Barry Geraghty and John Francome: The Road to Cheltenham Part 1

Barry Geraghty and John Francome are on a road trip down memory lane, as they look forward to the Cheltenham Festival 2022.

The legendary National Hunt jockeys start their journey in the Valley of the Racehorse, Lambourn, and wind their way through Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds before reaching the mecca: Cheltenham.

They'll be plenty of laughs along the way as the pair reminisce about their Cheltenham Festival wins and the stories behind them, as well as giving their picks for this year's big races, including the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

In part one of a four-part series, Geraghty, who rode 43 Cheltenham Festival winners, picks up Francome from his Lambourn home, and they soon wind past the HQ of Barry's former boss, Nicky Henderson, who is preparing the favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Constitution Hill, and to whom Geraghty bought and sold to Henderson as a foal.

As the duo motor through the Oxfordshire hills, talk soon gets on to this year's Arkle Chase and then the feature race of day one, the Champion Hurdle.

With unbeaten mare Honeysuckle bidding to defend to her crown for trainer Henry de Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore, Geraghty and Francome are split as to whether she can hold off the challenge of the Willie Mullins-trained Appreciate It.

Geraghty, who won the Champion Hurdle four times on the likes of Jezki and Epatante, and Francombe, who triumphed on Sea Pigeon, can't split the pair.

Scroll down for part two of Barry and John's Road to Cheltenham, which sees them look forward to day two of the Cheltenham Festival, featuring the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Barry Geraghty and John Francome: The Road to Cheltenham Part 2

Barry Geraghty and John Francome continue their Road to Cheltenham as they reminisce about the Queen Mother Champion Chase and look forward to this year's renewal.

The legendary National Hunt jockeys recall Geraghty's fabulous five wins in the race, twice on Moscow Flyer and one victory each on Big Zeb, Finian's Rainbow and Spinter Sacre, as they wind through the Oxfordshire countryside on their journey to Prestbury Park.

Geraghty talks of his affection for the race and his five winners, and struggles to split Moscow Flyer and Sprinter Sacre in his hall of fame.

This year, the likes of Nicky Henderson's Shishkin and the Willie Mullins-trained pair Chacun Pour Soi and Energumene are bidding for a crown which eluded Francome during his illustrious career.

The pair also preview the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, in which the Mullins horse Sir Gerhard is strongly fancied, while in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs are vying for favouritism.

Make sure you look out for part three of Barry and John's Road to Cheltenham, which sees them look forward to day three of the Cheltenham Festival, featuring the Stayers' Hurdle.

Barry Geraghty and John Francome: The Road to Cheltenham Part 3

Barry Geraghty and John Francome are edging closer to Cheltenham on their road trip to Prestbury Park.

In part three of the Road to Cheltenham, Francome and Geraghty are focusing on day three of the Festival, which features the Stayers' Hurdle and Ryanair Chase.

Geraghty won the Stayers' Hurdle on Iris's Gift for trainer Jonjo O'Neill, while Francome triumphed in the race on Derring Rose.

This year, 2019 winner Paisley Park is bidding to regain his crown but it's a wide-open content, with the likes of Flooring Porter, the Willie Mullins-trained Klassical Dream, Thyme Hill and Champ all vying for the favourite's tag.

Geraghty, who won on Champ in 2020 in what is widely considered to be one of the great Festival rides, is unsure whether his former partner can get back in the winners' enclosure again this year and is leaning towards Klassical Dream.

In the Ryanair, Allaho is considered to be one of the bankers of the meeting, but both Francome and Geraghty think Eldorado Allen has a strong each-way chance.

And in the Turner Novices' Chase both are backing Galopin Des Champs to get the better of Bob Ollinger in what some think could be the race of the meeting.

Scroll down for part four of Barry and John's Road to Cheltenham, which sees them look forward to day four of the Cheltenham Festival, featuring the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Barry Geraghty and John Francome: The Road to Cheltenham Part 4

It's the final part of Barry Geraghty and John Francome's Road to Cheltenham, as they reach Cheltenham town centre and make the final climb atop the iconic Cleeve Hill.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the feature race on the Festival's final day, and both Geraghty and Francome have triumphed in racing's premier steeplechase.

