Black Tears runs to a high level

AN expectant crowd and the vociferous Cheltenham roar as the tape is released for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle may have been missing, but the equine performances on the track still had the same spell binding effect as any normal Festival.

As is the norm, the racing surface was the subject of much debate in the lead up to the meeting with the 10mm of rain on Sunday prompting many to assume soft ground would prevail.

However, the clock disagreed right from the first race as wide-margin scorer Appreciate It recorded a time more in-keeping with ground marginally on the soft side of good.

The final Grade 1 on the card was the Mares’ Hurdle and it produced the closest finish of the day with just a head separating Black Tears (65) and Concertista (65) at the line.

The race was run at just a steady gallop in comparison to the previous hurdles, demonstrated by the fact there was little more than a few lengths covering the field as leader Great White Shark left the ground at the fourth last. However, what developed from that point is evidence the first four home are all mares at the top of their game at this level.

In covering the section from the fourth last in 92.4 seconds they would have been hard on the heels of Honeysuckle if they had joined the Champion Hurdle at that point.

The front two could well meet again in the Mares’ Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and will probably be as closely matched once more.

Roksana (64) was most likely to be inconvenienced by the steady gallop and the drying ground at the trip so emerges with great credit. Dan Skelton’s mare has run faster when tackling three miles this season (best of 69) so another crack at the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, in which she was only beaten a head by If The Caps Fit in 2019, would be a fitting end to her season.

The Boodles Handicap won by the unconsidered 80/1 outsider Jeff Kidder (66), produced a reasonably fast time when compared to the more senior hurdlers. Saint Sam (65) gives the rating a solid look as he had achieved similar ratings in the graded races he has contested.