Tuesday’s race winners
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - Old Park Star
Arkle Challenge Trophy - Kargese
Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle - Saratoga
Ultima Handicap Chase - Johnnywho
Champion Hurdle - Lossiemouth
Festival Plate - Madara
National Hunt Challenge Cup - Holloway Queen
We leave you with a report from our man on the ground in Cheltenham, Brian O’Connor.
Catch you all again tomorrow!
Wednesday is of course Ladies Day at Cheltenham. Here’s how the card looks with the Queen Mother Champion Chase headlining things, with Majborough the favourite:
1.20pm - Turners Novices’ Hurdle
2pm - Novices’ Chase
2.40pm - Handicap Hurdle
3.20pm - Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase
4pm - Queen Mother Champion Chase
4.40pm - Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase
5.20pm - Champion Bumper
Well that’s that for day one. It wasn’t a vintage Champion Hurdle, certainly lacking the drama of last year’s finish when Golden Ace won it all.
Still, it was a supreme performance from Lossiemouth, sprinting clear to blow the field away. She certainly vindicated Wille Mullins’ decision to go with the cheekpieces.
A good day for the Brits as well, who currently hold the advantage in the Prestbury Cup.
Leading Jockey
1 - James Bowen, Harry Skelton, Paul Townend, Richie McLernon, Mark Walsh, Danny Mullins, Nico de Boinville
Leading Trainer
2 - Nicky Henderson, Willie Mullins,
1 - Padraig Roche, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, Dan Skelton
Prestbury Cup
GB 4 Ireland 3
Holloway Queen rounds out the day with the victory. A winner for Nicky Henderson in the first and last races of day one.
- Holloway Queen (Nicky Henderson)
- King of Answers (Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore)
- One Big Bang (James Owen)
For the last time today, here’s the betting ahead of the race:
5/1 Backmersackme (Emmet Mullins)
5/1 Kurasso Blue (Gordon Elliott)
13/2 Newton Tornado (Rebecca Curtis)
13/2 Iceberg Theory (Paul Nolan)
10/1 Wade Out (Olly Murphy)
The forgotten race in many ways (ITV don’t show it live), we do still have one final piece of action today. The National Hunt Challenge Cup is off at 5.20pm. Here’s Malachy’s verdict:
“The not-quite-four-miler has no obvious favourite but there are a few potential stories in it all the same. Iceberg Theory for Paul Nolan would be an enormously popular winner, with three-pound claimer Conro Stone-Walsh aboard.
“King Of Answers is sent here by Grand National winning trainer Lucinda Ruseell, who always commands respect in these marathon races.
“But maybe the one to keep onside is Wade Out for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen. Bowen is by common consent the best jockey in England right now and this is one of his best chances of the week.”
MADARA WINS IT
The late money proves to be wise.
A good kick at the second last and then a nicely judged final jump sees Dan Skelton’s horse win at a canter.
- Madara
- Will The Wise
- Moon D’orange
With a circuit to go, Jungle Boogie is out in front. By a few lengths.
Now Jungle Boogie followed by Western Zephyr.
The late money is on Madara, who is now favourite.
Another false start. Was a clean day of starts up until the Champion Hurdle...
Now they’re off!
And here’s the current betting for the day’s penultimate race:
4/1 McLaurey (Emmet Mullins)
9/2 Madara (Dan Skelton)
6/1 Down Memory Lane (Gordon Elliott)
10/1 Booster Bob (Olly Murphy)
10/1 Downmexicoway (Henry De Bromhead)
We do have two more races today, next up the Festival Plate. Here’s a short preview:
“A two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase, this is the kind of race where you want to be keeping an eye on the morning betting market to see where the confidence is going. Madara has been the big fancy of the preview night circuit but you’d wonder if that’s as much to do with the Skeltons’ reputation for laying out a festival plot as anything.
