Tag Archive for: Cheltenham Festival

Moore rates Gite a worthy Champion Chase contender

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Gary Moore believes Editeur Du Gite has earned his place in the Queen Mother Champion Chase line-up – although he does not think it will be easy for him to repeat his Clarence House heroics at the Cheltenham Festival.

The nine-year-old was a shock winner of the Desert Orchid at Kempton over the Christmas period, but proved that was no fluke when given a fine front-running ride in the rearranged Grade One at Cheltenham on Saturday, lowering the colours of Festival winners Energumene and Edwardstone.

The victory was made all the sweeter by the fact Editeur Du Gite was not in the original line-up when the race was due to take place at Ascot and was only added into the mix when connections stumped up £2,250 to supplement for the rearranged race the Monday prior.

He is now the general 5-1 fourth favourite for the day two feature at the Festival, with only Edwardstone and the Willie Mullins-trained duo of defending champion Energumene and Blue Lord ahead of him in the betting.

“He was very good and it was a good result for everyone – I was very pleased,” said Moore.

“We had a bit of help from the people at Weatherbys who helped me get him back in and it was well worth it in the end.

“He’s earned his place (in the Champion Chase), 100 per cent, definitely. I’m sure Willie will find improvement in Energumene and Alan King will do the same with his fella and then there’s always the likes of Greaneteen as well, so it’s not going to be easy but we will give it our best shot.”

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)

Editeur Du Gite was briefly headed by Edwardstone in the closing stages before fighting back to get his head in front when it mattered most and his handler was delighted to see the son of Saddex not only build on his Kempton display at Christmas, but demonstrate plenty of tenacity to secure victory at Prestbury Park.

He continued: “It confirmed what he showed at Kempton more than anything. I knew he would always be a bit better going that way round and the ground was probably a bit better than it was at Kempton, so you knew you had that little bit of improvement to come from him.

“The big thing that surprised me though was the way he stuck his neck out and wanted to win.”

Moore was also keen to praise the ride given by Niall Houlihan while confirming the Irishman is in line to keep the mount for the Champion Chase, but believes the switch back to the Old Course might not be a positive – especially now the opposition has Editeur Du Gite’s card marked.

“I would say he would do (keep the ride). Niall got him into a nice rhythm and he knows the horse really well now,” added Moore.

“The track on Saturday I think would suit him better, but he’s won on the Old Course before. He won’t get it all his own way in a Champion Chase though, will he.”

Diverge books Supreme ticket with Punchestown romp

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Diverge gave High Definition’s form a major boost ahead of this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival with a wide-margin victory in the opening race at Punchestown on Monday.

One-time Derby favourite High Definition made a smart start to his hurdling career at Leopardstown over the Christmas period and is set for an intriguing clash with Facile Vega in the Grade One Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle on Sunday.

Diverge was beaten 20 lengths into sixth place by High Definition on what was his Irish debut, and on the strength of that form he was a 10-11 favourite to open his account for Willie Mullins in Punchestown’s Bar One Racing “Best Odds Guaranteed All Races” Maiden Hurdle.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns for the duration of the two-mile contest, with the five-year-old son of Frankel pulling 23 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer Mon Coeur – leaving Mullins to consider a possible tilt at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He did it well and improved a lot from the last day,” said the champion trainer.

“We changed the tactics as he was very free in Leopardstown. I said to Paul (Townend) ‘don’t be fighting him too much’. We thought there might be enough pace in the race, but our fella just seemed to want to jump past Danny (Mullins, on Stellium) so Paul let him on and let him enjoy himself. He loves jumping.

“He has entries at Cheltenham and we’d probably be looking at the Supreme. Any horse that wins his maiden by 23 lengths on his second run has to. He looks like he’s booked a place on the team anyway.”

Haxo and Danny Mullins return to the Punchestown winner's enclosure
Haxo and Danny Mullins return to the Punchestown winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

The Closutton handler doubled up in the Bar One Racing ‘We’ll Lay You A Bet’ (C & G) Maiden Hurdle – but it was his apparent second string Haxo who claimed top honours.

