Cheltenham Was Always About the Horses and Britain Has Lost Ground 

When I started covering the Cheltenham Festival in the late 1980s it was still a place of myth and legend: whiskey priests, all-night card schools, hopeful (but not expectant) Irish pilgrimages, farmers with chances of winning a race and wince-inducing whip-use up the hill.

It was a place chiefly for aficionados – the county set and jump racing hardcore, leavened with once-a-year urban tweedies who loved the racing and knew what it meant to watch Dawn Run win both a Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup.

A place, in other words, for disciples, with newsworthy battles between rails bookmakers and big hitters, which the outside world peered at excitedly but fleetingly. The Cheltenham Festival made the front pages because it was edgy, rooted, fragrant, intense and magical. It united the human and animal kingdoms like no other sport. The Grand National was a national ritual, but it didn't shine a light on our culture the way Cheltenham did.

We've come a long way since then. The modern Cheltenham is entertainment industry giant, mass market day out, commercial behemoth, and these days, a place of plunder for Irish yards, principally that of Willie Mullins, who won nine of this year's 27 races, including the two defining events with State Man (Champion Hurdle) and Galopin Des Champs (Gold Cup).

More than ever, Cheltenham is subject to modern economic reality. On the track we see a concentration of power into a few hands and a switch to recruitment, scouting and academy-based success. This, aside from the training skill, is the foundation of Mullins's success – a  pre-emptive odds-loading in his favour. An astonishing tally of 103 Festival winners suggests Mullins' networking has caught many of his rivals cold.

Ireland's latest training win over GB yards by 18-9 in the Prestbury Cup has caused alarm at the British Horseracing Authority, whose chief executive Julie Harrington said in a statement the morning after the Gold Cup…

“I have no doubt that the men and women who train horses here in Britain are more than a match for their Irish counterparts. However, they need the ammunition and at present the balance of power and the best horses are going to our colleagues in Ireland, and in particular one yard…..
“However, the Irish domination of the Grade 1 races this week has illustrated that the issue is becoming more pronounced and more damaging for the sport on both sides of the Irish sea.

“Put simply, the rate of decline of Jump racing in Britain at the top end has outstripped the measures that have been put in place to tackle it. We must do more, more quickly, and in a more coordinated and decisive manner if we are going to restore British Jump racing to the standing at which it belongs.”

In other words – it's an emergency. Off the track meanwhile Cheltenham can no longer expect legions of revellers to arrive on autopilot. Like the Ryder Cup in golf, the Festival became drunk on the notion of infinite expansion and untouchable popularity. To the addicted, the last race on Friday triggers a kind of melancholia about the length of the wait for the next Festival to come around. But not even the imperishable charm of that great Cotswold playground can guarantee its survival as an annual must-go event.

First, the experience. Muddy and gridlocked car parks are not to the modern consumer's taste. Nor is a £7.50 pint you have to queue for 20 minutes to get. Nor is a lack of places to sit. Nor, you might argue, are small fields or the Mullins dominance. It's hard to disentangle anxiety about Cheltenham's importance as a shop window from wider worries about the health of National Hunt racing.

Cheltenham is not to blame for much of this. Climate change and £700 hotel room rates are not their fault. Sport's post-Covid spike is over. The racecourse is promising to freeze ticket prices and stop car parks becoming swamps. They insist there is “no complacency.”

Grumbles about the cost of food and drink can be heard across all British sports. And each pays a price for the shambles that our rail network has become. Cost of living pressures are not just Radio 4 news headlines. They force choices on people: what to stick with, what to give up.

In that context the drop in attendance at this year's Festival was relatively modest. Crowds were down 11,000 from 240,603 in 2023 to 229,370 this year. But if the lesson is that Cheltenham will have to sing for its supper like every other major sporting event then the signs of a downturn in public interest may turn out to be cathartic.

There is a deeply optimistic note in what we saw this year. For some, Cheltenham is about the gambling, drinking, eating and cavorting. For my money it was always about the horses. The romance end of the market survives. Fiona Needham winning the Foxhunters' with a £2,400 horse (Sine Nomine) 22 years after she won the race as a jockey was a throwback tale.

And for all the misgivings about Cheltenham becoming the Willie Mullins show, he sent some magnificent horses out for our entertainment: State Man, Ballyburn, Fact To File and above all Galopin Des Champs, whose victory in the hundredth anniversary Gold Cup was a thing of beauty. That's what Cheltenham is, right there.

 

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Galopin to Glory in the Gold Cup

CHELTENHAM, UK–Resplendent in bright green on St Patrick's Day, Audrey Truly clasped the Cheltenham Gold Cup as she chatted with Princess Anne while her face bore a look of disbelief. The owner could be forgiven if the enormity of the relatively smooth victory of her 7-year-old Galopin Des Champs (Fr) (Timos {Ger}) in jump racing's most prestigious race was yet to sink in. 

