I don’t think I’m being overly dramatic when I describe last week’s Cheltenham Festival as being one of the best ever.
“Best ever” is usually reserved for the media hyperbole and the bookmaker marketing buzz we have to endure as we approach arguably the climax of the National Hunt season. But this year I am of the opinion it is a term we can use quite unreservedly after the event.
We’ve enjoyed four days of high drama, high passion and high achievement, without so much as a blot on the race-course’s copybook. There was dry weather, increased crowds, big, competitive fields, and minimal negativity. Perfect ground, prompt starts, and clockwork efficiency. Remarkably for a meeting of such eyeballs-out intensity, and with over 500 runners across the four days, only one horse lost its life, and no jockeys were seriously injured.
The memories of Cheltenham 2011 are overwhelmingly positive, and I suspect the postscripts from many of the races are imminent.
Ruby Tuesday
Ruby Walsh
One of the more popular debates in jumps racing circles is “Ruby Walsh or Tony McCoy?”. Whilst I am firmly grounded on the McCoy side of the fence, you have to tip your hat to Mr Walsh, who had an exemplary Festival. He arrived at Cheltenham not long after a four month absence, and his comeback had consisted of just the single win, and a worrying fall. So perhaps he, more than any other jockey, was feeling the pressure on the first day. If Ruby was feeling any pressure, this could not have been lifted any quicker when a familiar run of exquisite timing saw him bring Al Ferof home in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
His first day treble was completed aboard Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle, and the extraordinary mare Quevega in the David Nicholson Hurdle, and Ruby went on to post five winners overall. Some might say he is lucky to ride for the winningmost of stables, but it is we that are fortunate to be able to watch a genuine master of his craft at the peak of his powers.
The Binocular Debacle
Cheltenham 2011 may be one trainer Nicky Henderson’s would like to forget. Things were already going awry two days before the first Cheltenham roar on Tuesday, when he withdrew Binocular from the Champion Hurdle because of a mistake with medication. The ante-post favourite was given treatment for an allergy whilst at the owner JP McManus’s Irish base, which would have shown in a post-race sample, so he had to be removed from the race. There then followed thirty-six successive losers, and sadly it was Henderson who trained the only horse to suffer a fatality. To compound matters, he probably earned himself a second official letter of warning to follow that for the withdrawal of Binocular, when he (perhaps naively) admitted he had backed himself to draw a blank at the Festival.
Consolation did eventually come however, and in no small measure, when Long Run took the biggest prize of the week.
The Young Pretenders
For me the Festival produced two outstanding young horses, who must surely be destined for future success around Prestbury Park. Captain Chris was a convincing winner of the Arkle over two miles, but I think trainer Philip Hobbs knows he has a potential Gold Cup contender on his hands, and the horse will undoubtedly be seen lining up for the King George VI next Christmas.
By contrast, the Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkandar is a true speed merchant. He will probably be seen next at Aintree, before being closeted away to prepare for next year’s Champion Hurdle.
The Old Guard
Kauto Star and Denman
The two were all but written off as too old to win before the Gold Cup on Friday (and I include myself among the naysayers), but Kauto Star and Denman both produced sterling performances, and any myths about early retirement were dispelled when Paul Nicholls declared new targets for them both. Denman may well be seen contesting the totesport Bowl at Aintree, whilst Kauto Star will probably be headed for Punchestown in six weeks time. As they turned the final corner to head the field up the hill on Friday, I seriously thought the winner would come from one of these two great ambassadors for the sport.
The Trainers Title
The gap between Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson currently stands at £120,000. No matter how much they underplay it, we should never doubt exactly how much the title of champion trainer means to both men. Henderson may have edged it over the course of the Festival, thanks entirely to his win in the Gold Cup, but it is still all to play for with Aintree on the horizon.
Henderson has no runners in the Grand National, whereas Nicholls will have four lining up, including Gold Cup fourth placed What A Friend. So Aintree could prove decisive for both trainers.
It was a good week for…
Gordon Elliott who sent out his first two Festival winners, including Carlito Brigante in the Coral Cup. He has trained 90 winners in Britain and Ireland this season, and will surely be one of the big stable names within the next few years.
Conor O’Farrell won his first ever Festival ride aboard the effervescent Buena Vista. To add to what will be a memorable week for the young jockey, he landed the Midlands National at Uttoxeter on Saturday aboard Minella Four Star.
Horse Racing Trends finished Cheltenham 2011 with 46 points profits to official Starting Prices, bolstered by three big-priced winners in Carlito Brigante winning the Coral Cup at 16/1, Bostons Angel taking the RSA Chase at 16/1, before Holmwood Legend scored in the Byrne Group Plate at 25/1.
Not so good for…
Nigel Twiston-Davies who failed to train a winner, and for whom the final day will have been viewed in humbling contrast to the previous year. His skills as a trainer will now be tested if he is to revive Imperial Commander for next season.
Also Paul Webber who had invested his hopes, along with many punters, in Time For Rupert in the RSA Chase. Although his lacklustre run was attributed to a burst blood vessel, he will need to regroup.
The Luck of the Irish
Wednesday was nothing short of astonishing as the first six races went to the Irish. Astonishing for a country supposedly on its financial uppers, and unable to keep its top horses. The Festival is infinitely better when the Irish are strong, and hopefully this year’s admirable showing will encourage not only the supporters to return in numbers next year, but also owners to maintain confidence in Irish trainers.
The New King
Long Run wins the Gold Cup
This term could be applied as much to owner Robert Waley-Cohen, as to his Gold Cup winning horse Long Run. Waley-Cohen takes over from Lord Vestey as chairman of Cheltenham and will be charged with overseeing the redevelopment of the facilities at the race-course. By 2015 Cheltenham will be able to expand the Festival still further, and by then Long Run will be 10 years old, and who knows how many Gold Cups he will have won?
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