Oats, who now enjoys hunting and hacking.
Other Cheltenham heroes due to line-up include Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and Spinal Research Supreme Novice’s Hurdle winner Brave Inca, and Moscow Flyer, winner of The Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy and Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, both of whom are also doing well in the show ring.
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Another Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner, Make A Stand, will return to Cheltenham for the day taking a break from his new life hunting and show jumping.
Di Arbuthnot, RoR director of operations, said: “We are delighted to have such an impressive line-up of former racehorses parading at this most prestigious race meeting, all of whom show that ex-racehorses can enjoy a long and successful second career after racing.”
Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is British Horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses who have retired from racing. For more information, please visit www.ror.org.uk
The horses due to parade are listed below, although the exact line-up is subject to change.
BRAVE INCA - Champion Hurdle winner now showing
BLOWING WIND - Cheltenham Festival winner now hunting and show jumping
EARTHMOVER - Christie’s Foxhunter winner now team chasing
HUSSARD COLLONGES - Royal & Sun Alliance Chase winner now showing
KICKING KING - Cheltenham Gold Cup winner now showing
MAKE A STAND - Champion Hurdle winner now hunting and show jumping
MASTER OATS - Cheltenham Gold Cup winner now hunting and hacking
MOSCOW FLYER - Arkle Challenge Trophy and Queen Mother Champion Chase winner now showing
ROYAL PREDICA - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup winner now showing
STORMYFAIRWEATHER - Cathcart Challenge Cup winner now hunting
KAUTO STAR OUTSELLING DENMAN THREE TO TWO IN THE MERCHANDISE STAKES AT CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE
The third and deciding clash, for the moment at least, between stable companions Denman and Kauto Star in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, March 19, has generated unprecedented sales of merchandise at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Scarves in the colours of the owners of the two Paul Nicholls-trained horses, as well as t-shirts, IJF charity bracelets, mugs, hobby-horses, caricature cartoons and authentic sports memorabilia prints, are proving very popular.
Paul Barber and Maggie Findlay, mother of high-profile gambler Harry Findlay, own Denman, whose colours this season and the year in which he won chasing’s blue riband are dark green, white chevron, light green sleeves and a dark green and white check cap, while the colours of Clive Smith, Kauto Star’s owner, are emerald green, yellow spots, yellow and emerald green halved sleeves and a purple cap.
Rebecca Morgan, Commercial & Operations Manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, revealed: “In total, we will have sold over 6,000 scarves, the equivalent of almost 10 per cent of the likely Gold Cup day crowd of 67,000, celebrating the colours of Kauto Star and Denman.
“The split on overall sales at the moment is 60 per cent in favour of Kauto Star products and 40 per cent for Denman products although it fluctuates week by week.
“The last time we did anything of this sort was during the Best Mate era but the response to Denman and Kauto Star has been massive compared to then.
“We are delighted that racing fans want to show their support loud and proud, and are grateful to Paul Nicholls and the owners for their support and enthusiasm about what we are doing to promote the rivalry between the two horses.
“People can purchase online at www.cheltenhamcollection.co.uk, by calling us on 01242 513 014 or on racedays from the Cheltenham Superstore.”
The Denman and Kauto Star merchandise, which also includes limited edition memorabilia, can be seen at www.cheltenhamcollection.co.uk/Category/50 denman kauto star.aspx
The 2010 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, which takes place on the fourth and final day of The Festival at Cheltenham, is one of the most eagerly awaited clashes in years.
Cheltenham Racecourse also has a Facebook Page which encourages people to pick sides in the hottest debate in Jump racing.