Exactly a year ago the sleek dark brown gelding appeared to be about to back up his first Cheltenham success in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle with victory in the G1 Turners Novices' Chase when, with a 12-length lead in hand, he crumpled on landing over the final fence. With three more confidence-restoring Grade 1 wins to his credit since that luckless day, including the Irish Gold Cup, Galopin Des Champs has now added the big one to the Gold Cup roll of honour, his name permanently etched on the list of winners including such greats as Golden Miller and Arkle.

His victory left no small amount of drama in its wake as the long-term leader Ahoy Senor (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) fell at the 17th fence, bringing down Sounds Russian (Ire) (Sholokhov {Ire}) in the melee, after the 2021 winner Minella Indo (Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB}) had already cried enough and been pulled up early in the second circuit. Last year's winner, A Plus Tard (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}), representing the resurgent Henry de Bromhead stable, could not match his heroics of 12 months ago, and he too was eased down by Rachael Blackmore as the leaders started to draw away with three left to jump. Most heartbreaking of all was seeing the game Eclipse Award winner Hewick (Ire) (Virtual {GB}) make a bold go from the front after Ahoy Senor's departure, only to fall himself at the second-last fence.

Thirteen starters had faced the judge and only seven crossed the line. Galopin Des Champs was simply too good for the best of the British contenders, Bravemansgame (Fr) (Brave Mansonnien {Fr}), whose faultless round, and particularly his never-say-die effort at the last under Harry Cobden, could leave his supporters dreaming of Gold Cups to come for the 8-year-old after he finished seven lengths adrift in second. Conflated (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}) posted a similarly solid performance to take third for Gordon Elliott and the Gigginstown House Stud team, while last year's Grand National winner, Noble Yeats (Ire) (Yeats {Ire}), who looked beaten a long way out, called upon his great reserves of stamina to rally to take fourth for Emmet Mullins.

Usually unflappable and once again the leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival with six winners across the four days, Willie Mullins nevertheless admitted to some nerves as he watched Paul Townend guide Galopin Des Champs to the stable's third win in the Gold Cup.

“I didn't realise what pressure I was under,” he said. “I'm absolutely delighted for Audrey and Greg Turley and for Paul, who was under huge pressure too. He had the confidence to drop him in and come through.

“They were going to plenty fast enough so I didn't want him up in there in the early stages. I thought if he has the class he will come through. All thoughts were going through my head; one or two fell and we missed all that, so we had a lot of luck as well. I think that man on board when the pressure comes on he is very good. I was surprised myself how I was over the last two fences.”

Mullins added, “He has that little bit of class: you could run him over two miles, two and a half miles. He has that little bit of speed when you want it. You just have to conserve it. Over those shorter trips he likes to get on with the job and that was to me the whole key today, not to let him get running early on in the race.”

Stay Away Fay Stays All Day

Despite having to settle for second in the Gold Cup, Paul Nicholls had made his second visit to the winner's spot this week earlier in the day when Stay Away Fay (Ire) (Shantou) took advantage of a bizarre last-flight run-out by favourite Corbetts Cross (Ire) (Gamut {Ire}) to win the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

“He's a very smart young horse, and he'll improve for the summer,” said the champion trainer. “I knew he would win turning in, because he's a very, very strong stayer. Well, I hoped he'd win, because I knew he wouldn't stop.

“He looked fantastic and to me he ran how he looked. That was only his third race under Rules and there's lots of improvement to come from him.”

French Fab Four 

It is hard to imagine anyone ever repeating Michael Dickinson's extraordinary feat of training the first five home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but Willie Mullins is rarely short-handed in the major races and he got Gold Cup day off to the perfect start when being responsible for the first four home in the G1 JCB Triumph Hurdle. 

The favourite Lossiemouth (Fr) (Great Pretender {Ire}) had been beaten just once in her nascent career and she made amends for that blip when second at Fairyhouse last month by overhauling her conqueror that day, stable-mate Gala Marceau (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). That pair was followed home by two more familiar faces in Zenta (Fr) (Pastorius {Ger}) and Gust Of Wind (Fr) (Great Pretender {Ire}), making it a quartet of French-breds to the fore in the juvenile contest. 

To put Mullins's feat in context, he saddled seven of the 15 runners for the race he has won in three of the last four years. 

While Lossiemouth's owner Rich Ricci appeared to pour cold water on the idea of the smart filly switching to staying races on the Flat, he did leave the door open for another of his stars to be seen on the level this summer.

