2005 Day Three Results

02:00 PM Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase (Listed)

A dramatic opener to day-three of this year's Festival went to King Harald, who set a scorching pace as soon as the tapes went up and never let up in the gallop. A slight blunder at the last was the only blemish on an otherwise exemplarily round of fencing from the seven-year-old, who granted jockey Matthew Batchelor a very welcome winner in light of recent events surrounding his career. "I'm waiting for the alarm clock to go off - it's a dream come true", he told Channel 4. " He's gone from fence to fence today. We have been working with Yogi (Briesner) on his jumping. I lost an iron when we came over the last, so I kicked out of the other one and it worked". Runner up Lacdoudal gave an excellent account and stayed on well to the line. His yard has not enjoyed an ideal Festival build up but they can take great satisfaction from his effort this afternoon. See You Sometime helped to set the early tempo and did well to manage to hold on to make the frame, whereas Sir Oj, eleventh in the Arkle on Tuesday, only really found his rhythm at the top of the hill and was never going to reach the leaders. The race could have changed complexion had Copsdale Lad stayed on his feet. Graphic Approach and Big Rob could not avoid the stricken horse and their respective chances came to an abrupt halt. However, it all combined to the thrill of a true National Hunt experience and, with only Marcus Foley suffering slight concussion from the melee at four-out, the incident looked a lot worse than it could have been. Winning trainer, Michael Bradstock was understandable delighted with the performance of his charge. This is what it is all about. I'm so pleaded for Mattie, the horse and the owners. It's very special".

Winning Jockey: M Batchelor
Straight Forecast: £98.19
Exacta: £92.90
Trifecta: £474.20
Unplaced Favourites: Captain Corelli(8/1)
Non Runners: Kickham (IRE)

02:35 PM Daily Telegraph Festival Trophy Chase (Grade 2)

If the first race had drama, then this first running of this valuable contest had an equal measure of determination from its leading players. The star being Thisthatandtother, who tenaciously fought back to deny the gallant Fondmort in a protracted battle that started in earnest as far out as the fourth fence from the finish. Ruby Walsh kept the nine-year-old together well on the approach to the final obstacle and his mount still had enough left to repel his main rival by a length and a half at the line." He has deserved to win", said winning trainer Paul Nicholls. " I gave him too much to do early in the season. Ruby was brilliant". Rathgar Beau, having looked a big danger on the approach to the penultimate obstacle, made a hash of the last and could only stay on at the one pace as they came up the hill towards the finish. Similarly Hand Inn Hand was done for a turn of foot and could not land a blow today. As was the case with the well-backed Our Vic, who was not altogether fluent on his first start for 96 days and was beaten on merit. Former Champion Chase winner Edredon Bleu was there with his customary early exuberance but dropped away very disappointingly and, at the age of thirteen, his connections must now have a hard decision on their hands as to whether to call time on what has been a fabulous racing career. By way of contrast, the winner still has a good deal more to offer and can be a force if he heads to Aintree next month.

Winning Jockey: Mr S Waley-Cohen
Straight Forecast: £293.44
Exacta: £559.60
Trifecta: £9755.70
Non Runners: Oh Be The Hokey (IRE), Jericho III (FR)

03:15 PM Ladbrokes World Hurdle (Grade 1)

