Cheltenham Festival 2024: Review Of Irish Racing Across The Festive Period
The Christmas meetings at Leopardstown, Limerick and Down Royal are huge draws over the festive period and racegoers were treated to a feast of action throughout the week.
The racing action continued as we entered 2024, with Punchestown hosting an excellent card on New Year’s Eve and plenty of talent on show at Fairyhouse and Tramore on New Year’s Day.
Without further ado, it’s time to get stuck into the best of the festive action in Ireland. Make yourself a cup of tea and strap yourselves in, there’s plenty to get through!
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26th December
Willie Mullins fired a blank at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day for the first time since 2009 and Gordon Elliott was the main beneficiary, though it was Edward O’Grady who struck first with NO FLIES ON HIM. He was prominent throughout the race and he quickly put the race to bed after the second last, asserting to pull clear of D B Cooper and the 133-rated Ascending. It was a solid effort on his hurdles debut.
MIRAZUR WEST made his eagerly anticipated debut over obstacles but he was far too keen for his own good and KING OF KINGSFIELD – runner up in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle – played his cards late to shed his maiden tag.
It was a smart enough ride from Jack Kennedy but I wouldn’t be giving up on the second just yet. Willie Mullins said that Mirazur West was in his top three novice hurdlers heading into Christmas and most of his have improved significantly for a run.
It’s hard to not know what to make of the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle. KALA CONTI reversed the form with Nurburgring but that was expected at the weights.
KARGESE, making her first start for Willie Mullins, is the one who caught my eye. While this was her first run since moving to Closutton, it was her fourth run over hurdles and that brings a potential handicap into play at Cheltenham. Could she be aimed at the Fred Winter? It’s surely not beyond the realms of possibility.
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FACILE VEGA flopped while FOUND A FIFTY found plenty to win the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase. Watching live I felt Patrick Mullins had given his mount a poor ride but there were few excuses other than the ground. A step up in trip looks likely for him.
The winner was excellent and Gordon Elliott now has a decision to make. He’s clearly the best novice chaser at Cullentra House, but will Elliott keep him over two miles for the Arkle or will he step up in trip for a shot at the Turners? If he was mine, I’d stick at the shorter trip.
Over in Limerick, BUNTING lived up to his lofty reputation and he is up there in the betting for the Triumph Hurdle. You’d have to be impressed at the way he travelled and then put the race to bed in a flash, albeit in a weak enough race.
The Willie Mullins-trained LOUGHGLYNN won the 2m7f Grade 2 novice hurdle – a race that has often been a great indicator for the Albert Bartlett at the Festival. I’d be slightly sceptical of the form, given the 128-rated Answer To Kayf was beaten less than two lengths.
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27th December
MARINE NATIONALE made the perfect start to his career over fences, producing a foot-perfect performance to cement his position at the head of the Arkle betting. He jumped like a stag and he’ll return to Leopardstown for the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
He’s a short price for the Arkle but I can’t see anything in the market that will beat him. With Facile Vega flopping and the Old Course unlikely to suit Gaelic Warrior, the race is at his mercy and it would take a brave (or foolish!) man to oppose him.
DINOBLUE was much the best in the Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase, though market leader Captain Guinness – rerouted from the Tingle Creek – was found to be clinically abnormal after the race.
Mark Walsh always looked confident and she breezed past her rivals to claim a facile success for owner JP McManus. She needs to prove she stays the Mares' Chase trip but she is well worth her spot at the head of the betting for that race.
The Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle was a messy affair, with many of the principals failing to cope with the heavy ground. CALDWELL POTTER deserves plenty of credit though, he stuck to the task and showed a strong staying ability to win.
A full brother to the late Mighty Potter – a four-time Grade 1 winner – he shouldn’t have an issue stepping up for the Ballymore trip. However, if we expect heavy conditions on Day 1 at Cheltenham then the Supreme is of course an option.
Over at Limerick, HAUTURIERE threw her hat in the ring for the Mares' Chase with a staying performance that caught my eye.
I was amazed to see 20/1 was still available for her in that race and she is worth an each way punt at that price.
28th December
Brighterdaysahead and Dysart Enos set a solid standard in the Mares Novice Hurdle division but JADE DE GRUGY is another who must be considered for that race. She showed plenty of pace over in France and would likely have no issue dropping back to 2m1f for Cheltenham.
FACT TO FILE showed just why Willie Mullins was so keen to go straight over fences as he put together one of the smartest performances of the Christmas period to pull 17 lengths clear of Zanahiyr. On RPRs alone, he improved 20lbs from his debut at Navan.
Ruby Walsh was very impressed, suggesting that Fact To File would have no issue dropping back in trip if required. I’d be willing to take a stab at him running in the Turners Novices' Chase – although Gaelic Warrior looks set to head down that path.