“I think she has got enough boot to go on the Flat but my view would be to go to Punchestown and put her away for next season. She is only four so maybe in two years' time she will go for the Champion Hurdle, depending on Constitution Hill and the rest of the field. You are asking me the same question that Willie asked me about going to the Flat with her and I'm not sure we have to. Vauban is a better question, to go on the Flat with him, because he has a good Flat rating.”

French-bred jumpers have been particularly prevalent this week at Cheltenham, with the feature races on three of the four days falling to Energumene (Fr), Sire Du Berlais (Fr) and Galopin Des Champs. Exactly half of the 28 winners at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival were bred across the Channel. 

Impervious Delights Small Breeder O'Doherty

The Colm Murphy-trained Impervious (Ire) (Shantou) gave owner JP McManus his first of two winners on the day when turning over the hot favourite Allegorie De Vassy (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) on the run-in in the G2 Paddy Power Mares' Chase, in turn providing a truly memorable result for her small breeder Tom O'Doherty.

“I'm absolutely over the moon,” said O'Doherty, whose sole broodmare is Impervious's dam Blodge (Ire) (Kalanisi {Ire}).  “My sister bought Blodge at the Tattersalls sales in 2017. A lot of people won't know, but Impervious's grand-dam Bilboa (Fr) was placed in the [2002] Champion Hurdle, so it came out somewhere.”

He continued,”I saw Blodge win a point-to-point in Ireland a long, long time ago and she came from a very good family. She came from a very good place, the Kenilworth House Stud in Clonmel, and I love the pedigree. Bilboa was a feisty lady as well. She's inherited all of it.”
O'Doherty added. “It's been wonderful. Little did I think when I sold my foal for €4,000 that JP McManus would end up buying her and she would end up winning at Cheltenham.
“I saw two fences, I could not watch, my heart was in my mouth even though she is a fantastic jumper. I knew she wouldn't let me down. Once she got into battle, I knew she'd outbattle the rest. She's a terrier, and the mare at home is a terrier as well.”

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Racing’s Crystal Ball: How TDN Europe Predicts 2023 To Play Out

A large part of the fun that comes with following racing and the bloodstock game is predicting the future. Who will win the Derby? Who might top the Orby Sale? What freshman sires are here to stay and which ones will drift into the abyss?

Well, we've looked deep into the TDN Europe crystal ball for 2023 to see if we can come up with the answers to the burning questions for the year ahead. Enjoy!

January

If you think he had a good Christmas, wait until you see how January goes for Willie Mullins. This is the month where Ireland's dominant jumps trainer ramps up a gear, highlighted by Energumene's deadly performance in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot. Can anyone stop Energumene–or Mullins for that matter–at Cheltenham?

Meanwhile, Gordon Elliott appears to have his own festival banker in the shape of Mares' Novice Hurdle hotpot Halka Du Tabert, who makes light work of her rivals in the Solerina Mares' Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse. 

Guess who features among this race's roll of honour? None other than Honeysuckle and Minella Melody. Could the torch be passed to fellow Kenny Alexander-owned Halka Du Tabert?

February

Reassuring figures are recorded at one of the first big Flat sales of the new year, the February Sale, where multiple lots sell for six figures. Maybe 2022 wasn't a dream after all. 

Willie Mullins once again dominates at the Dublin Racing Festival where Honeysuckle's bid for a four-timer in the Irish Champion Hurdle is foiled by State Man, who now appears the chief Irish challenger to Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle. 

Galopin Des Champs dazzles in the Irish Gold Cup, but will he stay the extra two furlongs up the punishing hill at Cheltenham?

March

Did somebody say Flat racing? Aidan O'Brien opens the gates at Ballydoyle to the Irish press and Brendan O'Rourke is back in search of the next two-year-old star to follow this season. “He's by No Nay Never, Brendan. Big Little something, I think he's called,” says Aidan. “A fiver or a tenner,” asks Brendan. 

Constitution Hill proves worthy of all of the hype in the Champion Hurdle by beating Honeysuckle, who runs a tremendous race in the first-time cheekpieces. 

It's easy-as-you-like for Energumene in the Champion Chase but there's a surprise in the Stayers' Hurdle as Ahoy Senor, re-routed from the Gold Cup, denies Flooring Porter a third straight triumph.

It's a one-two-three for team Mullins in the Gold Cup, but it's Emmet who takes the top honours, not his uncle Willie, as Noble Yeats out-battles Galopin Des Champs with Stattler running an eye-catching race with a view towards the Grand National back in third. 

The recently-returned Oisin Murphy shines at the Dubai World Cup meeting. Meanwhile, industry stakeholders begin to get a foothold on what's required for the Dubai Breeze-up Sale as solid trade is recorded. 

