Garde Champetre

Garde Champetre is the current favourite to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 2011 on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Garde Champetre is currently 9/2 to win a third race at the festival and add another prestigious record to Enda Bolger’s career as a trainer.

Garde Champetre is a 12-year-old Bay Gelding with the experience of 35 races. The horse was bred between Garde Royale and Clementine Fleurie (Both France) and has quickly secured a career winning percentage of 34 per cent.

Garde Champetre's Debut

Garde Champetre's debut as a race horse came on November 23 2003 over 16 furlongs at Plumpton. The horse was then in the hands of Paul Nicholls and finished second.

Garde Champetre's debut showed the horse had real potential over middle to long distance races. The only reason the horse didn’t want at Plumpton is because the winner, Big Moment, got too far out in front and set a strong pace.

Garde Champetre's Record

Garde Champetre's record has been very good apart from a period at the back end of 2005 and the start of 2006 when the horse struggled in higher quality races. Garde Champetre's record started at Plumpton and a win quickly followed at Bangor in December 2003. 

Two second place finishes followed with another win in April 2004. Garde Champetre's record currently stands at twelve wins and ten second place finishes from a total of 35 races.

Garde Champetre's Record at Cheltenham

Like the majority of experienced National Hunt horses, Garde Champetre has plenty of experience running at Cheltenham. Garde Champetre's record at Cheltenham has seen the horse run in 12 different races.

Garde Champetre's record at Cheltenham didn’t get off to a brilliant start but a second place and two wins in late 2008/early 2009 showed the horse had warmed to the course. The horse has won both races its been entered in for the last two Cheltenham Festivals.

In total Garde Champetre's record at Cheltenham includes four wins and two second place finishes.

Running Style of Garde Champetre

The running style of Garde Champetre is for the horse to be held up in the middle or towards the back of the field. The horse has a tremendous stamina that allows a strong push towards the end of a race. 

Every jockey who has ridden this horse has had success holding the horse up with a powerful late surge; Joe Tizzard, Ruby Walsh, Timmy Murphy, Tony McCoy, David Casey and more recently Nina Carberry.

Recent Form of Garde Champetre

The recent form of Garde Champetre over the horse's last three races has been very good. Garde Champetre won at Cheltenham in November last year over a massive 31 furlongs. The horse has finished second and first in races this year over 16 furlongs and 24 furlongs.

The recent form of Garde Champetre may have something to do with the fact that Enda Bolger has managed to keep the horse's weight relatively level over the last four races. There has only been a five pound difference.