Sir Argus was the 4-11 favourite under Townend, but he was reeled in on the run-in by 7-2 chance Haxo and Danny Mullins, who was also completing a double of his own following a dead-heat victory aboard Princess Zoe, trained by his father Tony.

“For jumping Haxo deserved to win that and that’s what won it for him in the end,” Willie Mullins added.

“He’s a second-season novice and jumped really well. He’s a nice type and looks a chaser in the making.

“Sir Argus, I think, just lost his confidence after his fall the last day in Clonmel. He’s done plenty of schooling, but on the racecourse he seems to have lost his confidence. We’ll have to keep him schooling and try to get him back right.”

Williams taking direct Gold Cup route with Royale Pagaille

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Royale Pagaille is back in work and will head straight to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after recovering from injury, trainer Venetia Williams has confirmed.

The Rich Ricci-owned nine-year-old was runner-up to Bravemansgame in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, staying on nicely under Tom Scudamore in the three-mile Grade One event.

Winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock last season, he went on to finish fifth to A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup and has had just two starts since.

He was somewhat fortunate to claim second place on his last run, with Williams’ other runner, L’Homme Presse, unseating Charlie Deutsch at the last fence when a close-up second.

However, the run can be marked up a little, given that Royale Pagaille sustained an injury in the race.

Williams has now run out of time to give him a Gold Cup prep, for which he is a 40-1 chance with Coral.

Speaking at Hereford on Monday, the trainer said: “Royale Pagaille is fine. He needed time after the King George because he got a wound which wasn’t superficial, so that’s why it has taken quite a while.

“He is back on the gallops now and he will go straight to the Gold Cup. We haven’t got time to go for anything else.”

Princess Zoe has to settle for dead-heat on jumping debut

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Princess Zoe had to settle for a share of the honours on her jumping debut at Punchestown, after a dead-heat finish to the Bar One Racing “Bet 10 Get 50 Sign Up Offer” Mares Maiden Hurdle.

The Tony Mullins-trained grey has been a fantastic servant over the past four years, with a Group One triumph in the 2020 Prix du Cadran the highlight of a Flat career that also saw he win the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot and finish second to Subjectivist in the Gold Cup.

She looked set to be retired for broodmare duties in 2023, but failed to meet her reserve price at the Tattersalls December Sale, prompting connections into a rethink.

Following a pleasing schooling session last week, Princess Zoe was given the green light to give hurdling a go with a view to a potential appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Despite her exploits on the level, she was not even favourite for her first start in the National Hunt sphere, with the Willie Mullins-trained Pink In The Park preferred at a shade of odds-on at 10-11.

The top two in the market were the first two in the race for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey, with 5-4 chance Princess Zoe asserting into a clear lead on the second circuit under Danny Mullins.

Having jumped adequately in the main, the eight-year-old looked to have victory sewn up after travelling strongly into the straight, but she flattened the final flight, giving Henry de Bromhead’s Ladybank – carrying the Honeysuckle colours of Kenny Alexander under Rachael Blackmore – a real shot on the run-in.

There was nothing to choose between the pair on the approach to the winning line and they flashed by as one. After a tense wait, the judge confirmed he could not split them and declared a dead-heat.

Paddy Power make Princess Zoe a 16-1 chance for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, which appears likely to be her target over the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at Punchestown
Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at Punchestown (Gary Carson/PA)

And Mullins, who admitted to being nervous about whether his stable star would take to the jumping game, is confident there is more to come from her ahead of the Festival.

He said: “We’re very happy with her. Danny said he thought she was a little guessy on her own at one or two of them.

“At the moment we’re thinking of the mares’ novice at Cheltenham but it’s not definite. It looks the logical way as opposed to the Albert Bartlett.

“I thought she was a little gassy having not run for a while. That might have emptied her a little.

“We had all her work done at home but she needs that run to bring her to herself. Danny said when she was gassy early on he’d let her go to the front and then she just had nothing with her. I think it was a very good performance to jump out and make all.”

He added: “I’m very happy with her. She’s taken to jumping and she’s brave, usually they might be ducking at hurdles but she didn’t do any of that.

“I don’t think she’ll run again before Cheltenham.”