“The likes of Down Memory Lane (Gordon Elliott) and Downmexicoway (Henry DeBromhead) could have more concrete chances. At a mad price, Jungle Boogie has been good enough to run in championship races at the festival in times past – he’s been a difficult horse to keep fit but if he is in sound condition and keeps his jumping tidy, he could be interesting."
Willie Mullins: “When I put cheekpieces on her, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s the old Lossiemouth.’”
Lossiemouth’s welcome into the winners’ enclosure.
Winning jockey Paul Townend aboard Lossiemouth ⬇️
They’ve just announced the attendance figures. Over 57,000 in today, more than day one in the last two festivals.
LOSSIEMOUTH TAKES IT
A big kick just prior to the last jump from Paul Townend takes Lossiemouth into the lead. She gets over the final hurdle well and pulls well clear for a dominant win.
Brighterdaysahead just about holds off The New Lion into second.
The winner’s cheque is £262,078!
- Lossiemouth
- Brighterdaysahead
- The New Lion
Three to go, it’s Brighterdaysahead, Lossiemouth, Golden Ace and The New Lion virtually in a bunch of four...
Now they’re off! Tutti Quanti goes off with them but is already well back.
Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth are the early front-runners. The New Lion is a few back on the outside.
Here we go then, the Champion Hurdle.
And they’re off!
Oh, no they’re not. They’re turning back. Do it again.
Tutti Quanti is proving difficult...
Here’s the latest betting for the big one on day one:
6/4 Lossiemouth (Willie Mullins)
3/1 The New Lion (Dan Skelton)
9/2 Brighterdaysahead (Gordon Elliott)
12/1 Golden Ace (Jeremy Scott)
18/1 Poniros (Willie Mullins)
Right then, here’s today’s big one. Malachy has all you need to know about the Champion Hurdle:
“The feature race of Day One, this has turned out to a seriously compelling Champion Hurdle. The fact that the two star Irish mares Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead both come here instead of the easier option of the Mares’ Hurdle means we should have a right old tear-up.
“They both have The New Lion to beat – last year’s winner of the Turners Novice Hurdle sets a serious standard for the Skelton brothers. Also in the field are the reigning Champion Hurdler Golden Ace and last year’s winner of the Triumph Hurdle in Poniros. There is a chance that Lossiemouth is the best of the lot – it could just be that simple."
Winning jockey Richie McLernon after the Ultima ⬇️
Ultima 1-2-3:
- Johnnywho (Jonjo and AJ O’Neill)
- Jagwar (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero)
- Quebecois (Paul Nicholls)
JONNYWHO WINS IT
Back-to-back winners for JP McManus.
Drama at the end as Jonnywho beats Jagwar at the end. Quebecois led throughout and looked to be in the mix after the last but fell away to the McManus 1-2.
Gordon Elliott’s Search For Glory was actually very well placed at the last, pushing then-leader Quebecois, only for jockey James Smith to be unseated on the landing.
Jonnywho did well to get out of the way of the unseated horse at that point, just about sidestepping to come up the inside and take the win.
And they’re off!
Quebecois leads at the halfway mark. Jagwar and Iroko are well back - work needed for the favourites.
Back to the Ultima, Quebecois has made a leap in the betting.
Now at 15/2 and the third favourite.
JP McManus’ runners Jagwar (11/4) and Iroko (7/1) are still the two favourites.
Interesting stuff from Ruby on the Juvenile Hurdle ⬇️
Here’s the betting for the Ultima:
3/1 Jagwar (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero)
8/1 Iroko (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero)
10/1 Hyland (Nicky Henderson)
10/1 Myretown (Lucinda Russell and Michael Scuadmore)
12/1 Handstands (Ben Pauling)
As much as we’d love to keep an eye on who else sings happy birthday to JP, or indeed who else slags him off for being old, it’s time to look ahead to the next race.
Here’s Malchy Clerkin on the Ultima Handicap Chase, due off at 3.20pm:
“The big three-mile handicap chase of the festival, it almost always goes to a UK-based runner and though it has a huge field of 11 horses, in recent years it has paid to stay with those near the head of the market. JP McManus is definitely worth keeping onside here, with Jagwar, Iroko and Johnnywho all in with obvious claims.