Francome took glory aboard Midnight Court in 1978, while Geraghty crossed the winning line in first on both Kicking King and Bobs Worth.

This year, the likes of A Plus Tard, Galvin and defending champion Minella Indo are going for glory, with strong challenges expected from Protektorat, former winner Al Boum Photo and Tornado Flyer.

Geraghty believes Henry de Bromhead's Minella Indo will take some stopping, despite his defeat in the King George at Kempton, while Francome says stablemate A Plus Tard, second last year, can reverse the placings this year.

The pair also make their selections in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and the Triumph Hurdle.

Vauban is favourite to give Wille Mullins yet another Festival winner in the Triumph, while a wide-open Albert Bartlett could go the way of the Gordon Elliott-trained Ginto.

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• One of the greatest jockeys to ride around Prestbury Park, Barry Geraghty chats to 888sport about the best way to ride at Cheltenham

• Geraghty talks about his Cheltenham Festival highs and lows while also offering his unique insight into the moments races are won and lost at the meeting

• Follow Barry's best bets and tips across all four days at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival

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Barry Geraghty rode 43 Cheltenham Festival winners, so knows almost better than anyone the ins and outs of riding what is probably the most unique track in National Hunt horse racing.

With the Cheltenham Festival 2022 just a week away, 888sport horse racing ambassador Geraghty, who has won all of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle at least once, walks the course and explains just what a challenge it presents for both horse and rider.

What are the differences between the Old and New courses? Which are the fences that catch out inexperienced novices? How significant are the undulations? Did Ruby Walsh or AP McCoy ride Cheltenham better?

Geraghty answers these questions and more as he recalls the moment the great Moscow Flyer came down at one of the open ditches in the 2004 Queen Mother Champion Chase, while he describes how the energy-sapping uphill finish provides as big a tactical test as it does an examination of stamina, which played into his hands on Finian's Rainbow in the 2012 renewal of the race.

And what of his miraculous ride on Champ in the 2019 RSA Novices' Chase?

The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding come from an impossible position at the third last fence to snatch glory in the dying strides from the likes of Minella Indo, trained by Henry de Bromhead, and the Willie Mullins-trained Allaho, in what is widely considered to be one of the great Cheltenham Festival rides.

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• There are several types of bridle that can be fitted onto a racehorse
• Some bridles are “bitless”
• Paddock watching a horse in its bridle can aid your punting

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What Is A Bridle And How Does It Work?

Racehorses are very powerful animals and in order to be able to ride and control them some sort of contraption needs to be applied.

This item is universally known as the bridle. The whole relationship between a horse and its rider rests in the correct use of the bridle.

The bridle is a piece of headgear that the racehorse wears in order for the jockey to be able to steer and control it.

The bridle generally consists of a bit that runs between the horse’s teeth attached to head straps, while the long reins come back down the neck and into the hands of the jockey.

If horses were not fitted with a bridle then they would be unsteerable and their riders would be plonked on the floor after a few strides.

Bridle Types

Naturally bridles come in all sorts of designs and types and some work for particular horses better than others. The following bridal types can typically be found on racehorses today:

• Anatomic Bridle

Anatomical bridles are designed with the horse’s anatomy in mind. They allow the horse to be more comfortable and move freely.

This type of bridle is designed and cut to be a specific shape to help prevent pressure on a horse’s facial nerves.

• Micklem Bridle

The Micklem bridle is designed from the inside out and from the shape of the skull itself.

This is to avoid any pressure on the five areas which consistently cause discomfort with traditional headwear.

• Double Bridle

The double bridle (also known as the Weymouth Bridle) consists of two bits: the bridoon (snaffle bit) and the curb.

The double bridle can have a very sharp effect on the horse's mouth due to the increased leverage it offers is therefore only suitable for experienced riders.

• Schockemohle Bridle

Schockemohle are designed with a specifically shaped headpiece and nose band to release pressure from the horses head, nose and neck, making sure that the horse has the maximum comfort through extra padding.

• Bitless Bridle

Bitless bridles have been observed to solve a number of issues, from head shaking and bridle lameness to napping, rearing and anxiety.

Ridden behaviours like head nodding and excessive salivation also lead to riders and trainers to explore bitless options for their horse.

• Snaffle Bridle

The snaffle is the most commonly used bridle because of its versatility and functionality. The snaffle bridle can be used for most horse disciplines including jumping, dressage, and trail riding.

