Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

THE 2024 Cheltenham Festival got underway with a cracking finish dominated by the visitors, as Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore flew out of the traps to land the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with the highly-talented and tough-as-teak Slade Steel, staying on tenaciously in the colours of Robcour.

Willie Mullins’ market leader Tullyhill bombed out in eighth (of 10 finishers) but the Closutton maestro still threw down a massive challenge in the shape of Mystical Power, who traded as short as 1/16 in-running before getting overhauled on the run-in by the strong-staying winner.

Blackmore judged this to a nicety in testing conditions to open the festival. The strongly-supported 7/2 winner struck by a length and a half, with Firefox, Asian Master and Mistergif completing an Irish one-two-three-four-five in the curtrain-raiser.

De Bromhead said: “It’s brilliant. Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team, they said Ballyburn had beaten us twice and we needed to just avoid him, so that’s what we did and it’s worked out really well for us.

“We try and aim for this time of year and hopefully keep going. And you have to pick your battles when you’re against the guys we’re against. We don’t have the strength in depth to turn up week in, week out, but luckily we can get it right at some of these big places. He’s always been a pacey horse. He won a bumper for us, which is saying a lot for one of ours.”

Supreme first

Blackmore, like de Bromhead, was winning the Supreme for the first time. The winning trainer would not be drawn on whether Slade Steel would go chasing or stay hurdling next term.

“I didn’t really want to be in front jumping the last, but he kind of took me there and battled back so well after the last,” said Blackmore.

“It’s unbelievable, I just love this place. It’s just amazing to be coming here and riding these kinds of horses. Henry’s training of them every year, to bring them here in the way he does, is incredible. Davy Roche and all his team at home do some job with all the horses.”

On some of his beaten runners, Mullins said: “Mystical Power has come a very long way from winning that bumper at Ballinrobe. The ground probably inconvenienced him, but I’d say the winner was probably just idling in front. It was great for Henry, and great for Robcour.

“I was very pleased with Asian Master and it was a great spin for Thomas Costello. I thought he gave him every chance to win so I was very happy with that. Tullyhill was a little bit disappointing and Paul [Townend] wasn’t happy with him from halfway. Even going down to the start he said he wasn’t the usual Tullyhill. I think Supersundae ran well and I was very happy with him.”

Firefox’s rider Jack Kennedy added: “I’m a bit disappointed because I got stopped up the straight. I wouldn’t have been far away only for that.”