Considering the ties between owner J P McManus and trainer Jonjo O'Neill, it was interesting that the latter was responsible for sending out three of the twelve contenders for the first running of this race under its new title of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle. However, it was relative new owner on the block Graham Wylie that will have been wearing the biggest smile as his Inglis Driver led them home in a pulsating conclusion to the feature race of the day. Delivered with his challenge on the approach to the last flight, Inglis Drever readily swept past Baracouda on landing and ran on strongly to the line. The fast improving six-year-old enhanced what has already been a dream Festival for all concerned with the Howard Johnson yard. " I never usually shake, but I did this time", said the Durham-based trainer. "I love this horse. He stays, he battles; he is a real terrier. All credit has to go to the girl (Tasha Skidmore) that looks after him." Even though this memorable result follows on from the first and second-day successes of stablemates Arcalis and No Refuge, Johnson is still not allowing himself to get too carried away. " I just hope the wheels don't come off", he told Channel 4. "As Dennis Smith said, 'enjoy the three o'clock because you will be back down half an hour later' ". Winning rider Graham Lee reported that he was not confident of overhauling dual winner Baracouda until the latter stages of the race. "He never traveled well and only jumped okay. We had a lot to do passing the stands but he's finished well". Rule Supreme could not go with the first pair when they asserted from the home turn. However, he was far from disgraced in third and, as a versatile horse, there are further headlines to be made with him. Westender tried to slip his field on the run to the penultimate flight and ran a brave race. However, he was brushed aside easily when joined on the approach to the last and this is as good as he is. Exotic Dancer fared well after being outpaced on the first circuit but could never land a blow today. Neither could Crystal D'Ainay, who was not going well at any stage and was already beaten when he was badly hampered by a tiring Knife Edge. He was pulled up before the penultimate flight.

Winning Jockey: P Carberry
Straight Forecast: £562.98
Exacta: £768.40
Unplaced Favourites: Ravenswood (IRE)(7/2)
Non Runners: The Bajan Bandit (IRE), Broken Knights (IRE)

04:00 PM Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

Brooklyn Breeze has always hinted that he has a big race within him and his connections must have though today was his day when he took up the running at the top of the hill. However, not many had accounted for the determination that was within 25/1 outsider Libertine, who stormed through to force her head in front and assert after the last. The Nicky Henderson-trained mare had shown very little in her previous outings this season to suggest that she had such a power-packed finish within her. However, she was far and away the best on the day and her connections can simply enjoy a tremendous moment from her career. Trainer Nicky Henderson said: " They were going too quick for her and she was a bit outpaced. But it was a great bit of riding from Sam (Waley-Cohen); to go out and do that against those boys was brilliant." Veteran campaigner Banker Count has enjoyed a renaissance of late and again stuck to his task to claim a game second. He is a credit to all concerned with his preparations. Simply Gifted did well to say out of trouble today and was yet another Jonjo O'Neill-trained runner to give a good account in defeat and he is one to bear in mind now that he has got the benefit of a run behind him. He went on to win at Ayr last year and it will be noteworthy to see if he follows a similar route this time. Brooklyn Breeze dropped away when they came up the hill but did well to hang on to make the frame. Supreme Prince, Europa and Le Duc have all had a few problems with their jumping over the years and, along with Marked Man, all failed to complete this afternoon.

04:40 PM National Hunt Amateur Riders' Novices' Chase

A frenetic pace was set by Go White Lightning, who was to prove hard to pass as things unfolded. He was still there to be shot at well into the final circuit and ensured that it was going to take a brave effort from any of the rest to overhaul him. However, Mark O'Hare gave Another Rum (40-1) a perfectly timed ride and his mount quickly assumed control of the race on the approach to the second-last. Caislean Ui Cuain, like the winner, was unfancied in the betting ring. Still he crept into contention steadily in the closing stages and, with his starting price of 150-1, he boosted the straight forecast return into the fantasy league with a ¿2404.28 reward for those brave enough to speculate. Control Man's jumping held together well today and he added to the already impressive haul of prize-money attained by Martin Pipe and David Johnson from the meeting so far, while it would have been a travesty had Go White Lightning not have managed to gain something from the race by hanging on to fourth. With prizes down to sixth the battle for the line was always going to be furious but Point Barrow simply did not have the extra reserves in his stamina to trouble the leading players at the line.

05:20 PM Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final (Listed)

Many of these had form that gave them chances in a furiously competitive finale to the penultimate day of Thursday's card. However, Oulart put the home-trained contingent well and truly in their places as Paul Carberry brought the lightly weighted gelding through to take up the running as they negotiated their way over the final flight. Mioche D'Estruval, the pace-setting Quick and Touch Closer all still held chances as they bore down on the line. However, Carberry's mount ran on strongly to keep the Irish hordes in buoyant mood as they left the course to head off into Cheltenham to celebrate St Patrick's Day in style.