Looking beyond the Festival, Mullins is not ruling out the possibility of Princess Zoe reverting to the Flat for some of the major staying prizes later in the year.

Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at the 2020 Galway Festival
Tony Mullins with Princess Zoe at the 2020 Galway Festival (PA)

He added: “Paddy (Kehoe, part-owner) has always said to me that as long as she’s able to run breeding is only secondary to him. Who am I to complain?

“It’s great for the likes of me because we’ll never have the likes of her again. She’s just a great mare.

“Something did happen last year (on the Flat), we never noticed in her work but maybe Kyprios is such a powerhouse that it emptied her.

“Every time we thought we were going to get back and show him but we never did. I’d say Kyprios is one of the all-time greats, that’s what I think. We might have another go at him.”

Lavelle points to lack of pace in Cleeve Hurdle as factor in Paisley Park defeat

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Emma Lavelle believes a lack of pace was a major factor behind Paisley Park’s unsuccessful bid for a fourth successive victory in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The popular stayer was beaten nine and a half lengths into third in the Grade Two contest as French raider Gold Tweet caused a minor upset in the Cotswolds.

Next on Paisley Park’s agenda is a fifth tilt at the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival – a race he won in 2019 and has finished third in the past two seasons behind Flooring Porter.

The 11-year-old is a 20-1 shot to regain his crown with the race sponsors, but Lavelle is hopeful with a stronger gallop he can make his presence felt.

“He’s come out of it well. He seems good in himself, ate up overnight and seems absolutely fine,” said the Wiltshire-based trainer.

“I just think the fact that he was so close to the pace and travelling so comfortably suggested they just weren’t going quick enough for him to make it a test at the end of the race.

“There’s a myriad of reasons you could use or think or see, but for me they just hadn’t gone quick enough for him and Aidan (Coleman) slightly felt the same thing. He asked him, but wasn’t unreasonably hard on him coming up the hill, so we’ll just head on to the Stayers’, all things being equal.”

Gordon Elliott’s Galmoy Hurdle winner Teahupoo is the 11-4 favourite in a Stayers’ Hurdle market dominated by the Irish, with Home By The Lee, Blazing Khal and Flooring Porter all prominent, although the latter is far from certain to bid for the hat-trick following a recent setback.

Assessing the field, Lavelle added: “It does look wide-open and I think it always does going into that race. Teahupoo is a new one on the scene, obviously.

“With more runners at the Festival, they’re likely to go more of a gallop so we’ll see how we go.

“He’d had two hard races already this season before Saturday, but we can freshen him up now and get him back in March.

“He’s such an extraordinary horse and has been so good to us you can never be disappointed in him. Of course you want to win, but you can never walk away disappointed from those races as you know he’s always trying for you and we’ll see what comes next.”

Ryanair remains on Morris’ radar for French Dynamite

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The Ryanair Chase remains a possibility for French Dynamite following his second in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase at Thurles earlier this month.

Mouse Morris’ eight-year-old has enjoyed a good season to date, winning on his reappearance over hurdles and then going down by less than a length in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.

He followed that by showing up well for a long way in the Savills Chase at Leapordstown over Christmas, before dropping back in trip to chase home Fakir d’Oudairies in Grade Two company most recently.

Leopardstown Races – Sunday 7th March
French Dynamite, here winning over hurdles at Leopardstown, could be a live outsider in the Ryanair Chase (Niall Carson/PA)

Having settled on the two-and-a-half-mile distance, it now appears that ground conditions could be the determining factor on whether Morris’ charge gets a shot at the Ryanair at the Cheltenham Festival – a race for which he is a best price of 33-1 with bet365.

“I thought French Dynamite ran a cracker on difficult ground,” said Morris.

“He is a good ground horse and I think that distance (two and a half miles) is bang on.

“I have a plan if the ground is good and we’ll have to think about something like the Ryanair Chase, but will have a meeting first to decide.”

Bistro serves up a feast for Mullins in victory at Naas

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Seabank Bistro appears to have earned himself a place on Willie Mullins’ Cheltenham Festival team after making it third time lucky over hurdles at Naas.

