British racing's Premier project starts with four advertising boards and a resurgent Bob Olinger
A new dawn has broken, has it not?
For those unfamiliar with the line, Tony Blair said it after Labour's landslide in the 1997 general election. The next general election will almost certainly take place at some point this year. It's also almost certain the first Premier raceday has now been staged, the element of doubt stemming from the fact references to British racing's big project at Cheltenham were almost non-existent.
To a Ben, a Brian and a Bob, that mattered not one jot. For them, this was not primarily a Premier day but a massive day. For the 33,200 people who commenced their year with a visit to jumping's Mecca, this was a special day because it was a Cheltenham day. It needed no additional promotion or adornment, which is just as well because, to all intents and purposes, it did not get any.
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- 'I've not been this nervous going into Ascot before' - anticipation rising for trainers and jockeys as showers hit Sandown
- Downpatrick: 'He was electric' - Petrol Head leaves his rivals for dust and motors away to land sustained support
- Bath: 'His horses are in really good form' - Pat Cosgrave completes 351-1 four-timer thanks to George Boughey treble
- Chester: 'Age just doesn’t seem to get to him' - popular veteran Copper Knight rolls back the years to record 15th success
- York: perennial Royal Ascot champion Ryan Moore comes out on top as he scoops both feature races