Ahoy Senor back to his best for emotional Cotswold Chase success

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Ahoy Senor put himself in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture when securing an emotional success for Lucinda Russell in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase.

Runner-up in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on his only previous visit to Prestbury Park, the eight-year-old had struggled this season in open company and was winning for the first time since taking the Mildmay Novices’ Chase four starts ago.

Derek Fox was content to track Bryony Frost and Frodon on the first circuit and although Sounds Russian shot clear during the second lap of the New Course, a juddering error from Ruth Jefferson’s charge four from home gave the pack chance to close the gap and most crucially Ahoy Senor the opportunity to ensure an all-northern finish to this Grade Two contest.

Neck and neck jumping the last, the duo were soon embroiled in a terrific tussle up the Cheltenham hill with Ahoy Senor prevailing by one and a half lengths and Grand National hero Noble Yeats a further length back in third.

Betfair went 10-1 from 50s for the blue riband in March, while Coral offer slightly bigger odds of 12-1.

Russell said: “I’m really pleased. It is just the excitement of having a horse of that quality again. He’s always been good, but he just had to learn about it and today I think he just came of age.

Derek Fox talks to the media
Derek Fox talks to the media (David Davies/PA)

“In my mind, I thought he was going to take a lead and when he came into the paddock, Derek said I’m just going to go forward, and I thought ‘great’, and actually he was right, because it let him get his freshness out of him and then let Frodon give him a lead.

“He is just fantastic with the horse and they both trust each other and the confidence that he has got has been fantastic. I’m delighted and it is nice to see our monster back.

“I’m just pleased with him as I thought his jumping was OK and when he came round that bottom corner and accelerated, I did get a bit excited.

“I really hope he’ll go to the Gold Cup. Whatever happens, he will definitely get an entry.”

The Kinross-based trainer lost her father Peter this week and spoke poignantly in the winner’s enclosure at how much Ahoy Senor had meant to him.

“It is very emotional. My dad was a fantastic person and he was so proud. He’d been ill for a year, I remember being in tears at Newbury when he (Ahoy Senor) won the John Francome Novices’ Chase,” she said.

“It was good in a way, because I spent a year saying thank you to dad and I appreciated him.

“As he went on in his life, racing meant more to him. He’d talk to me about about which races we were going to and he’d phone me before the race and after the races and I will miss that intensely.

“This horse, he was interested in and loved and really wanted him to do well.

“Dad ran down a bit. We had two winners at Kelso and he was a little bit frailer at that point and he only went to hospital for 24 hours.

“To everyone, just say thank you to your dad, just tell them how much they mean to you, because I had the chance to do that. Say thank you. It was dad that set me up, dad that has given me that desire, that determination. He’d be very proud today and I’m really going to miss not phoning him on the way home.”

Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant, said: “I’ve said he is the best horse we have ever trained then you begin to doubt yourself, but things eventually come right in the end and that is what sport is about.

“Using a cricket analogy when he gets it right he is like Ian Botham, when he gets it wrong he can be back in the pavilion out for 10.

“He is clearly a horse with a lot of ability, but you just need a lot of luck. He is good enough to contest a Gold Cup – whether it is this year or not, I don’t know.

“His death (that of Russell’s father) is bigger than a horse race. I remember riding a horse called Gambling Prince whose owner died and I went and won on it. I do think they do sometimes smile down and that there is a God up there that helps.”

Ruth Jefferson was pleased by the efforts of her brave runner-up, but is still to decide if the Gold Cup is the right destination for her consistent eight-year-old.

“We’re still between a rock and a hard place – we’re no further forward,” said Jefferson.

“It was a really good performance, but I think there is more strength in depth with the Irish horses.

“I know Minella Indo and A Plus Tard are potentially getting older and I know last year’s race was also a bit of a sprint finish. But Galopin Des Champs has to come out at Leopardstown next weekend, so we will see what he does and then when we have more facts we can make a better decision.

Sounds Russian was a brave runner-up in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase
Sounds Russian was a brave runner-up in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Mike Egerton/PA)

“On the whole I’m very happy. He travelled and jumped and Sean (Quinlan) gave him a fabulous ride. When they slowed it down he did the right thing, we just got beat by the better horse on the day.