A winner on his racecourse debut at the County Kildare circuit on this day last year, the six-year-old went on to finish fourth behind esteemed stablemate Facile Vega in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

He was beaten at odds-on in his first two races over hurdles at Punchestown and Limerick, but made no mistake as a 1-2 shot for the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle – travelling strongly to the lead under Paul Townend and coming home with just under three lengths in hand.

Mullins said: “He’s a big immature horse. He did it nicely, he jumps well and is more of a chaser, I think.

“He’ll go out in trip I’d say, maybe to three miles. He was just gawky when he got to the front, he was just idling.

“Paul had to get after him to get up the straight, but that’s twice he’s won around Naas and it’s always a good sign when you can win on this track.

“I’d imagine he’ll get entries in Cheltenham in the Albert Bartlett and Ballymore, I’d be thinking more the Albert Bartlett at this stage.”

Seabank Bistro’s win was the middle leg of a treble on the card for Mullins, with Echoes In Rain impressing in the Limestone Lad Hurdle and Western Diego dominating from the front in the bumper.

A £125,000 purchase after winning an Irish point-to-point, Western Diego was ridden by the trainer’s son Patrick on his rules debut and comfortably justified 6-5 favouritism.

Western Diego looks a smart prospect
Western Diego looks a smart prospect (PA)

Mullins added: “It’s nice for Steve Parkin (owner) who is more associated with the Flat. He did it well making all his own running which is a hard thing to do around here.

“That books his ticket to go across the water (for the Champion Bumper) if Steve wants to go, which I’m sure he will.

“He stays well, he’s by Westerner. He looks like a nice staying novice for next year.”

Oliver McKiernan’s Aarons Day (3-1 favourite) secured his first win in almost three years in the Buy Your Naas 2023 Membership Now Novice Handicap Chase, with Phillip Enright the winning jockey.

The nine-year-old had been highly tried in novice company over fences and made the most of having his sights lowered with a seven-and-a-half-length verdict on his handicap chase debut.

Trainer Oliver McKiernan at Leopardstown
Trainer Oliver McKiernan at Leopardstown (Julien Behal/PA)

“We’re delighted and it was a great ride by Phillip,” said McKiernan.

“He was keeping better company than that for a while, maybe too good, but it taught him a bit. I think it told today that it taught him how to race a bit.

“He liked the ground and the track. We were hoping he’d do that but we were hoping before that he’d do different things!

“He’s a big moody gent. He’s difficult to handle and can blow a fuse very quickly. He’s big and powerful so it’s not simple. Hopefully he’s developing and getting better now.

“I have no plans really. He’ll probably stay at the likes of that and will stay further in time.”

The father-son team of Charles and Philip Byrnes teamed up to land the Cheltenham Trials Day At Naas February 11th Maiden Hurdle with 9-1 shot Byker.

Byrnes senior said: “He’s a lovely, big horse. He had a nice run in Limerick and came forward from that. We were hopeful today but there was so much word for a few others that we were getting worried.”

When asked if he could get an entry in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, he added:- “He could but he’d need another run. We won’t rule it out.”

Doyen Ta Win was a 6-1 winner of the Congratulations Naas On Cleanest Town In Ireland In 2021 & 2022 Handicap Hurdle.

Mullins remaining upbeat despite Energumene eclipse

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Willie Mullins remains keen to take the positives out of Energumene’s defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday ahead of his return to the track for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The nine-year-old provided the most successful trainer in Festival history with a first Champion Chase victory last season and he was a hot favourite to strike Prestbury Park gold once more in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase – saved from the previous weekend’s abandoned fixture at Ascot.

But while Energumene travelled with plenty of zest, he ballooned the first fence and a blunder at the last sealed his fate as he placed third behind Editeur De Gite and Edwardstone.

Mullins felt his performance was affected by the white trim on the fences at Cheltenham, which have been changed from orange since his Festival success of last term, and the Closutton handler believes that experience will stand him in good stead ahead of a likely rematch with the two horses that beat him in March.

“He seems to be fine and he travelled home well,” said Mullins.

“He’s just a bit stiff and sore. Sometimes when you get them home it’s three days later, because any horse can be stiff and sore for a day or two and you don’t mind it, but if they don’t recover then you are in trouble.

