1:30pm Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 87y

Anotherway (FR) 5 11 7 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Asian Master (IRE) 7 11 7 Mrs M. Costello W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ballyburn (IRE) 6 11 7 R.A.Bartlett/David Manasseh W. P. Mullins Ireland

Favour And Fortune (IRE) 6 11 7 Hemmings Racing Alan King

Firefox (IRE) 6 11 7 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Gold Dancer (FR) 5 11 7 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ile Atlantique (FR) 6 11 7 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland

Jeriko du Reponet (FR) 5 11 7 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson

Kings Hill (IRE) 5 11 7 PNT Partnership Paul John Gilligan Ireland

Mistergif (FR) 5 11 7 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Mystical Power (IRE) 5 11 7 J. P. McManus/Mrs.J Magnier/Mrs S Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Slade Steel (IRE) 6 11 7 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Supersundae (FR) 5 11 7 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Tellherthename (IRE) 5 11 7 The Megsons Ben Pauling

Tullyhill (FR) 6 11 7 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

15 confirmations

https://youtu.be/uR9YwlygT7Y?feature=shared

Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle – March 13, 2024

Total entries: 86
*Key Horses:* Ballyburn, Readin Tommy Wrong, Ile Atlantique, Gidleigh Park
*Ante-post favorite (NRNB):* Ballyburn (4-1)

The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle sees Ballyburn, the market leader, keeping options open by also entering the Supreme, creating suspense for punters. Readin Tommy Wrong and others add to the competitive field.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – March 15, 2024

Total entries: 63
*Key Horses:* High Class Hero, Readin Tommy Wrong, Johnnywho
*Joint-ante-post favorites:* High Class Hero, Readin Tommy Wrong (8-1)

High Class Hero and Readin Tommy Wrong, disputing outright favoritism for the Albert Bartlett, introduce another layer of excitement with entries for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle. A highly competitive field is shaping up for this race.

Triumph Hurdle – March 15, 2024

Total entries: 44

*Key Horses:* Burdett Road, Sir Gino, Storm Heart, Bunting
*Ante-post favorite:* Burdett Road (4-1)

As 44 entries grace the Triumph Hurdle, the spotlight is on Burdett Road, headlining the contenders. Other notable entries like Sir Gino and Storm Heart promise a thrilling competition for this prestigious event.

These developments set the stage for an exhilarating Cheltenham Festival 2024, with top contenders strategically navigating multiple options, creating an air of anticipation among racing enthusiasts.

63 entries

43 Irish-trained

Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 5f

Wednesday 13^th March

Absurde (FR) 6 H. O. S. Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Antrim Coast (IRE) 6 Mr Basil Holian Gavin Cromwell Ireland

Asian Master (IRE) 7 Mrs M. Costello W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ballyburn (IRE) 6 R.A.Bartlett/David Manasseh W. P. Mullins Ireland

Beat The Bat (IRE) 6 Twelfth Man Partnership 6 Harry Fry

Bhaloo (IRE) 6 Dash Grange Stud Nicky Henderson

Billericay Dickie (IRE) 5 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Blizzard of Oz (IRE) 6 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Bowenspark (IRE) 6 Hemmings Racing Henry Daly

Brighterdaysahead (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Butcher Hollow (IRE) 5 Ciaran John Mooney/John Francis Ryan Thomas Cooper Ireland

Caldwell Potter (FR) 6 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland

Captain Cody (IRE) 6 V Caldwell/A Shamoon/Mrs A Shamoon Ibgi W. P. Mullins Ireland

Captain Teague (IRE) 6 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls

Champagne Admiral (IRE) 6 Clipper Logistics Group Ltd P. A. Fahy Ireland

Chapeau de Soleil (IRE) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Choccabloc 6 J & J Potter Ltd and Kelvin-Hughes Nicky Henderson

Classic King (IRE) 6 Will Davies, Tom Davies & Tessa Grundy Emma Lavelle

Croke Park (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

D B Cooper (IRE) 5 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland

Daddy Long Legs (FR) 5 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Dancing City (FR) 7 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Deafening Silence (IRE) 7 My Racing Manager Friends Dan Skelton

Diamond Ri (IRE) 5 The Wychwood Partnership Joe Tizzard

Dr Eggman (FR) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Esprit du Potier (FR) 5 The Four Lushes Lucinda Russell

Farnoge 6 JCG Chua & I Warwick Paul Nicholls

Farren Glory (IRE) 7 Mr Niall Michael Earls Gordon Elliott Ireland

Fascile Mode (IRE) 6 Mrs H. Mullins Thomas Mullins Ireland

Fasol 5 Mr P. J. Vogt and Mr Bryan Drew Paul Nicholls

Firefox (IRE) 6 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Gentle Slopes 7 Mr Anwar Badri Nicky Henderson

Gidleigh Park 6 The Eyre Family Harry Fry

Gold Dancer (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Handstands (IRE) 5 Mr T. P. Radford Ben Pauling

High Class Hero 7 Sullivan B’Stock Ltd/N Hughes/P Crowley W. P. Mullins Ireland

I Will Be Baie (FR) 6 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ile Atlantique (FR) 6 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland

Intense Approach 5 Ms Caroline Ahearn John McConnell Ireland

Irish Panther 7 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan E. J. O’Grady Ireland

Isaac des Obeaux (FR) 6 G Mason, Sir A Ferguson, C & G Barber Paul Nicholls

James’s Gate (IRE) 7 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Martin Brassil Ireland

