Cheltenham Festival LIVE: Latest news, odds, tips and more ahead of opening day
The 10 best Willie Mullins horses in Cheltenham Festival history
Quevega (Mares’ Hurdle 2009-2014)
There was not much to the diminutive mare who arrived from France in 2007 but once Mullins worked out the key to her, she created her own piece of Cheltenham history.
While some disagreed with the way she was campaigned, as from 2010 onwards she made her seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham, there could be no doubting the execution of the plan.
The extra races have undoubtedly helped Mullins rack up his incredible numbers and many would have preferred to have seen Quevega try her luck in the Champion Hurdle or more likely the Stayers’ given she won the Punchestown equivalent four times.
Either way, just running in the same race six times is a notable achievement, never mind winning it.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 12:18
1710159130The 10 best Willie Mullins horses in Cheltenham Festival history
Cousin Vinny (2008 Champion Bumper)
By 2008, Mullins was a major player at the Festival and had begun to farm the Champion Bumper having won it five times in all.
However, there is no doubt if you were to ask him which was his most memorable success in the race, he would nominate Cousin Vinny, as it was a first Festival winner for his then 18-year-old son, Patrick, who has gone on to break all records as an amateur jockey.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 12:12
1710158770The 10 best Willie Mullins horses in Cheltenham Festival history
Tourist Attraction (1995 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle)
The very first Cheltenham Festival winner for Mullins. At a time when he was still an amateur rider himself, he entrusted Mark Dwyer with the mount on the mare who went off a 25-1 outsider.
In beating subsequent Arkle winner Ventana Canyon, Mullins proved he was capable of mixing it with the very best.
She only ran once more herself but went on to produce Pete The Feat, a prolific winner for Charlie Longsdon who went on to race until he was 15.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 12:06
1710158410Willie Mullins confirms race decision over Ballyburn at Cheltenham Festival
Beaten by Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in December, Ballyburn subsequently bolted up over two and a half miles at Leopardstown before successfully reverting to two miles to strike Grade One gold at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival.
The six-year-old has been at the head of ante-post lists for both the Supreme and the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle since that latter triumph and Mullins moved to clarify running plans on Thursday.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 12:00
1710157690British trainer Harry Derham on the Cheltenham Festival
Like most professional sports finding an entryway into the National Hunt industry is a difficult task but 29-year-old British trainer Harry Derham is earning plaudits for his growing stable.
Pro-golfers Brooks Koepka and Graeme McDowell have even entrusted him with their horse, Givemefive, who finished second at Kempton Park back in February.
In an interview with OLBG, Derham provided his outlook on the Cheltenham Festival and what he hopes to achieve there this year..
“We’re right to focus on those four days [at Cheltenham], because they showcase our sport,” said Derham, “I think it’s sometimes a little bit boring in November and December when a horse wins a novice chase then we immediately start talking about Cheltenham.
“Having said that, where does everyone want a winner? Where does everyone want their horse to run? Cheltenham.
“I love it, I’m a massive fan and I look forward to it. I don’t think we put too much focus on it, but I think that, perhaps, it’s not quite as competitive as it once was.”
When asked if he was glad the Festival remains a four day event, Derham added:“Without question, I think sometimes you can have more and more of something but it doesn’t necessarily make it better. I don’t particularly remember having a three day Festival, but I think that the higher quality the Festival can be, the better.
“You want to see the best horses taking on one another in very competitive fields. It’s not Willie Mullins’ fault he has all the best horses at the moment and, in fairness to him, he runs them against each other.
“Sometimes less is more, and I think that five days of Cheltenham would not have been a good thing at all.”
Mike Jones11 March 2024 11:48
1710157030Champion Chase field set for Wednesday
Last year’s Arkle winner El Fabiolo is set to face seven rivals as he bids to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30pm) at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.
El Fabiolo is the 4-9 favourite to win the race with his competitiors headed by Jonbon and Edwardstone.
Jonbon is the only horse to have beaten El Fabiolo in Britain and Ireland – in the 2022 Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree – but proved no match in last year’s Arkle when trailing the winner by five and a half lengths.
Edwardstone, the 2022 Arkle winner, got back to winning ways in last month’s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. The field is completed by Gentleman De Mee, Captain Guinness, Elixir De Nutz, Boothill and Funambule Sivola.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 11:37
1710156430Slevin going for gold at Cheltenham
Jockey J J Slevin is doing his best to remain focused and donwplay expectations as he gears up for a shot at winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup glory aboard Fastorslow on Friday.
The County Wexford-born rider has a couple of Festival victories on his CV, winning aboard Champagne Classic in the 2017 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle before triumphing on Band Of Outlaws in the Boodles two years later.
Yet, over the last 12 months, Slevin appears to have come across his horse of a lifetime, with Fastorslow elevating himself from high-class handicapper to a major contender for the sport’s highest honours.
“He always felt like a nice horse, but the unfortunate thing is there’s loads of horses that feel like a nice horse but don’t get there,” said Slevin, “It would have been hard to envisage he’d get to where he’s got to, in all honesty.”
Fastorslow has twice narrowly lost at the Cheltenham Festival, going down by just a short head to Commander Of Fleet in the 2022 Coral Cup and pushing subsequent Corach Rambler to a neck in last season’s Ultima Handicap Chase.
Since then Fastorslow has gone up a level having beaten last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, in the Punchestown Gold Cup and in the John Durkan at the same venue.
“Very few horses would give you a feel like him, he’s pure class, all quality and a real athlete,” added Slevin, “He’s loads of speed and Galopin is the same.
“Those Gold Cup horses, they could turn up against the top two milers and probably give them a race, that’s the sort of horse you need. They’re the best beasts over fences in these isles at the moment.
“It would be massive to win a Gold Cup, you don’t even dream about it really, it’s that sort of stuff. I don’t even let myself think about it at the moment, to be second-favourite for a Gold Cup. We just take it day by day.”
Mike Jones11 March 2024 11:27
1710155950Hollie Doyle proves talent knows no gender boundaries in horse racing world
Whilst most sports are now moving to develop and promote their women’s game independently of the men’s, racing has the rare distinction of allowing both sexes to compete directly against one another.
The majority of jockeys are male, but there has been breakthrough after breakthrough in the women’s ranks and responsible for much of that progress is the great talent of Hollie Doyle.
Doyle is not just a supreme female jockey, but a leading rider regardless of gender and is one of only a handful of jockeys to enjoy a retained role as the go-to for Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 11:19
1710155350Trainers preparing for Cheltenham Festival
Irish trainers, Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead, will both be expecting success at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Mullins will likely be hoping to continue his run as the trainer with the most wins over the week while De Bromhead will be targeting wins in the more prestigious races.
Mike Jones11 March 2024 11:09
1710154810Mares' Hurdle set to be exciting and competitive
One of the anticipated races on Tuesday is the Mares’ Hurdle at 4.10pm which follows on the heels of the Champion Hurdle (3.30pm).
It’s set to be a competitive race this year with plenty of contenders that have realistic chances of winning. Rachael Blackmore’s mare is Telmesomethinggirl who has previously had success in this race, though that win was three years ago which is a long time in horseracing.
Blackmore said: “This is very competitive again, Lossiemouth is last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner and she looked impressive at Cheltenham on her return this season, but Telmesomethinggirl goes there with a live chance.
“She won the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021 and she was unlucky to be brought down at the second last flight in the Mares’ Hurdle the following year when she was travelling well.
“She was chasing last season, but she has improved with each of her runs this season back over hurdles. She ran really well last time in the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas, and I hope that she can run a big race.”
