THEY say you should always leave them wanting more. Or save the best for last? It pretty much did in that incredible Gold Cup success for Rachael Blackmore. Cheltenham 2022 certainly didn’t hide away it’s attractions until the end.

Is there any better way to begin a sporting feast than to unveil a potential new champion even before the current one has taken the stage?

In a wonderful week of racing, with winners coming from all different ownerships, the concern that is would be an Irish benefit was quickly erased before the Champion Hurdle. There’s lots we want to forget about 2021 and it looks like that Irish domination is something that was a rare one-off.

The early season exchanges had suggested that there was a better range of good horses spread among many trainers in Britain this year. This along with the BHA ratings reductions put us all back to five years ago and quickly turned the tables to make it a fairer battle. We still have many of the best horses here and many of our 2021 winners built on their success. But the future of competition looks very healthy. What was all that fuss about? Britain have three of the best novices in Constitution Hill, Edwardstone and L’Homme Presse, and you add in the defection of Bravemansgame.

It was a Festival that had it all. Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore got the winners’ reception they deserved. The Flooring Porter Syndicate kept the the party going. Constitution Hill and L’Homme Presse produced performances of infinite promise. And then there was that Gold Cup. When you consider how few riders have that collection of Champion Hurdle, Grand National and Gold Cup, and all in two years. Honours were spread out, as Henderson and King and Williams got on the board. Willie Mullins picked up steam on Wednesday and ended with an incredble 10 wins. It was some week!

Attendances

THE record attendance over the four days masked a lot of online dissatisfaction over the cost of a day at the Festival. Thursday reached a record of 73,754 but that should be taken in the context of no public last year and therefore a greater eagerness to get back. Along with the disquiet over the watering, the effect of a day’s rain on the ground would surely also create doubts over a five-day meeting for some time yet.

Tiger’s final tale

ONE of the lesser appealing moments in what was a most enjoyable week was the booing that initially greeted Delta Work’s win over Tiger Roll in the Cross Country.

While comments suggested it was wrong to ‘boo’ a winning horse, you felt the boos were more for the general scenario created by his connections in running a horse who was big threat to allowing the dual Grand National hero to go out with a win. Jack Kennedy’s post-race comments suggested it was likely Delta might win. So for their owner to then say in interviews, “I’m sorry, I’m actually upset. I would have loved to see him win it”, left a bit of a taste, even if taking the two horses to the winner’s enclosure saved the day.

What victory means

THERE were many displays of emotion after the winners, some from people enjoying a first taste of success. But perhaps the most insight on what the whole Festival success means to lifelong National Hunt people, came when Energumene won the Champion Chase to give Willie Mullins the full set of the top Grade 1 championships races.

The Champion Chase has been long in the pursuit and with eclipses for Douvan and Cachun Pour Soi in recent years, it was Energumene who completed the set and left Mullins, for a time, unable to trust himself to speak in the after-race interviews.

There are only a few times he’s been caught out - Florida Pearl’s biggest win in England in the King George, Hedgehunter’s Grand National, Patrick’s first National Hunt Chase were a few that come to mind. This just emphasied how much it means to everyone.

Round-up

Shock departures

THERE were a few shocks over the four days and the the two biggest were the pulling up of the two 5/6 shots Shishkin and Galopin Des Champs, showing again that even those who look rock solid can crash out.

Bargain buys

WHILE big money exchanged hand at Thursday’s sale and Sir Gerhard (£400,000) got on the board again for the big money horses, the success of cheap syndicate horse Flooring Porter and Love Envoi, an £38,000 purchase after she had won her point-to-point, were very great bargains. The mare showed a willing attitude to win the mares’ novice, while the Stayers’ dual champ top of his division.

Riding honours

ON the first day there was simply no matching Derek Fox’s ride on the quirky Coach Rambler to win the Ultima. In a field of 24 he had about 20 ahead of him as they raced down the hill and came through all to win in the final half furlong.

A different sort of ride but Danny Mullins then took all the plaudits on the Thursday, doing what he does exceptionally well, dictating from the front and keeping enough to hold off the challengers on Flooring Porter.

Mares bewares

IRELAND has ruled the roost in the mares’ races over the years due to enhanced bonuses and races here. Both the mares’ races provided big competitive fields and went to British-trained mares in Marie’s Rock and Love Envoi.

Ante-post madness

HE may have been the unluckiest loser at the meeting but the general odds of 3/1 for Galopin Des Champs to win next year’s Gold Cup are madness given there are so many good novices around. He jumped too big in the two-mile, four-furlong Turners, and I would like to see him win against the best over three miles before I’d take double those odds. He does not look like a stayer to me on what we have seen and Willie Mullins suggested he could go back to two miles.

Keeping it fresh!

One of the better things of the wonderful week was that so many winners had been well campagined and the ‘straight to Festival’ ‘myth wasn’t needed.