April

Don't say you weren't told. Stattler does a Hedgehunter by building on a cracking effort in the Gold Cup to secure Grand National glory at the main expense of Lifetime Ambition. 

Oh yes. We're back, baby. The breeze-up circus gets going with a bang as the international buyers turn out in force for the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale. Tally-Ho Stud sells the top lot, a Kodiac colt, to Peter and Ross Doyle for high six figures. 

Will he or won't he? The build-up to the Craven S. revolves around whether leading 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean will take in a prep or head straight to the Classic. In the end, Andrew Balding elects to sidestep the Craven, describing himself as delighted with Chaldean's condition at home on the gallops. 

May

No prep run? No problem. Balding's decision to go straight to the 2000 Guineas with Chaldean pays off in spades as he romps home at Newmarket. Little Big Bear fails to get involved but Auguste Rodin finishes a fine second for Aidan O'Brien, who goes on to win the 1000 Guineas with Meditate. 

In Chaldean's absence, Little Big Bear justifies O'Brien's faith in the colt's ability to see out the mile as he makes light work of the opposition in the Irish 2,000 Guineas while Dermot Weld's Tahiyra shows a blistering turn of foot to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas.

It's that man again. Willie Browne tops the Arqana breeze-up sale with a colt sourced in America the previous autumn. 

June

Aidan O'Brien wins the Oaks with a filly who failed to win as a two-year-old while the Guineas runner-up Auguste Rodin takes the step up to 1m4f in his stride by running out one of the most impressive Derby winners for some time. 

It's a week for the first-season sires at Royal Ascot as colts by Ten Sovereigns and Soldier's Call win the Coventry and Norfolk S. respectively while an Inns Of Court filly lands the Queen Mary S. 

Kyprios runs out one of the most impressive winners of the week to take his second Gold Cup. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Sakheer dazzles in the Commonwealth Cup, once again advertising the prowess of breeze-up handler Willie Browne. 

Back at the Curragh, Aidan O'Brien records a record-extending 15th Irish Derby triumph.

July

Auguste Rodin had the option of bidding for the Derby double at the Curragh but he proves himself to be equally as adept back over 10f in bolstering the good record that three-year-olds have in the Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown. 

Remember him? Desert Crown makes his long awaited return to the track in the King George at Ascot but he is no match for Vadeni who appears a much stronger horse this year and sees the trip out well.  

The demand for horses with good ratings remains strong at the July Sale at Tattersalls while, on the track, Sakheer follows up his brilliant display at Royal Ascot with a red-hot performance in the July Cup. 

August

After running a number of classy races against the boys, Dramatised causes something of a surprise for local owner Steve Parkin and trainer Karl Burke in the Nunthorpe S. at York.

September 

He never managed to win the St Leger as a jockey but he does it as a trainer. Step forward Donnacha O'Brien. Proud And Regal, indeed.

Goffs captures the imagination with its latest incentive to attract buyers and vendors alike to the Orby, which continues to go from strength to strength. A number of New Bay and Mehmas colts sell nicely while Saxon Warrior hardens his reputation as a coming force in the stallion ranks with his progeny selling for notable sums.

October 

No match for Alpinista 12 months ago, Vadeni wins the Arc from stablemate Al Hakeem with Bay Bridge keeping on best for third.

Book 1 does not disappoint at Tattersalls with 10 lots breaking the million gns mark, including Philip Stauffenberg's Kingman half-brother to Skitter Scatter, who he picked up for €550,000 at Goffs the previous November. 

But the top lot is a 3 million gns colt consigned by Watership Down and it sells to Mick Donohoe, bidding on his iPad for Yulong, with MV Magnier and Anthony Stroud pushing him all the way. 

The weather Gods do not look kindly on British Champions Day as the meeting is a washout and the testing ground throws up a number of surprise results. 

November 

It's a first Melbourne Cup victory for Willie Mullins as Champion Hurdle also-ran Vauban builds on his Queen Alexandra S. victory at Royal Ascot to take the race that stops a nation.

Nothing can separate Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby once again at the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita as both men send out five winners apiece. Special mention to Modern Games, who secures his third Breeders' Cup triumph and second Breeders' Cup Mile success. 

December

There must be something in the water. Tally-Ho Stud clinches its third first-season sire championship in four years as Inns Of Court does what Mehmas and Cotai Glory did before him by producing the goods with his first crop of runners. It was an incredibly-strong year for the freshman sires with Soldier's Call, Ten Sovereigns, Too Darn Hot, Advertise and Blue Point achieving plenty.

Some extra dates are added to the farewell tour as Frankie Dettori announces his decision to continue his riding career for another season. 

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