Moscow - Different Class

Moscow Flyer, is without doubt the best of our time. The 6-4 favourite ridden by Barry Geraghty, battled to a rousing victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival yesterday. Moscow Flyer won the race two years ago and the contest had been billed as a clash of the giants with Azertyuiop, the 2004 winner, also in the eight-strong field. But Azertyuiop had an off-day and it was Well Chief who came home second, beaten by two lengths at odds of 7-2. Azertyuiop, the 2-1 second favourite, finished a well-beaten third. Moscow Flyer, who unseated Geraghty in last year’s Champion Chase, has never lost a race in which he has completed the course and has now won 18 times in a brilliant career. "He’s different class," said Geraghty of Moscow Flyer, the first horse to regain the Champion Chase title since 1974. The 11-year-old was always in the leading duo and put in a faultless display of jumping. The highlight of today’s Festival card is the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, formerly the Stayers’ Hurdle. French-trained Baracouda is favourite to retain the crown he won last year.

Other Cheltenham Festival News

16 Mar 2005	Hardy - Very Hardy
15 Mar 2005	Champion Hurdle Day 1 Highlight
12 Mar 2005	Fallon for Festival
10 Mar 2005	Best Mate Out
07 Mar 2005	Best back to Best
07 Mar 2005	Harchibald Champion Drifter
21 Feb 2005	Bingo- Central House
02 Feb 2005	Kauto Star - Walsh Brilliant
26 Jan 2005	Perfect Champion hurdle Trial
19 Jan 2005	McManus Star Revs Up!