“Leave Of Absence for Anthony Honeyball won at the Cheltenham October meeting and has been eye-catching in graded company, which suggests he could be a cut above some of these.”
Well that was an interesting moment over on ITV, winning owner JP McManus being interviewed.
He’s 75 years young today. The ITV presenter same him happy birthday live on air. If that wasn’t strange enough, JP gave us a window into rubbing shoulders with the best and brightest in the winners’ enclosure.
“I met Michael O’Leary today,” said McManus. “He said to me, ‘Only the good die young.’”
SARATOGA WINS IT
A birthday winner for JP McManus. Padraig Roche the trainer. The bet was 10/1 by the start of the race!
Winston Junior came from well back to take second. Klycot was in the mix but fell away after the last.
- Saratoga
- Winston Junior
- Klycot
Ole Ole has fallen at the third last...
Third race of the day. Winston Junior and Manlaga have now switched places in the betting, the former up to second favourite.
And they’re off!
And here’s the latest betting:
7/2 Mustang de Breuil (Nicky Henderson)
11/2 Manlaga (Nicky Henderson)
6/1 Winston Junior (Faye Bramley)
15/2 Glen to Glen (Joseph O’Brien)
10/1 Saratoga (Padraig Roche)
Next up is the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle. Here’s Malachy Clerkin’s verdict:
“A total guessing game, this one. Only one favourite has won the race in the past 10 years, which wouldn’t be good news for Jack Kennedy, whose mount Winston Junior has been the subject of a major plunge since the weekend.
“Mark Walsh has had huge success in this race, riding three of the last six winners of it, and he looks to have a right chance on Saratoga for Pádraig Roche. Could be worth keeping an eye out for Gordon Elliott’s Barbizon – the Meath trainer has won it four times at decent prices and the useful Josh Williamson claims five pounds.”
KARGESE HOLDS ON!
A first upset of the week. Willie Mullins also has his first winner of this year’s festival.
Lulamba, the favourite, fell out of contention at the last. It looked like Kargese would slow into second after an iffy final jump, Kopek Des Bordes getting neck-and-neck, but ultimately the third favourite had one final kick.
- Kargese
- Kopek Des Bordes
- Lulamba
Front three are as expected, albeit Kargese leads with three to go...
No late changes in the betting for this one. Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba is the favourite, followed by Wille Mullins’ Kopek Des Bordes. Kargese is the third favourite.
And they’re off!
Mullins vs Henderson in the day’s second race. They’ll be off at 2pm.
Plenty of reaction from the day’s first winner, Old Park Star getting the job done as favourite.
Here’s the betting for the Arkle:
Right then, onto the Arkle at 2pm. Here’s Malachy’s preview:
“Nicky Henderson has the favourite in this as well, albeit there appears no prospect that it will be as open a race as the Supreme. Lulamba has had a fantastic start to his chasing career and was the first five-year-old winner of the Game Spirit Chase since the wonderful Master Minded back in 2008.
“He has serious opposition in Kopek Des Bordes, the brilliant winner of last year’s Supreme for Willie Mullins. Kopek hasn’t run nearly as often as his English counterpart but if he reproduces the form on last year’s festival, it could be a compelling match between them up the hill.
“They look streets ahead of the other four in the race, who you’d imagine will only come into if either of the front two make a jumping mistake.”
The tip from Brian O’Connor, our racing correspondent, is Lulamba, the favourite.
The result of the Supreme:
- Old Park Star
- Sober Glory
- Mypaddydaddy
A British 1-2-3.
OLD PARK STAR
The favourite wins it for Nicky Henderson!
There’s a question over second and third. Mydaddypaddy and Sober Glory were jostling for position after the last, the latter being shunted out towards the barrier. There definitely was contact and the stewards may well take a look.