“He deserves to win a big prize, I don’t think it will be a Gold Cup, but he can try.”

Meanwhile one horse who will line-up on March 17 is Noble Yeats, who will take in the blue riband en route to a defence of his National crown.

“You can’t be unhappy with that run,” said owner Robert Waley-Cohen. “The horses at level weights finished behind and the horses behind were conceding weight, and he finished very strongly.

Noble Yeats at Cheltenham
Noble Yeats at Cheltenham (David Davies/PA)

“He has won over two miles two, two miles seven, three mile one and four mile two, so what his trip is we don’t know, but probably further is better.

“That was important today, as he gets experience on the New Course, which is the same track as the Gold Cup.

“The plan is the Gold Cup and then the Grand National – and I don’t envy the handicapper his dilemma.

“He never looks very flashy. He just keeps jumping away. He came up that hill well.”

Edwardstone and Energumene camps regrouping for March rematch

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Edwardstone will head straight to the Queen Mother Champion Chase following his narrow defeat in the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

Alan King’s Arkle hero was returning to the scene of his finest hour when having to settle for a silver medal in the rearranged Grade One.

However, there was plenty of encouragement to take from the head defeat with the nine-year-old actually edging ahead of winner Editeur Du Gite on the run-in before Gary Moore’s likeable front-runner wrestled back the advantage in the shadow of the post.

He will now swerve a previously mooted engagement in the Game Spirit at Newbury and having been made the general 7-4 joint-favourite for the Cheltenham Festival, now has his with sights fixed firmly on a return to Prestbury Park in March.

King said: “He was a little bit fresh. He started to tank down the hill and Tom (Cannon) said he just had to bring him back a wee bit. He probably used a bit of energy getting there and thought probably at the last, we would go away and win. But full marks to the winner.

“Listen, I’m happy. I needed to get this into him today to try to get him ready for the March meeting.

“He will go straight to the Festival. I didn’t want to wait for the Game Spirit, because he needed a run today and then if Newbury was abandoned I’d have been in a bit of trouble. He is perfectly fit, don’t get me wrong, but he needed this to take the edge off him.

“The Kempton race, he only got to the fifth and that did nothing for him, really.

“He was just a bit gassy today. I did stress to Tom beforehand that this was not the be all and end all today and I’m perfectly happy with him.”

Energumene faded into third following an error at the last, but Willie Mullins was far from despondent and hopes the defending champion can thrive once again on the big day in March.

Energumene during the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Energumene during the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

He said: “Up to the second-last we were running a really good race. The winner won on merit and I loved the way that he won after being passed and it was a great performance from the second (Edwardstone) too.

“Hopefully that run will get him used to the new English white fences, we’ve schooled over them at home but he didn’t seem as happy over them today as he did last March. You saw what he did at the first and he was a little bit long at one or two. It’s different and I didn’t expect him to be that way as he’d done plenty of schooling, but he obviously did.

“I think the winner set the pace and won, it was a great performance and I’m not going to take anything away from him. We weren’t able to beat him on the day. We just hope that there’s a different result on the next day for us.”

Tommy’s Oscar delight for Ann and Ian Hamilton at Doncaster

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Tommy’s Oscar stamped his class on the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster with a smooth performance.

A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was just below the very best last season but promised to take high rank over fences.

A win at Carlisle and a second in a hot event at Cheltenham to Banbridge offered plenty of encouragement on that front, but reverting to hurdles for the Fighting Fifth did not quite work out.

Due to a lack of opportunities he was in a limited handicap at Newcastle most recently, conceding lumps of weight to Since Day One, who took him on at levels on this occasion and the tables were well and truly turned.

Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last
Tommy’s Oscar strides away from the last (Ricard Sellers/PA)

Harry Fry’s favourite Boothill loomed to the front early in the straight but Danny McMenamin was full on confidence on Tommy’s Oscar (7-4) and came between horses pulling double.

Two good leaps at the last two fences sealed the deal by five and a half lengths for Ann and Ian Hamilton’s star.

“He wants better ground and a flat track. He wasn’t giving away loads of weight today, either,” said Ian Hamilton.

“He tends to jump right, but didn’t do that until the last today when he was in the clear.

