Thursday
“Thank you, Cheltenham! It is unbelievable, this place. He was great today. Dan got the right race; there was a long discussion about it, but we just thought the ground and that galloping track that would suit him down to a tee. He absolutely pinged down over the last two. He’s a very good horse. Absolutely brilliant.” Harry Skelton after winning on Grey Dawning
“He’s a lovely horse, isn’t he? He’s just a top-class horse. We had such hopes for him. When you go and win two bumpers at the start of your life and you’re destined to be a chaser, you just want it to happen, and to win a Grade 1 novice here is great and gives us all that future to look forward to. It’s great to have such a horse, and being that colour [grey] he might get a following.” Dan Skelton on Grey Dawing
“I’ve waited a long time for this, but it is fantastic. It has been probably 20 years that I’ve wanted to have a winner here as when I first started [in racing].
Sir Alex Ferguson after winning with Monmiral
“Unbelievable. I’ve been in racing now for 25 years and it’s the first time I’ve ever done a double at Cheltenham. To win once is a privilege; to do it twice is just unbelievable. I’m so proud of my partners Alex and Ged, they can’t believe it. An unbelievable experience.” Protektorat’s part-owner John Hales
“It’s just great to get a winner – we’ve hit the crossbar all week, to win the Stayers’ Hurdle is just unbelievable - for the whole team and for Jack and for Robcour. It’s been a long couple of days, but no horse didn’t win that should have won.” Gordon Elliott after the Stayers’ Hurdle
“I see Willie every day of the week - you only see him a couple of times a year - so you can imagine what it feels like, but he’s a gentleman and to be in the same era as him is unbelievable.” Gordon Elliott on the Willie Mullins success
“I wasn’t too bad, because the horses have been running well, but it started getting a little bit annoying yesterday evening, so it’s brilliant to get off the mark.” Jack Kennedy on his first winner – Teahupoo
“The winner is a worthy winner, and we won’t take that away from him as he is very good. That was a brilliant run. He has been a warrior for us and, please God, he is not finished yet.” Gavin Cromwell on Flooring Porter
“It’s the right thing to do. I’ve had so much pride in Paisley. He’s taken us on a journey from beginning to end, both at home and on the racecourse, and he’s been so special. He ran a lovely race again today, but the turbo is no longer working in the way it used to. “ Emma Lavelle on retiring Paisley Park
“This is an incredible day and Ben [Jones] gave him a fantastic ride. He travelled so well and I thought, ‘Please don’t stop now’. People behind me were going, ‘Go on Harry, he’s won!’ and I thought, ‘No he ain’t until he has passed the line’.
To have a winner at the Cheltenham Festival has been my dream. I wouldn’t like to find out how my heart rate is. I’m so pleased that I’m lost for words.”
Harry Redknapp after Shakem Up’Arry’s success
“I punched the air crossing the line. A lot of jockeys get criticised for celebrating like that, but wins like this don’t come along every day and you have to cherish every single one of them. Ben Jones on his win
“It’s a fantastic feeling to get a Cheltenham Festival winner. I didn’t think I would get another one, so to get another one is amazing. I’m just over the moon. It’s just the emotion is the massive player. When you’re coming back in, faces you don’t know saying ‘Well done’ really boosts your ego, so hopefully my head doesn’t get too big!” Lorcan Williams on Golden Ace’s success
“This is a special place and it’s nice to win here any time of the year. This season we’ve tried to target some of the bigger pots over here and it’s worked with some horses. It’s so important to get a winner here.” Gavin Cromwell after favourite Inothewayurthinkin won for J.P. McManus