Cheltenham Festival 2024: Latest Pointers From A Busy Weekend

It was a quiet start to the week on the racing front, with the weather wreaking havoc and forcing abandonments at Ayr, Exeter and Fontwell. However, we were treated to a nice card at Clonmel on Thursday before the rearranged Lawlor’s of Naas card on Friday.

Those two days in Ireland really helped whet the appetite for Saturday’s feast of action over this side of the Irish Sea, with Grade 2 races at Warwick, Wetherby and Kempton. Not to mention the debut of a certain Gordon Elliott bumper horse at Fairyhouse.

And on Sunday, all eyes were on Punchestown for the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle though the jury is out on whether we’ve seen another superstar. Without further ado, let’s get down to it…

Thursday

Willie Mullins is starting to click into top gear and he had a treble at Clonmel, with Paul Townend riding a double across the card. QUAI DE BOURBON was made to work for his victory in the Munster Hurdle and it’d take a huge leap of faith to back him for a race at Cheltenham.

Having said that, he may end up heading for one of the Festival handicaps – almost by power of deduction though. He now has the required four runs to line up in one of those races in March and it’ll be interesting to see his allotted handicap mark. At this stage, he wouldn’t be for me.

IMPLICIT took advantage of the disappointing ENOLA to shed her maiden tag at the third time of asking. She further enhanced the form of Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle winner FARREN GLORY after she was 21 lengths behind the Gordon Elliott gelding on debut. Enola, meanwhile, has failed to justify favouritism on two occasions now and she’s struggling to live up to her €200,000 price tag.

I mentioned last month that JIMMY DU SEUIL would be seeing my money next time out but he wasn’t a betting proposition at the price. Having said that, he proved superior to his rivals as he cruised to a facile success – albeit in a poor enough race.

His jumping will need to improve but there’s clearly an engine there and I’d like to see him take his chance upped in grade. He mightn’t end up being a Grade 1 Cheltenham horse, but I see plenty of potential.

Friday

We’ll start at Huntingdon and TELLHERTHENAME justified his short price as he got back to winning ways after pulling up in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day. With an official rating of 134, he could run in the Betfair Hurdle en route to lining up in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

He was beaten a nose by Nicky Henderson’s JANGO BAIE on hurdles debut and he went on to win the Aintree race on Boxing Day. Taking that into account, Ben Pauling will surely send him to the festival opener and he’s a dangerous one to write off.

Connections talked up KABRAL DU MATHAN as a potential Boodles horse and I must admit I was very impressed with his performance at Huntingdon. He was giving weight to the field but made light work of his rivals, winning without being asked a question.

He’ll need to run again but I can see Paul Nicholls giving him a fairly sharp turnaround after that race at Huntingdon. Cheltenham on Trials Day may come a tad too soon, but it would at least give an indicator as to whether he can mix it with Triumph Hurdle contenders.

Over at Naas, QUILIXIOS improved significantly for the drop back in trip as he beat the likes of SA FUREUR and MISTER POLICEMAN after flopping when stepped up to three miles last time out. It was great to see the 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner enjoying himself and he is a live outsider for the Arkle.

Mister Policeman was touted as a serious contender for the Cheltenham race prior to the start of the campaign but he has absolutely no chance of even lining up at the Festival, let alone winning a Grade 1. I’ll hold my hands up and admit that I bought into the hype, but he has been bitterly disappointing. And that’s being kind.

The Lawlor’s of Naas saw READIN TOMMY WRONG do ILE ATLANTIQUE late and it would be fair to say there was a mixed reaction to the race. I was in the Ile Atlantique camp before the race and I’m still in it – though the winner has obviously gone up in my estimations.

People were quick to crab the form given the winner went off at 16/1, but maybe we were just Reading Tommy Wrong? The son of Authorized improved considerably for the step up in trip and it would be unfair to just assume that the race won’t work out simply because an outsider won.

Daryl Jacob was quick to suggest that his mount looks a three mile chaser all over, but I’d say they will stick to the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle route this season. As for Ile Atlantique, there are plenty of options for him but Willie Mullins hinted at possibly dropping him back to two miles.

Saturday

MISS MANZOR ran out a cosy enough winner of the juvenile hurdle at Fairyhouse, franking the form of the Grade 2 race held at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day. She looks an ideal type to run in the Boodles, especially as connections already have KARGESE for the Triumph.

It was a good performance from HUNTERS YARN in the Beginners’ Chase as he made amends after previously falling at the course just four weeks earlier. While I won’t be backing him for the Arkle, Willie Mullins is likely to try him at Graded level when establishing his Festival pecking order.

The dogs have been barking about ROMEO COOLIO for a while but there were mixed reviews on his bumper win at Fairyhouse. For me, he did what he needed to do on the day and he’ll improve significantly, both for the run and in a better race. His homework is exceptional by all accounts, but he’s a short price for Cheltenham based on Saturday’s run.

KALIF DU BERLAIS looked impressive in the opener at Kempton Park but Paul Nicholls was quick to suggest that he isn’t a Triumph Hurdle horse. Handed a RPR of 123 for that success, connections are likely to take a soft approach with him.

While Harry Cobden received pelters for the ride, I thought CHIANTI CLASSICO ran a perfect trial for the Ultima. Kempton probably wouldn’t be his ideal track, but he hung in there and I’d like to think he’ll improve again come the spring. Trainer Kim Bailey was impressed with the performance, calling it “the best race of his life” and that’s good enough for me.

I’ve taken a chance on BANBRIDGE for the Ryanair Chase despite connections placing great emphasis on ground conditions. He was a drifter on the day but showed plenty of grit and a superb round of jumping to see off his rivals in the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase. If we get good ground on the Thursday, he’ll be there or thereabouts.

GREY DAWNING was superb at Warwick, dispatching APPLE AWAY and BROADWAY BOY with ease to clinch more Graded success for the Skeltons. There is little doubt that he’s improved for a fence and he likely heads to Sandown next for the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.

In terms of Cheltenham, he’s surely a Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase contender.

There was plenty of drama in the Towton Novices’ Chase as COLONEL HARRY got the better of TRELAWNE but the latter threw the race away as he hung to his right. He could be one for a nice handicap depending on his mark, but the winner will surely join Grey Dawning in the Scilly Isles – though his owner hinted at possibly skipping Cheltenham in March.

Sunday

SPILLANE’S TOWER was excellent in the Grade 3 Novice Chase at Punchestown, staying on strongly to breeze past BLOOD DESTINY. Since finishing 19 lengths behind FACILE VEGA at Navan, he has won two on the spin and he could be one for the Turners Novices’ Chase if he heads to Cheltenham. He certainly seemed to relish stepping up in trip here.

The Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle has been a fantastic race over the years but I’d be amazed if the 2024 renewal turns out to be top drawer. MYSTICAL POWER showed a taking turn of foot to put the race to bed despite some haphazard jumping and he will need to improve if he is to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The reason I don’t mention the Supreme Novices' Hurdle here is because I can see why Willie Mullins may wish to go down the 2m5f route. The son of Annie Power isn’t the most fluent jumper and he could find himself on the back foot in a Supreme because of this. All options are open, but he is undoubtedly very talented. As for the rest of the field, meh…

Last but certainly not least, LISNAGAR FORTUNE franked the form of the Lawlor’s of Naas as he broke his maiden tag over hurdles. He pulled clear of Jasko Des Dames and Mercurey – two fair animals – to get off the mark. As a half-brother to Stayers Hurdle winner Lisnagar Oscar, his future probably lies over further.