“I don’t know what we do now, we may have to wait until Aintree. He’s not a Cheltenham horse. There’s nothing I can see that we can run him in, it’s been the case all season which was why he ran at Newcastle giving all that weight.

“Ann and I are getting on, we don’t want to be travelling with him to the other end of the country.

“We haven’t had a great season, our horses are badly handicapped, but this lad is good.”

Editeur Du Gite edges Edwardstone in Clarence House classic

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Editeur Du Gite announced himself as a Champion Chase contender with a heroic performance in the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

Gary Moore’s nine-year-old was not in the original line-up for the Grade One contest when it was due to be run at Ascot seven days ago and was only added into the mix when connections stumped up £2,250 to supplement him for the rearranged race on Monday.

The contest was seen as star-studded clash between Willie Mullins’ Champion Chase hero Energumene and Alan King’s Arkle champion Edwardstone in the build up and although the headline acts failed to land the spoils, the race more than lived up to its billing.

Editeur Du Gite (right) ridden by Niall Houlihan clears a fence before going on to win the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Editeur Du Gite (right) ridden by Niall Houlihan clears a fence before going on to win the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

The 14-1 winner took up his customary front-running role in the hands of Niall Houlihan and led the field along with the market principals willing to bide their time, Tom Cannon anchoring Edwardstone in rear with a target on Paul Townend and Energumene’s back.

But as was the case at Kempton at Christmas when Editeur Du Gite snatched the Desert Orchid Chase from the front, he was still striding on strongly when the field turned for home and alarm bells started to ring for the major players.

Townend required a big leap from Energumene to have any chance of victory at the last and when the Tony Bloom-owned nine-year-old put down, it left only Edwardstone to chase Houlihan and his willing mount up the Cheltenham hill.

Although Cannon edged his way to a narrow advantage with the line looming, Editeur Du Gite fought back just in time to secure a gutsy head success.

It was an emotional win for connections who tasted Champion Chase success with Sire De Grugy in 2014 and their latest two-mile chasing star was cut to 5-1 with both Paddy Power and Betfair for that Cheltenham Festival championship race.

Representing his father, Josh Moore was asked to compare Sire De Grugy to the winner.

“They are quite different sort of horses. To have a horse work as Sire De Grugy at home – I remember we used to have to get milers of the Flat to lead him in his work, because he was such a good work horse,” he said.

“It would be the same with this fellow. He works unbelievably well. He is definitely not far off him, anyway.

“He was there on his own merits. The good thing is Edwardstone came to him and looked like he was going to go on and win the race, but he has fought back at the end. I was a little surprised to see that, in the sense that when he was a novice he used to be a weak finisher at the end of his races and he is actually finishing his races much better as he’s got older.

“Perhaps he has got better stamina now. It could be a maturity thing.”

Editeur Du Gite in full flight
Editeur Du Gite in full flight (David Davies/PA)

He went on: “There are three in the Champion Chase now. He definitely has the right to be in it. Not so long ago we thought we would go for the Game Spirit and then wait for the Celebration at Sandown and miss Cheltenham because the others would be targeting it.

“All being well, he will come back for the Champion now, I should think.”

On the winning ride of Houlihan, Moore added: “It is a big win for Niall as that is his first Grade One, and it was probably his first big winner that he rode aboard this horse at Kempton Park so it is nice for him. If I’m honest with you he is an absolute gentleman to ride in a race.

“Niall has got confidence him as well so it works out well. I remember I won a novice chase on him at Newbury and I said to dad we should go for the Red Rum at Aintree now. I know that was a handicap but he won that race well that day. I’ve always thought he is up to this level. Dad is watching at home today. He would be jumping up and down screaming, but I don’t know if he would be in tears.

“One of the owners Trevor Jacobs has been in a hospital for nearly six months so it is good for him. He is making progress which is good though.”

Houlihan said: “It is unreal really. The horse tries so hard and for you. Every time a horse came to me he stuck his neck out, especially when he got headed after the last.

“To come from behind up the hill here shows true guts. I felt about 50 yards from the line he was coming for me and trying for me and he stuck his head out. I wasn’t sure crossing the line, but thankfully they called my number.

“I’m chuffed. It is brilliant that they put the faith in me on a horse like him and to pull it off is great. You just sit on him and he does a lot for me. He jumps brilliantly and travels well. He is just a jockey’s dream really.

