WITH the Cheltenham Festival now 44 days away, the Sun Racing team will be bringing you their ‘Festival 50’ every day between now and 10 March.
We will salute the Prestbury Park heroes that made us fall in love with the Festival, all the way until the ‘Cheltenham roar’ signals that the wait is finally over.
Number 44: Katchit
Big things do come in small packages.
And in Katchit’s case, Alan King’s pocket rocket was packing a huge engine.
A 15,500 purchase who was a moderate performer on the level, with just one win from 16 starts, he took to hurdling like a duck to water.
He won five of his first six starts and went to Cheltenham as a well-fancied 11-2 shot for the Triumph Hurdle.
And the race was in safe-keeping from an early stage as he tanked through the race and sprinted clear up the hill to win by nine lengths in a rapid time.
It was a jaw-dropping performance from a juvenile right out of the top drawer.
And better was to come as he ventured into open company the following season.
Many four-year-old’s before him had found life tough when tackling their elders after a fruitful campaign.
Indeed, Kribensis and See You Then (1990 and 1985) were the only five-year-old winners of the Champion Hurdle in over 30 years.
Perhaps that was why he was sent off a 10-1 poke, despite a recent win in the Kingwell at Wincanton, but he again showed his love for Cheltenham when cruising through the race.
He was produced to lead narrowly two out and found plenty under pressure to beat Osana in a driving finish, with jockey Robert Thornton roaring with delight across the line.
He was only little, but he had the heart of a lion.