It can be used with a snaffle bit or with a Pelham or curb bit. A racing term you sometimes hear which is derived from this bridle name is “the horse was on the snaff”.

On The Bridle vs Off The Bridle

These are very familiar terms in the sport of horse racing but what do they actually mean in practice?

The term “on the bridle” is used when a horse has got used to the bit being between its teeth and the reins flow back naturally to the jockey.

Sometimes horses don’t take to the bridle and they become frustrated and fractious in the paddock. Quite often you will see a horse fighting against the bit with its tongue in the parade ring.

Generally when the jockey climbs on board they put the horse at ease and familiarise it with the bridle. In most cases the horse will settle and will be ready to race.

Conversely, “off the bridle” is a phrase used when the horse isn’t travelling well during a race. Quite often later down the line, such horses are always equipped with cheekpieces.

If a racing pundit or commentator ever says of a horse ‘it won on the bridle’ it generally means it won with the minimum of fuss and did not need to be ridden vigorously.

Do Bridles Impact Betting On Horse Racing?

Horse racing is fundamentally a betting sport and punters can quite often gain an edge in their betting if they can identify which horses are on or off the bridle.

As well as identifying which horses are comfortable in the paddock with their bridle, you can also work out which ones are at ease with their equipment whilst heading down to the start.

Jumps races are much longer than flat races so a horse is more likely to come off the bridle in the NH sphere, In short sprint races horses don’t generally come off the bridle because the races are over quite quickly.

When a horse reaches the limit of its stamina reserves it will come off the bridle and invariably will struggle to hold its place.

Being able to identify when a horse has come off the bridle is an important tool and skill for successful horse racing punters, especially those that play the in-running markets with their horse racing online bets.

A trained eye can give you an increased advantage over your fellow bettors.

You must remember that for 90% of the race the jockey's job is to slow the horse down and save his energy for the concluding stages of the race.

A horse that is running 'on the bridle' is still being held back from going full speed by the jockey pulling him/her back with his the reins.

A horse that is running 'off the bridle' is one where the jockey has had to let go of his tight grip and allow the horse to run faster to maintain its momentum.

The jockey lets some slack go out of his reins because he is struggling to keep up with the other horses that are still around him and are still on the bridle. His mount will probably now struggle to maintain those exertions for a prolonged period of time.

Being ridden 'off the bridle' is generally an ominous sign for a punter as the horse is highly likely to be overtaken and swamped by the chasing pack.

At the end of any given race most horses will be 'off the bridle' because the battle to the line saps up all their reserves of energy. Of course there are some exceptions... 

Some horses are simply lazy travellers and need to be cajoled along by the jockey for most of the race.

Many horse racing commentators will incorrectly describe these types as being 'off the bridle' when in fact it is just the way they always run and they tend not to find much extra when let off the bridle.

Sometimes horses win very easily and visually never come 'off the bridle''. The commentators and pundits will often make a big deal about this because it leads to the notion that they could have won by a lot further if the jockey let them off the bridle.

Often you will hear associated descriptions such as “he won hard held” and “the jockey had a double handful'” both implying that the horse won even though the jockey still had hold of a tight rein.

A high percentage of horses that score in this manner are quite often the NAP of the day in the national newspaper racing pages.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 9th March 2022

• Kylian Mbappe, Timo Werner and Alphonso Davies feature among the fastest footballers in the world

• Davies is one of three Bayern Munich stars in this fastest football player list

• How important is speed in the modern game?

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The fastest football players in the world are always a football betting factor.

While pace isn’t a necessity for elite footballers, it can change matches. Being able to run in behind or recover in defence is invaluable.

Fastest Footballers In The World (2022):

• Kylian Mbappe

• Kyle Walker

• Inaki Williams

• Adama Traore

• Leroy Sane

• Sadio Mane

• Timo Werner

• Alphonso Davies

• Achraf Hakimi

• Douglas Costa

The quickest footballers in the world are not necessarily in the Golden Boot running – some are creators, and many operate from full-back or wing-back roles.

Here are 10 of the fastest football players on the planet, led off by Paris Saint-Germain superstar and World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe.

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*Credit for the main photo belongs to David Vincent / AP Photo*