“I thought we are taking on the two best two-milers in the world really if you look at it. I thought if he puts up a good performance he can go for the Champion Chase, where he goes next I’m not quite sure. He has done that the hard way.”

Back On The Lash back in front in Cheltenham cross country

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Back On The Lash defended his Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase as Festival hero Delta Work had to settle for third at Cheltenham.

Delta Work was the villain of the piece at Prestbury Park in March when defeating Tiger Roll in the dual Grand National winner’s final outing, and Gordon Elliott’s veteran was sent off the 5-2 favourite for handicap action on this occasion.

However, the task of conceding weight to all but one of his 15 rivals took its toll and allowed Martin Keighley’s charge to taste success over the cross-country circuit for a second time.

Back On The Lash ridden by Sean Bowen (centre) clears a fence before going on to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Back On The Lash ridden by Sean Bowen (centre) clears a fence before going on to win the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Sean Bowen expertly navigated the unique course in the centre of the track to bring the 6-1 shot home three-quarters of a length in front of Deise Aba.

Coral went 16-1 for the nine-year-old to thrive again at the Festival in March, with Betfair 20-1.

Keighley said: “He loves it here, doesn’t he? If anything Sean got there too soon! It was a great ride.

“We were so gutted to lose the first two races around here this season, he ran a good solid race here at the November meeting (when third in the Jewson Handicap Chase) and we’ve just kept him for this race since.

“It’s worked out well and we’ll keep him nice and fresh now and come back for the Festival. It will be level weights there, but he seems to be improving for every run around here and hopefully he can still be in the mix.

“Delta Work ran a good race in third and we were getting just over a stone today, so he’s going to have to improve again in March. Today the ground was probably a bit too good for him so hopefully we’ll get faster ground and we’ll see how it goes.

“We love having winners here, all the locals love a local winner so it makes for a really good atmosphere. Harry (Redknapp, joint-owner) is down in London today opening something, so he’s gutted he can’t be here!”

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Deise Aba, said: “He has run great and jumped beautifully.

“Unfortunately at the second-last he was a bit slow and lost some momentum at it, but he has run really well. It maybe cost him first place, but I’m not totally sure that it did.

“We might come back here for the Festival, but that is off level weights and will be a different job.”

Delta Work (right) in action
Delta Work (right) in action (David Davies/PA)

Gordon Elliott, meanwhile, saw plenty of positives in the effort of Delta Work.

He said: “I’m delighted with the run. He gave the winner and the second horse a lot of weight and we knew there would be plenty of improvement after today. He has only had one run over the banks around here so that is why we wanted to get more experience into him.

“I’m looking forward to coming back here off level weights. That will be his Gold Cup when he comes back here for the Festival. If you look there how he jumped the second-last and last you can see he just needed that bit more experience of the track so that will do him no harm. He galloped all the way to the line so we are very happy.”

Stage Star produces fine performance off top-weight at Cheltenham

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Stage Star put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture with a fine display of jumping on Trials Day

A Grade One winner over hurdles, Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old was making just his fourth start over fences having got his chasing career back on track at Plumpton earlier this month.

Sent off the 11-4 favourite for the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and carrying top-weight of 12st, the son of Fame And Glory produced an exhibition round from the front end to coast home the best part of four-lengths clear of runner-up Datsalrightgino in the hands of Harry Cobden.

In the aftermath, Coral went 10-1 from 25s for the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival, but his future target appears still to be decided.

“He has shown what he is made of today. It has just taken him a little while to get right,” said Nicholls.

“He won the Challow last year and we thought he was good. He was very good at Warwick then it all went wrong at Newbury. I think that day several horses didn’t enjoy the ground and he hung. He had a nice confidence booster at Plumpton and he has done that very nicely.

“It is a big weight to carry around there and do that well. I’m thrilled with that. I thought he was nicely in off 142. He is only a novice and he has a bit of experience around here and it means we can come back here in March if we want to in one of the novice chases. He was a Grade One winner last season and he is obviously a very nice horse, 142 was a very nice mark if he put it all together.

“That (the Cheltenham Festival) is a long way off. He would get three miles, but it depends on the ground and opposition. He will be well worth running. He is only a novice once.

