Cheltenham's Gold Cup Field Shrinks to 10 as Non-Runners Mount
The Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday 14 November lost five of its 15 declared runners before the day's racing began, leaving 10. July Flower was the latest to be withdrawn, according to the Guardian's live coverage.
The withdrawals ran through the card. The first race, a handicap chase for amateur riders, was due off at 12.35. A handicap is a race where better horses carry more weight, and a chase is a race over fences. Transmission, Top Guy and Jaccours did not run, so nine horses lined up.
Two horses were also scratched from the Grade Two Arkle Trial, a race for young chasers. Kabral Du Mathan and Old Park Star will not take part. Grade Two is the tier just below the sport's top level, Grade One.
The ground was good, and good-to-firm in places. Going is the racing term for how soft or firm the turf is, and it shapes which horses can handle a race. Jon Pullin, Cheltenham's clerk of the course, the official in charge of the track, said the course had received 400mm of irrigation between the October Showcase meeting and this one. He compared that with 16mm of rain over the same period. Irrigation means watering the track, and it is used to keep the ground in shape for racing.
At 1.10 the Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle, a Grade Two race for young horses over hurdles, was scheduled over 2 miles and 87 yards. Hurdles are the lower jumps, and a race over them is a different test from one over fences.
Around 30,000 racegoers were expected on the day. The November Meeting runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November, and the Jockey Club, which runs the course, has issued practical guidance. Cheltenham reported a problem with Microsoft platforms affecting e-ticket downloads, and advised ticket-holders to arrive early for help on the gate. Tickets were still on sale at the gate for the opening day.
Visitors should plan ahead for payment too. The racecourse is cashless, but the on-course betting facilities still take cash. Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over, or by a parent, and need a children's ticket. Children aged 0 to 4 get in free.
For anyone heading to the course, the early start matters. Trainers and stable staff will have been up well before dawn to get horses ready, and those withdrawals mean a number of yards will be back home with their plans changed. The weekend has a full card still to run.