“Fingers crossed, he’s all right.

“It was his first time going to England and jumping the new white fences, even though he had jumped them at home, and he just baulked at the first.

“It was definitely a useful exercise for us and I’d say it’s something a lot of Irish horses are going to have to prepare for because if you miss the first at Cheltenham, your race could be gone.”

Mullins is taking further confidence from his stable jockey Paul Townend’s reaction to the performance.

He added: “Paul was very keen on him after the race and said come March, he wouldn’t swap him for the two that finished in front of him.”

Guard rails, take-off boards and top boards on British obstacles switched from orange to white last year after research showed white increased contrast and visibility for horses, leading to improved jumping performance.

Echoes In Rain pours it on to take Limestone Lad honours

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Echoes In Rain got her season back on track with a runaway victory in the Naas Racecourse Business Club Limestone Lad Hurdle.

The seven-year-old had previously won five times since joining Willie Mullins, including Grade Two and Grade One wins in novice company over hurdles and a lucrative handicap success on the Flat at the Galway Festival last summer.

She was subsequently beaten a neck by Waterville in the Irish Cesarewitch before falling two flights from home on her return to the jumping game in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse last month.

Dropping in trip and class for this two-mile Grade Three, Echoes In Rain was the 5-6 favourite and those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns as she cruised into contention under a motionless Paul Townend before pulling 10 lengths clear of stablemate Cash Back.

Dual Cheltenham Festival winner Bob Olinger stuck to his guns to finish third after coming under pressure leaving the back straight, but in truth looks a shadow of his former self.

“She did it nicely, probably better than I expected,” Mullins said of the winner.

“We thought we probably had the fastest horse in the race so Paul wasn’t in any rush to get to the front. He was happy enough to let someone else make it.

Trainer Willie Mullins at Leopardstown
Trainer Willie Mullins at Leopardstown (Brian Lawless/PA)

“She was keen enough as well and probably the few runs on the Flat lit her up a bit. That’s the problem you have when you mix it. With a faster-run race she’ll be all right.

“When you go up a grade, to Grade One, I’m not sure she’s sharp enough at two miles.

“The Mares’ Hurdle (at Cheltenham) is two and a half and maybe that’s where she’ll go. That would be the first port of call, I’d think.”

Paddy Power cut Echoes In Rain to 6-1 from 10-1 for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on March 14.

Willmount delighting Mulholland since exciting debut

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Neil Mulholland is eyeing the spring festivals for his exciting bumper horse Willmount.

Bought for £340,000 following an impressive display in the pointing field at Comea in February last year, he went some way to justifying that price-tag when a commanding 13-length scorer on his rules debut at Doncaster earlier this month.

Jamie Moore was motionless aboard the Ollie Harris-owned five-year-old during the closing stages on Town Moor and Mulholland was delighted to see the son of Blue Bresil make a winning start – while also believing the team at Conkwell Lodge are only just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

He said: “He’s a nice horse who has come out of the race really well and we’re hoping he’ll have come on for the race as well.

“I’ll have to speak to the owner, but we’ll be looking at the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree and places like that.

“Everything of course has to be good and go well and we’re hoping he’ll be a nice novice hurdler next year. But if he keeps on improving the way he is we’ll definitely be at the likes of Cheltenham and Aintree – that’s what the owner buys these horses for, he wants to be at the big meetings.

“He’s a nice horse to get and thankfully his first run lived up to expectation. Now he has to obviously step up again, but we would be more than confident there is hopefully more to come. He definitely wasn’t drilled for his bumper at Doncaster.”

The decision on if Willmount will run again before the spring is yet to be finalised with a Listed bumper at Newbury on February 11 a possibility. Although Mulholland appears to be favouring heading straight to the Champion Bumper on March 15 – a race for which he is a best price of 25-1 with bet365, but as short as 14-1 in places.

“I would suspect he would go straight there,” continued Mulholland.

“We don’t want to be overracing him and he’s backwards enough. It’s long-term we want this horse for so we’ll do what is right for the horse.

“We could go for a bumper at Newbury in the middle of February, but then you’ve only got four weeks to get over that to go to Cheltenham.”