“I thought the ground was that bit softer how he likes it today and he is a novice and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go three miles at Newbury as I have something else for that anyway. There are not lots of options for horses like these.

“The top-weight should be the best horse in the race if it all goes right and I think 142 was a fair mark. He is a Challow Hurdle winner and he should be a 150 horse in time. He will be a smart chaser. He is just getting his act together and we are learning how to train him. The day at Newbury he was beat the ground was very quick. He is much better on that ground.”

Nicholls and Cobden soon added to their tally when Il Ridoto (9-2) held off the 7-2 favourite Fugitif to land the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.

Festival Trials Day – Cheltenham Racecourse – Saturday 28th January
Il Ridoto ridden by Harry Cobden (right) clears a fence before going on to win the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

A switch to front-running tactics combined with the application of cheekpieces had the desired effect and the winner is likely to return for the handicap over the same track and trip at the Festival.

“I thought he had a big chance of winning here the last day (when fourth in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase) but he sort of ducked in left handed and fell through the last and that sort of cost him any chance really,” said Nicholls.

“I think few were doubting about whether he wanted a flat track and whether he truly stayed. I thought he was kidding us a little bit as he was coming out of his races so well and the cheekpieces have focused his mind today. He travelled and jumped brilliantly and had a great ride so it’s superb.

“When you’re fit and well you’re better off on the speed around here and I said to him to go out and ride him like he rode Stage Star. If it happens great and if it doesn’t so be it.”

He went on: “I said if he didn’t win today we’d have to go for a flat track but I thought he’d gallop up the hill – he’s just been kidding us and today he did it nicely.

“I haven’t really got a plan for him to be honest, if he hadn’t have won I was going to go for a race at Newbury just before the Festival on a flat track but now he has I suppose we’ll come back here.

“I wouldn’t be afraid of possibly considering the Topham Chase for him, as I think two miles and five furlongs around Aintree would suit him nicely.”

Jumping giants adorn Willie Mullins’ record-breaking CV

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Willie Mullins has trained some of the modern greats of National Hunt racing. After reaching the 4,000-winner mark worldwide, we pick out 10 of his best equine stars…

1) Florida Pearl

Florida Pearl was Willie Mullins' first champion
Florida Pearl was Willie Mullins’ first champion (Chris Bacon/PA)

It is difficult to nominate Florida Pearl’s finest hour. Perhaps his fourth win in the Irish Hennessy (now Irish Gold Cup) as a 12-year-old, maybe his King George success over triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate or even when he justified all the hype as the Irish Banker in 1998 in the Royal & SunAlliance Novice Chase, having missed out hurdling altogether. One thing that is for sure is that he was Mullins’ first real top-class campaigner and it took a while before he would get another. The fact he won the Cheltenham Bumper at five and was still winning at the highest level seven years later was testament to his durability and Mullins’ skill.

2) Hurricane Fly

Hurricane Fly regaining the Champion Hurdle in 2013
Hurricane Fly regaining the Champion Hurdle in 2013 (David Davies/PA)

The list of multiple champions at Cheltenham runs long, Mullins himself has trained a few. However, those that win a championship race, lose the crown only to win it back are held in the highest esteem – think Kauto Star for example, and Hurricane Fly is on that elite list. Injury prevented him from running at Cheltenham until the third attempt, and he landed the odds in fine style in 2011. But when beaten the following year by Rock On Ruby, his reign looked like being short given he would be nine when trying to get his title back. But with nothing holding him back he won three Grade Ones in Ireland before turning up cherry-ripe in March where he was roared up the hill to become the first since Sir Ken in 1975 to regain the crown. While a further seven Grade Ones were won at home, he ran in the Champion Hurdle twice more when quicker ground than ideal and his advancing years saw him finish only fourth and third respectively.