Back IRISH POINT for the Stayers' Hurdle at your peril. Connections seemed very unsure of whether he’ll head to Cheltenham and my advice would be to keep your powder dry for the time being. I’m a huge fan of his but his spring target is unclear at this stage.
Next up, we have GALOPIN DES CHAMPS. We’ll come back to him.
GAELIC WARRIOR looks banker material for Cheltenham and talk of him dropping to the Arkle is nonsense in my view.
The Old Course clearly doesn’t suit him while the New Course should be more up his street – I’m 99.9% sure he’ll run in the Turners.
Mullins-gate was one of the talking points over the Christmas leftovers but personally I don’t think Danny Mullins did much wrong. He was riding to win the race and that is all you can ask for from a jockey in a Grade 1 – for both punters and owners.
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29th December
The fourth and final day at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival saw BALLYBURN get off the mark over hurdles and he’s some player in the novice division. He’s bred to stay but he has a wicked turn of foot and I’d imagine a strong two miles would suit.
I’m not confident enough to pin my colours to the mast but I’d be edging towards him going for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle over the Ballymore at the minute. I’d love to see him try and lead his rivals a merry dance from the front.
GRANGECLARE WEST was Galopin Des Champs-esque when winning the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase under a motionless Paul Townend. He jumped well, he stayed well and he showed a nice turn of foot that suggests he is a major player in the staying chase division.
I wouldn’t give up on CORBETTS CROSS but you’d want him to sharpen up his jumping. He was given a patient, possibly overconfident, ride by Mark Walsh but the horse had bolted by the time he made his move. He clearly has an engine but he’s hardly trustworthy.
STATE MAN was at his imperious best once again, brushing aside IMPAIRE ET PASSE to win the Matheson Hurdle. It felt like both Willie Mullins and Paul Townend almost expected that outcome and the victor, now a 7-time Grade 1 winner, remains the main threat to Constitution Hill.
Meanwhile, Impaire Et Passe is likely to go out in trip now. He ran a big race in the Hatton’s Grace when second to Teahupoo and I’d like to see connections have a crack at the Stayers' Hurdle. Chasing hopefully beckons for him next season…
The vibes coming out of Cullentra House were that Romeo Coolio was something special but it might be JALON D’OUDAIRIES who heads to Cheltenham as Gordon Elliott’s best chance in the Champion Bumper.
The bumper form has looked fairly ordinary this season but Jalon D’Oudairies, a £420,000 purchase at the Cheltenham Festival sale last March, is the clear standout and you’d love his attitude. He is a worthy favourite for the race at this stage.
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31st December
I was really impressed with MONTY’S STAR at Punchestown. He jumped like a buck and the further he went, the better he looked. I expect connections – given their history with Minella Indo and Monalee – to aim for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase but I’d give him a fantastic chance in the National Hunt Chase.
Willie Mullins has a genuine Triumph Hurdle contender in STORM HEART. You’d love the way he won the race, overcoming a tricky path and he quickened up immediately as they turned for home – putting the race to bed in a matter of strides.
He’s been found in the market but I found it interesting how some firms were as big as 14/1 immediately after the race. An hour or two later, 8/1 was the best available price and that is a fair figure on that performance in my opinion.
It was great to see SIR GERHARD get back to winning ways on his return to hurdles. He is one of my favourite horses in training so I’m slightly biased but I’d give him a great chance in the Stayers Hurdle if he manages to see out the three mile trip.
He came cruising into the race in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase last season but found little at the end. However, that may be due to his exuberant jumping early on in the race and going back over the smaller obstacles should help his chances.
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1st January
It looks to me like ALLEGORIE DE VASSY goes best on better ground and I wouldn’t write her off for Cheltenham just yet. While getting beat 33 lengths is hardly the ideal prep for the Festival, conditions were awful at Fairyhouse and that wasn’t her true running.
I was getting National Hunt Chase vibes after NICK ROCKETT’s straightforward success in the Beginners Chase later in the day. Paul Townend and David Casey both spoke about going up in trip and jumping safely – which is what you want for that particular race.
Over at Tramore, JUNGLE BOOGIE won the Grade 3 Savills New Year’s Day Chase and it was a decent performance on just his second start since returning from a huge layoff. CLASSIC GETAWAY was disappointing but MINELLA CROONER stayed on strongly and he’s one to bear in mind for a handicap.
PERFORMANCE OF THE FESTIVE PERIOD
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS? More like Galopin Des Certainty. If that Galopin Des Champs turns up in March, nobody will beat him. It was an incredible performance and one that stunned not just me, but his trainer – and that is worth noting.
He’s a short price for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but I’d struggle to oppose him. I’m a big fan of FASTORSLOW and he’s not without a chance of course but Galopin Des Champs made a strong Savills Chase field look normal. He’s the one to beat for me.
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