THE ups and downs and glory days of Cheltenham 2025 seem well away now. What made it so brilliant was the unpredictable element, as well as the great success stories.
Willie Mullins was predictably the main man, but even his enviable statistic of having only two beaten favourites from 14 runners sent off at less than 6/4 in the previous three years was smashed, as Majborough, Ballyburn, Final Demand, State Man and Galopin Des Champs were all turned over.
He still led the Irish invaders, followed by Gavin Cromwell, Henry de Bromhead and Gordon Elliott on the prize money won list, before Nicky Henderson got a look in for the home team. Henderson had a better year than in 2024, where he withdrew most of his team and won only £60,242.
Willie won more races that the combined total of British trainers. Apart from Henderson, Skelton and Nicholls, James Owen was the only newer arrival from the British ranks.
Of other trainers previously to the fore with some top horses, many won even less than in 2024, Joe Tizzard got two second places and £55,720 in prize money. Nigel Twiston Davies had one third as his best effort and took home £20,952. Alan King also had one third for a total of £19,615. Venetia Williams had nothing better than a sixth place, winning £13,922.
Ben Pauling has had a good season in Britain, but only managed one third for £13,645 - well down on 2024.
Two of Harry Fry’s runners earned a total of £6,902. Fergal O’Brien, the Moores and Emma Lavelle also earned small returns for fifth places.
It seems scant reward for all the efforts and probably offers little encouragement that British trainers might target the big meeting.
Currently, only eight of the top 20 in the betting for Britain’s greatest race, the Grand National, are trained in Britain. It mirrors last year’s result, where eight of the first 10 home were trained in Ireland. Success breeds success and a few British-trained winners of the top races are needed. A lot is hanging on The New Lion.
Amid all the celebrations, on the owners’ side, taking that debate of wanting winners in context, Rich Ricci ran seven horses, had a winner and a total of £94,102 in prize money, which in any language is poor reward for investment.
THE debate over the place of the Mares’ Hurdle as a Grade 1 option for mares at the Festival looks likely to go round in circles now.
Never the twain will meet between the desires of the racing public and punters to see the best horses in competition, against those owners and trainers who just want a sure winner. Yeah, how far we have come in promoting mares in the jumping game…
But as things worked out on the day, Lossiemouth would have won the Champion with the two main rivals falling, and many believe, based on her winning performance that she would have been pretty competitive in the race, even if State Man had not fallen.
Fears that her Leopardstown fall would be a negative to her performance proved well off the mark.
The problem is that next year looks like being an even hotter Champion, if Constitution Hill is in the mix as well as the two exciting novice hurdler winners and maybe even Poniros. On this year’s arguments, she could well be diverted again.
There are a few simple questions to answer.
Why does it need to be a Grade 1? Would it not attract the same field as it has to date as a Grade 2? Has it not done its purpose and needs a second look because the mares’ race programme has expanded over 10 years, mares are as valuable as racing prospects as geldings. Would reducing it to a Grade 2 have any effect on that general mares’ programme, and could a Grade 1 be added to the end of the season instead?
And if there is one dominant mare, year after year, would that not defeat the purpose of the race as a Festival contest, if other owners took the Rich Ricci option – I can’t win, so I’m not going in? Golden Ace’s connections wanted to avoid Lossiemouth.
And if the desire is ‘I really just want a Cheltenham winner’ then surely a Grade 2 Mares’ Hurdle will give the same, but it might just push more to the Champion?
For breeding options, a Grade 2 winning NH mare should be no less attractive than a Grade 1 winner.
I always thought it deserved its place and the path Honeysuckle’s connections took was correct. First season out of mares’ novice races, take the Grade 1 option in the Mares’. But once that has been accomplished, go for the Champion Hurdle. It will be interesting to see where we stand come next autumn.
Down Royal duel: Glenashling and Conor Stone Walsh (right) were awarded the race in the stewards room after interference from Walk On The Beach (left) \ Healy Racing
IT’S never been a surprise that some of the stewards’ inquiries and race reports are often a bit removed from how a race looked to the eye.
There were two winners thrown out over the last week for interference on the run-in, at Limerick and Down Royal, with both riders receiving bans.
The reversal of the opening race result at Down Royal on Monday looked one where John Gleeson can feel a bit aggrieved. He picked up a two-day suspension and had his winner Walk On The Beach demoted.
His mount was moving off a straight line for about four strides, but he had his whip in the correct hand and it’s hard to think he could have done more. If he had stopped riding it would have enraged connections and punters.
In the stewards’ report, Conor Stone-Walsh (rider of runner-up Glenashling) said he felt intimidated by Walk On The Beach, who came close and caused his mount to hang left.
Gleeson stated that no contact was made between the two horses, which seemed correct, and he had his whip in the correct hand. It was hard to see how he ‘had ridden carelessly’.
Significant bumps
Ray Barron got a four-day suspension for his Limerick ride on Fruit De Mer, where the evidence given was that his rival was ‘completely carried off the track, received two significant bumps and cost him the winning of the race’ and this looked a more significant incident.
Another race which came to mind was the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle in January, where Paul Townend let Salvator Mundi drift from wide into the straight over to the rail and caused obvious interference to Kel Histoire.
That report saying “it appeared there was contact between Kel Histoire and Relieved Of Duties and... Kel Histoire ran short of room”, but no sanctions to riders were delivered.
There are plenty of similar incidents in Britain that spring to mind where no demotions were given to riders who did not make any effort to correct their hanging horses.
Think Paul Townend on Impaire Et Passe at Aintree last year, and Nick Slatter, who was allowed keep the Grade 2 River Don at Doncaster in Jnaury on Yellow Car (though he did get a two-day ban).
The Cotswolds Gentleman@CotswoldsGent
The only thing you read is the lack of crowds, however Cheltenham hasn’t had enough credit for the new stuff.
Car parks, race makers, meal deals, quicker drinks, new bars were all really good.
We all know hotels and tickets need to drop, but there were lots of positives.
Joe Norris@JoeNorrisGYTO
1.8 million people watched the Gold Cup! The highest since 2017. Attendances at Cheltenham down, but the sport is clearly still thriving.
Richard Farquhar@RCFarquhar
It strikes me that complaints about entry prices at @CheltenhamRaces Festival & drink prices are getting OTT. It is the pinnacle of the sport, the Olympics of the NH racing. What do you pay for a ticket at @wembleystadium FA Cup Final or at Twickenham & for a pint at either?