3) Quevega

Quevega won the same race at Cheltenham six times
Quevega won the same race at Cheltenham six times (David Davies/PA)

It is fair to say the career of Quevega divides opinion. There are those who feel to win the same race at the Cheltenham Festival on six occasions, the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, is a feat that should be lauded from the rooftops. However, there are also folk who believe the way she was campaigned, making her seasonal debut in the race for the last five years, possibly denied racing fans the opportunity to celebrate her brilliance. That such a brilliant mare was kept in training until a 10-year-old was laudable, that she ran only 18 times for Mullins, four of those in the first six months, possibly not. Another argument which raged for years, not of Mullins’ doing, was the dilution of the Cheltenham Festival prevented her from running in either a Champion Hurdle or the Stayers’. We know she would have been competitive as she won the Punchestown version of the Stayers’ four times, beating the boys.

4 Faugheen

Faugheen lost just once in his first four seasons with Mullins
Faugheen lost just once in his first four seasons with Mullins (David Davies/PA)

Nicknamed ‘Faugheen the Machine’, for a long time it was difficult to see quite how he would even be beaten for his first three seasons. On his debut for Mullins he won a bumper for 22 lengths, beating Josses Hill, who went on to be a very good horse for Nicky Henderson. As a novice hurdler he was imperious, winning all five, including what is now the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Surprisingly kept over hurdles the following season, despite Mullins repeatedly saying he wanted to see how he would fare over fences, he won the Champion Hurdle and followed up at Punchestown. The next campaign saw him suffer his first defeat, at the hands of stable companion Nichols Canyon, no mug and a Festival winner in his own right but nevertheless a huge shock. He returned to winning ways in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle and won the Irish Champion Hurdle but then the wheels fell off and he was off the track for 665 days. Despite the absence and the fact he was turning 10 in a month, he was a long odds-on favourite for his return in the Morgiana and duly bolted up but he was pulled up next time out and never quite recaptured the glory days, despite winning  Grade Ones as a novice chaser at the age of 12.

5 Un De Sceaux

Un De Sceaux transformed from a tearaway to a top-class chaser
Un De Sceaux transformed from a tearaway to a top-class chaser (Niall Carson/PA)

An absolute winning machine and certainly not a ride for the faint-hearted in his early days, he garnered a huge support by the end of his career. His front-running, bold-jumping style made him hugely popular and the fact he ran in England almost as much as Ireland meant the blue and orange scarves were seen all over. Incredibly, in races he completed when trained by Mullins, he was only out of the first two twice out of 30. Considering most of his career was spent in Grade One company, it speaks volumes for his ability first and foremost, but also his constitution. Given those unplaced efforts were in France over three miles and in the Ryanair Chase on ground quicker than ideal, he even had excuses. He did win the Ryanair, and also the Arkle while he also won the Clarence House three times and the Tingle Creek.

6 Douvan

Trainer Willie Mullins with Douvan
Trainer Willie Mullins with Douvan (PA)

Whenever you hear the name Douvan you cannot help but think what might have been. From winning a Gowran novice hurdle in November 2014, he did not taste defeat until the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March 2017. In the intervening 13 races he looked unbeatable but several errors in the Champion Chase contributed to him returning lame. Not seen again until the corresponding race 12 months later he was still travelling strongly when taking a crashing fall four out. He did make Punchestown a month later when beaten by Un De Sceaux but was then off for another 569 days before winning the Clonmel Oil Chase only to never be seen again. One pointer to just how good he was is Sizing John. Having finished second to Douvan five times he stepped up in trip and subsequently won the Gold Cup.

7 Annie Power

Annie Power won a Champion Hurdle but is well known for another reason
Annie Power won a Champion Hurdle but is well known for another reason (Mike Egerton/PA)

It seems very harsh but it is probably true that Annie Power’s place in history will arguably be remembered more for her falling at the final flight with the Mares’ Hurdle at her mercy than for winning the Champion Hurdle 12 months later. She formed part of a hugely popular Mullins accumulator on the first day in 2015 and when the first three – Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Faugheen – all breezed in, the bookies were fearing a day of Frankie Dettori proportions. With the race in the bag approaching the last she took off a stride too soon, hitting the flight halfway up and coming down. Incredibly Mullins still won the race with Glens Melody. The following year she was a tremendously impressive winner of the Champion Hurdle and followed up at Aintree proving without doubt that in 2016 she was the best hurdler around.