Sober Glory, who surged up the betting late, led from the first to last, only for a poor final jump to see victory fall away.
Three to go, Sober Glory is ahead by half a length ahead of Old Park Star...
Sober Glory has moved up to second favourite in the seconds before the race.
First run of the day... and they’re off!
Looks about right...
They seem to have a nice day for it!
Crowds are ready to go five minutes out from the first race of this year’s festival.
The withdrawal from Willie Mullins has also caused a jockey change for his other runner in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle ⬇️
Paul Townend is now on Too Bossy for Us.
Gordon Elliott has been on ITV previewing his runners on day one. Koktail Brut is in the first race of the day.
Here is the betting for that first race of the day, due off at 1.20pm. Old Park Star remains the favourite while Barry Connell’s Eachtotheirown is the biggest mover having been at 50/1 earlier this morning.
Leader D’allier, the Willie Mullins horse due to carry Paul Townend, is no longer running.
9/4 Old Park Star (Nicky Henderson)
9/2 Talk the Talk (Joseph O’Brien)
13/2 Mighty Park (Willie Mullins)
13/2 Sober Glory (Philip Hobbs and Johnson White)
15/2 Mydaddypaddy (Dan Skelton)
8/1 El Cairos (Gordon Elliott)
33/1 Eachtotheirown (Barry Connell)
40/1 Baron Noir (Alan King)
40/1 Koktail Brut (Gordon Elliott)
50/1 Too Bossy for Us (Willie Mullins)
250/1 Sageborough (Paul Nolan)
NR Leader D’allier (Willie Mullins)
Malachy is a busy man in the run-up to Cheltenham. He has made my life and yours all the better with a series of previews ahead of each race. Here’s what he was to say on about the day’s opener, set for about half-an-hour’s time:
“It looks a particularly deep Supreme this year, with no outstanding favourite but plenty of the contenders expected to go on to bigger things in time.
“Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star has been at the front of the market for a long time now but with Mighty Park having been switched here in recent weeks by Willie Mullins and Talk The Talk looking dangerous for Joseph O’Brien, it’s hard to find a result that would come as a true shock.
“El Cairos has been the subject of plenty of vibes-type talk in the build-up, for whatever that’s worth.”
This is definitely worth 10 minutes of your time (or less, for you speedy readers).
Malachy Clerkin recently caught up with Johnny Dineen, a full-time professional gambler. Something everything will pretend to be this week, but Johnny is the real deal.
You can read the full interview here.
Brian being our racing expert, he has of course provided his list of tips for the day.
1.20 - Old Park Star
2.00 - Lulamba
2.40 - Glen To Glen (Nap)
3.20 - Hyland
4.00 - The New Lion
4.40 - Booster Bob
5.20 - Iceberg Theory
Nap and Double – Glen To Glen & Iceberg Theory
We’ll kick things off with our first read of the day. Brian O’Connor is our man on the ground at Cheltenham and he has a big preview into which you can sink your teeth.
Willie Mullins is an intriguing man at the best of times, but particularly at this week’s festival. Looking at today’s first few races, Brian points to a lack of form in the Mullins runners. There is, as always though, a riposte to such thinking.
Mighty Park in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle and Kopek Des Bordes in the Singer Arkle Trophy carry huge reputations that aren’t underpinned by recent racecourse performances. But a record 113 festival victories is the only reply Mullins needs to make to any sceptic. So, his comparing Mighty Park to the wonderful old champion Faugheen will be persuasion enough for many to go all in.
— Brian O'Connor
You can read the full preview here.
[ Willie Mullins factor crucial to Irish hopes in opening festival highlightsOpens in new window ]
Hello all and welcome to Cheltenham!
It’s that time of year again. Four days of a racing bonanza courtesy of The Jockey Club.
Today’s headline is of course the Champion Hurdle set for 4pm when Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead and The New Lion are set to go head-to-head.
There are, all told, seven races on day one. We get underway with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20pm.
We’ll be building up to the start of race day, bringing you all the action as it happens.
