Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle have been a match made in heaven, each responsible for boosting the other’s career. So it was fitting the sun shone on both at Cheltenham on Tuesday, with the mare showing guts aplenty to down Love Envoi and take the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle. With 11 Grade One victories to her […]
In the end it was just as easy as all the preview nights said it would be for Constitution Hill, as racing hailed its newest superstar following the Unibet Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson described training his latest wonder horse as easy as “ABC” and it was child’s play for Nico de Boinville, who continues to […]
Willie Mullins hailed Constitution Hill as “a proper champion hurdler” after watching Nicky Henderson’s charge take apart the field in the first day highlight at the Cheltenham Festival. The perennial Irish champion trainer fielded second-favourite State Man in the Unibet Champion Hurdle, with the Irish raider sent off a 7-2 shot in comparison to Constitution […]
Energumene has something to prove when he returns to Cheltenham to defend his Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase crown on Wednesday. The horse responsible for ensuring Willie Mullins has the full collection of championship events at the Festival looked set to become the dominant force in the two-mile chase division when following up his Champion […]
There were joyous scenes on day one of the Cheltenham Festival when Honeysuckle brought the curtain down on her phenomenal career with an emotional victory in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle. The sparkle of Henry de Bromhead’s superstar had seemingly been on the wane this term and the decision was made to return the dual […]
Constitution Hill lit up day one of the Cheltenham Festival as he took the Unibet Champion Hurdle crown in sublime style. This race had been seen as the six-year-old’s date with destiny ever since romping to victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago – and Nicky Henderson’s charge did not disappoint, much to […]
Corach Rambler enhanced his claims for the Randox Grand National when becoming the fourth back-to-back winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase. Lucinda Russell’s 6-1 favourite pounced late to land the Cheltenham Festival spoils 12 months ago and was ridden cold once again by Derek Fox. Always travelling easily for the National-winning pilot, the enigmatic nine-year-old […]
Impaire Et Passe will lead a four-strong team for Willie Mullins into battle in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Wednesday. Ireland’s perennial champion trainer has saddled five previous winners of the Festival’s day two curtain-raiser, with the brilliant Faugheen (2014) and last year’s victor Sir Gerhard among them. In the lead-up to this […]
El Fabiolo got the better of Jonbon in the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy, to get Willie Mullins and Paul Townend off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival. The duo fought out a titanic battle over hurdles at Aintree last season and the rematch was just as entertaining, with the main protagonists coming to the […]
Michael O’Sullivan produced an ice-cool ride aboard Marine Nationale to register a famous victory for trainer Barry Connell in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. O’Sullivan was still in college when Constitution Hill was winning the Festival opener 12 months ago, while his only previous taste of the Prestbury Park showpiece […]