8 Vautour

Vautour was exceptional in his short career
Vautour was exceptional in his short career (David Davies/PA)

Another who was not around long enough, in 14 races for Mullins he won 10, was second three times and fell once. A stunning winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2014 when Ruby Walsh said it felt like he was going around on wheels, he went chasing the following season. Surprisingly beaten at Leopardstown over Christmas when clearly not right, following a confidence booster he was sent off favourite for the Arkle and did not disappoint. Agonisingly beaten by Cue Card in the King George the season after, when he was caught on the line, controversy then ensued when owner Rich Ricci stated in the lead up to the Festival he would run in the Gold Cup only for him to ultimately line up in the Ryanair – and win by six lengths. Beaten when dropped to two miles at Punchestown, having fallen at Aintree, he tragically died in a freak accident at home later that year.

9 Allaho

Allaho strolls to victory at Punchestown
Allaho strolls to victory at Punchestown (Brian Lawless/PA)

It may have taken a while to unlock the key to Allaho but when Mullins finally did, boy has he unleashed a monster. His two victories in the Ryanair Chase have come through accurate jumping at a relentless pace which soon sends his rivals into submission, a complete contrast to the way in which Un De Sceaux won the same race, with Ruby Walsh attempting to nurse him home. As he got older, Allaho also stayed three miles comfortably, as he showed when beating dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux by 14 lengths at Punchestown.

10 Al Boum Photo

Al Boum Photo (far side) winning his second Gold Cup
Al Boum Photo (far side) winning his second Gold Cup (Jacob King/PA)

Despite a decade of dominance at the Cheltenham Festival, one race was a glaring omission on Mullins’ CV. The biggest of them all, the Gold Cup. Mullins had finished second no less than six times with the likes of Florida Pearl and Djakadam before, in 2019, a rather unheralded 12-1 shot finally scratched the itch. And then, to prove it was no fluke, Al Boum Photo went and repeated the dose 12 months later. By accident rather than design, for the first of his wins Al Boum Photo had only had one previous run, so Mullins did the same thing the next year, and the year after that so that between January 2019 and March 2021 Al Boum Photo only ran seven times which rather irked some of the sports followers but all Mullins would need to say is look at the results. In that period he lost twice, at Punchestown after his first Gold Cup and when trying to emulate Best Mate by winning a third at Cheltenham.

Magical Mullins reaches 4,000 career winners at Fairyhouse

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Willie Mullins reached 4,000 career winners when Bronn dug deep to take the Soil.ie Working With Fairyhouse Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse.

The master of Closutton – who began training in 1988 having served as assistant to both his father Paddy and to Jim Bolger – has become one of the most dominant names in National Hunt racing and is a 16-time champion trainer in his native Ireland.

The most successful handler at the Cheltenham Festival with a record 88 winners at the Prestbury Park showpiece, Mullins, 66, sent out his first winner at Thurles in 1988 and has won most of the major prizes both on home soil and in the UK during his 30-plus year career in the training ranks.

All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn
All smiles from Daryl Jacob following the landmark victory of Bronn (PA)

A winner of the Grand National with Hedgehunter in 2005, Energumene ensured he had a clean sweep of all of the championship races at the Festival when landing the Champion Chase in 2022.

His first Festival winner came when Tourist Attraction won the 1995 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and he has gone on to win the Cheltenham opener a further six times, while his name will always be synonymous with the Champion Bumper, a race he has trained the winner of on a remarkable occasions.

Other notable names to pass through Closutton include dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, two-time Champion Hurdle hero Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Florida Pearl and the all-conquering Quevega – the six-time Mares’ Hurdle winner.

Sent off the 2-9 favourite, the Daryl Jacob-ridden Bronn was given a scare by Grandero Bello but got there with a neck to spare.

“It was great to be a very small part of history,” said Jacob.

“No words can really describe how good a man Willie is and what he has achieved. To be a small part of that history is fantastic.”

On the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned winner he added: “He doesn’t do a whole lot in front and was looking around an awful lot.

“I thought I had him beaten comfortably going to the last, but he started pulling up a bit from the back of the last with me. He’s toughed it out well. There is more room for improvement with his jumping, he’s getting better.”

Comfort Zone edges Scriptwriter in informative Triumph trial

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Comfort Zone further highlighted Ireland’s dominance in the juvenile hurdle division when landing a telling blow in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s youngster made a successful raid to British shores when taking the Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas and added a second successive Grade Two prize when downing Milton Harris’ Scriptwriter – who headed into the Cheltenham feature as one of the home team’s best Triumph Hurdle hopes.

