This year's Cheltenham Gold Cup may have been abandoned due to the foot and mouth crisis or incompetence depending upon one's stance on the matter, had a high class substitute in the Martell Cup won by First Gold (Fr), in testing conditions. Legal Right (USA) made a brave fight of it but probably found the combination of the ground, trip and lack of a recent outing just too much. First Gold (Fr)'s performance was top class, however, following on from a King George win and successes in France and looks a deserving champion. Frantic Tan (Ire) was never jumping fluently and eventually went at the 13th and See More Business (Ire) never promised, leaving Lord Noelie to run on for second place in ground supposed to be too soft.

The "Official" replacement for the Gold Cup was run at Sandown on April 27 but lost a lot of its interest when First Gold (Fr) failed to jump high enough at the 10th, losing just enough momentum to deposit T Doumen on the ground. With the trip on the short side and the ground too fast for Frantic Tan (Ire) the race now looked certain to go to Marlborough (Ire) with the minimum of fuss. However, Go Ballistic who had had taken up the running at the Railway fences the second time around, still looked to be travelling as well as that opponent entering the straight and facing the Sandown Hill. They joined each other at the second last, neither horse looking ready to concede. Richard Johnson on Go Ballistic conjured a fine leap at the last and drove his mount on towards the post with a narrow lead. Mick FitzGerald now getting serious would not be denied and managed to get Marlborough (Ire) up to lead on the line. The winner is under raced and hopefully will improve sufficiently to figure in a more strongly contested Gold Cup next March (we hope). The runner up ran within a stone of its performance in the 99 Gold Cup and Richard Phillips has done a good job to rekindle its enthusiasm at twelve years old.

Edredon Blue (Fr) a good jumper that likes to force the pace is ideally suited by fast ground so hopes weren't too high with the ground being soft for the replacement 2m Gd1 Championship Chase at Sandown 28 April. Such is the difficulty of negotiating this track's fences down the back straight that a clean round is a huge advantage in winning a closely contested event. Edredon Bleu (Fr) and Fadalko (Fr) were being ridden by the two best jockeys riding in Britain and Ireland presently in Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh respectively. Both jumped particularly well and had the rest of the field beaten soon after the Pond Fence (3 out). Such is the competitive nature of these two that neither of them are willing to concede defeat if it can be avoided, meaning that the race became a two horse war up the gruelling Sandown hill. Locked together after the last the result was in doubt until Tony McCoy managed to persuade his mount to nudge its head fractionally in front on the line.
This was a career best soft ground performance from Edredon Bleu (Fr), it is better still on fast ground. Also a career best for Fadalko (Fr) who has benefitted from its recent partnership with an outstanding jockey whose services are likely to be increasingly in demand on this side of the Irish Channel. Of the others Desert Mountain (Ire) kept on well for third suggesting its defeat at Ayr the previous week was due to the prevailing fast ground. Flagship Uberalles (Ire)' jumping was not good enough for Sandown. Tiutchev never looked like threatening, whilst for Function Dream (Ire) who has performed with great credit this season, this was just a race too many and is being retired. Let us hope that her offspring have a fair measure of her ability.

The very next race on this Sandown card was the Whitbread Gold Cup Handicap Chase which was won easily by Ad Hoc (Ire) superbly ridden for the first time by Ruby Walsh. Amazingly on this day it performed 27lb better than the previous week, when it finished a disappointing second to Gingembre (Fr) who readily repelled its challenge in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr. Apart from the fact that Ruby Walsh was on it, one has has to assume that the ground at Ayr was too fast for it and that there was not a strong enough early gallop relative to the ground. We should also be reminded that Gingembre (Fr) is a difficult horse to pass when the ground is riding fast.
Beau (Ire) was not able to dictate as last year, being forced to go too quick for the conditions behind early pacemaker Shagreen (Ire), whereas the winner and second What's Up Boys (Ire) 151E improving again, both came from behind

Satchmo (Ire) is a promising horse. Good ground (and a flat RH track?) seems to be essential. One not to ignore in handicaps next season with the right conditions underfoot.

Bellator (Ire) is not quick enough against the best over two miles and does not appear to have sufficient stamina against the best for three miles. In addition the horse is much better with give underfoot, making it's options very limited.

Beau (Ire) rated 176 last season following a demolition of the Whitbread field at Sandown, had been having a quiet season until the Grand National, the race connections had targetted for the horse. In the front rank from the start, with the field already decimated by the end of the first circuit, it looked the likely winner as they crossed the Melling Road heading for the seventeenth. Unfortunately, a mistake there caused Carl Llewellyn to lose the reins and he could only recover them down the one side. The 18th and 19th fences were negotiated safely. However, Beau (Ire) was so full of running that it was out of control and crashed out at the 20th. Leaving just two survivors to slog on towards the finish. There is no doubt in my mind that it would have won the National easily.

Micko's Dream (Ire) who had put up a career best time at Gowran (20f gsf) on April 18 in beating Ferbet Junior (Ire) had no trouble in beating that opponent again on 6lb worse terms, in a disappointing 2m Gd1 Chase at Fairyhouse April 24, thanks to the slower ground and the latter's (and other rivals) mistakes. On May 4 at Fairyhouse, well handicapped in comparison to his rivals on the day, Micko's Dream (Ire) ran out an easy winner of the 2m Handicap Chase.

Turgot (Fr) continues to impress following up its excellent victory at Auteuil on 18 March with a very easy success there over 20½f on 2 May. It is likely to be taking on tougher opposition next time.