Scriptwriter looked to be travelling beautifully as Paddy Brennan charted a typically wide course round Prestbury Park, but the 2-1 favourite Comfort Zone was smuggled into contention by Jonjo O’Neill Jr and having jumped the last level pulled out more on the run to the line to prevail by half a length.

The winner was cut to 10-1 from 14-1 by Betfair for the Triumph Hurdle at the Festival, while he is 7-1 from 8s for the Boodles Fred Winter.

O’Neill said: “Scriptwriter is probably the best gauge-stick in England anyway, so I was happy with the performance.

“Scriptwriter was a non-runner on the day at Chepstow, so I suppose that performance was a bit better – you’d never have known. But I think the track probably suited him and maybe riding him like that was a bit more sensible.”

Asked about plans, he replied: “Leave it to the trainer and connections, they know more than me and what else they have in the races and stuff.

“I think he definitely deserves his chance in whatever race. I wouldn’t mind riding him, anyway. His hurdling was grand, a couple he got in a little bit short but I had him right down the inside and wanted to settle him, so I couldn’t be looking for loads of light.

“The ground is quite dead and he might be better on better ground, but he handles soft at Chepstow, so I’d say he is pretty versatile.”

Winning rider Jonjo O'Neill Jr
Winning rider Jonjo O’Neill Jr (David Davies/PA)

Of Scriptwriter, Milton Harris: “It is just frustrating. Look, they are good horses. We just didn’t get the rub of the green.

“It wasn’t the ground. He just got to the front miles too soon. He is a horse who has come from Ballydoyle, where he has been a lead horse for Derby horses and he has been taught to lead horses, get headed, and that’s him, so you have got to hit it late and he has just travelled too well into the race.

“I was not impressed with finishing second. He is a good horse and we’ll be back and take on the winner.

“He just got there too soon. Paddy is spitting feathers as he got there too soon and is blaming himself. We should have hit the front in the last 50 yards and he would have won – he knows that.”

He added: “We don’t want to be poor losers, but it wouldn’t bother me in the slightest taking on the winner again.

“We will come back to fight another day and take the winner on in March.”

Syd Hosie’s Rock My Way also stated his claims for the Festival when a taking winner of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse
Rock My Way ridden by Tom Scudamore (left) before winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) during Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)

Second to Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Weveallbeencaught on his rules debut over the track and trip on New Year’s Day, he built on that performance to record a length and a half success in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

The 13-2 winner was shortened to 16-1 from 50-1 for both the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett – but Rock My Way’s owner-trainer appears to be favouring a step up in trip which brings the latter of those two races into the equation.

“How good is Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse? We are going to find out as he is going to Ireland next week,” said Hosie.

“I would be excited for that, actually. Tom (Scudamore) said maybe step him up in trip as he wanted a bit more of a lead and got to the front a bit early enough, actually and he had a look around.

“Last time, we didn’t have a clue as we bought him out of a point-to-point field. This time, I thought if we could get him in the top three, I wouldn’t look stupid making entries for the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett, so I’m glad about that.

“We’ll get him home and if all is safe and sound, we’ll make a plan. We’ve had a Cheltenham Saturday hunter chase winner and to me that was the pinnacle, but today, this means a lot. It is nice to do it on a Saturday on Trials Day. I used to come to Trials Day with my mates and we’d be in the bottom bar, there.”

All good to go at Cheltenham

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This afternoon’s Trials day meeting at Cheltenham will go ahead as planned after the course passed a morning inspection.

Temperatures did not dip below freezing overnight meaning clerk of the course Jon Pullin was able to give the green light before the scheduled 7.30am precautionary check.

An initial inspection was called on Thursday for midday on Friday, placing the meeting in some doubt, but a milder night than forecast on Thursday enabled the thaw to continue.

It promises to be an informative afternoon at Prestbury Park with Protektorat, Noble Yeats and others in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase, Paisley Park in the Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle and Edwardstone and Energumene in the rearranged Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase.

The going is soft, good to soft in places on the chase and hurdle courses and good to soft, soft in places on the cross country track.