Jango Baie (FR) 5 Countrywide Park Homes Ltd Nicky Henderson

Jigoro (FR) 5 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Jimmy du Seuil (FR) 5 Mr Edward J. Ware W. P. Mullins Ireland

Jingko Blue (FR) 5 Countrywide Park Homes Ltd Nicky Henderson

Jit Langy (FR) 5 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Johnnywho (IRE) 7 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo O’Neill

Josh The Boss 5 Mr J. D. Neild Nigel Twiston-Davies

Joyau de Thaix (FR) 5 Ecurie Madame Lynne Maclennan Paul Nolan Ireland

Lecky Watson (IRE) 6 Slaneyville Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lisnagar Fortune (IRE) 6 Denis Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lombron (FR) 5 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lookaway (IRE) 7 Peter Beadles Neil King

Lord of Thunder (IRE) 6 P & L Account Joe Tizzard

Lucky Place (FR) 5 Mrs G. Van Geest & Mr M. George Nicky Henderson

Mahon’s Way (IRE) 6 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Masaccio (IRE) 7 McNeill Family & Niall Farrell Alan King

Mercurey (FR) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Minella Rescue (IRE) 6 Mr Simon Boucher Gary Hanmer

Mirazur West (IRE) 6 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Mistergif (FR) 5 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Montecam (IRE) 5 Mr Kevin Doyle Nicky Henderson

Moon D’Orange (FR) 6 Ian Stuart Griffiths Fergal O’Brien

Mystical Power (IRE) 5 J. P. McManus/Mrs.J Magnier/Mrs S Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Nas Na Riogh (IRE) 6 Charlie Doocey/Mark Doocey/Cathal Doocey Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Navajo Indy 5 C & M Baker, K Ibberson, H Pearman Tom Symonds

No Flies On Him (IRE) 5 Mr John P. McManus E. J. O’Grady Ireland

No More Bolero 5 Simon Hunt and Bob Wilson David Bridgwater

O’Moore Park (IRE) 7 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Peaky Boy (IRE) 6 Mr O. S. Harris Nicky Henderson

Phantomofthepoints (IRE) 6 Mrs Jo Tracey,K Alexander, P&S Bryceland David Pipe

Predators Gold (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Quai de Bourbon (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Readin Tommy Wrong (IRE) 6 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Search For Glory (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Shoot The Blues 7 Mr Barry Connell Barry Connell Ireland

Slade Steel (IRE) 6 Robcour Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Spread Boss Ted 7 Mr R. S. Brookhouse W. P. Mullins Ireland

Staffordshire Knot (IRE) 6 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland

Stellar Story (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Stoke The Fire (IRE) 5 Middleham Park Racing Ireland W. P. Mullins Ireland

Tellherthename (IRE) 5 The Megsons Ben Pauling

The Grey Man 5 Mr Mark James Harriet Dickin

The Jukebox Man (IRE) 6 Mr Harry Redknapp Ben Pauling

What’s Up Darling (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

86 entries

54 Irish-trained

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 179y

Friday 15^th March

Anzadam (FR) 4 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Batman Girac (FR) 4 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Bottler’secret (IRE) 4 Mr Patrick Sheanon Gavin Cromwell Ireland

Bright Legend (IRE) 4 J.Carthy/Paul Byrne/Patrick John O’Brien Denis G. Hogan Ireland

Bunting (FR) 4 Tony Bloom W. P. Mullins Ireland

Burdett Road 4 The Gredley Family James Owen

Casheldale Lad (IRE) 4 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Cosmic Soul (IRE) 4 M Lee, D Lee & P Neville Patrick Neville

Dutch Gold (IRE) 4 Albert Dravins/Exors Of Eamonn Scanlon Noel Meade Ireland

Ethical Diamond (IRE) 4 H. O. S. Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Fratas (IRE) 4 Mr R. McMahon Michael Mulvany Ireland

Givemefive (IRE) 4 Smash Racing Harry Derham

Golden Maverick (FR) 4 RaceShare – Golden Maverick Jamie Snowden

Golden Move 4 Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons Paul Nicholls

Highwind (FR) 4 Mrs Audrey Turley W. P. Mullins Ireland

Intellotto (IRE) 4 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland

Ithaca’s Arrow 4 The Agincourt Partnership Dominic Ffrench Davis

Kala Conti (FR) 4 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland

Kalif du Berlais (FR) 4 Ferguson, Mason, Hales & Done Paul Nicholls

Karafon (FR) 4 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Kargese (FR) 4 Mr K. Alexander W. P. Mullins Ireland

Karia des Blaises (FR) 4 Owen Heffer & Barnane Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Katakana (FR) 4 Mr Duncan Angove Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Kimy (FR) 4 Mrs Rita Byrne Thomas Mullins Ireland

Lark In The Mornin (GER) 4 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland

Liari (FR) 4 Neil Smith & Alfie Smith Paul Nicholls

Maasai Mara 4 Mr K. W. Bell John O’Shea

Majborough (FR) 4 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland

Mighty Bandit (IRE) 4 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland

Milan Tino (IRE) 4 Mr John P. McManus N. George & A. Zetterholm France

Miss Manzor 4 Mr K. Alexander W. P. Mullins Ireland

Mr Le Philosophe 4 The Horse Watchers & Robin Oliver Rebecca Menzies

Nurburgring (IRE) 4 Bronsan Racing Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland

Open To Question (USA) 4 Mrs Patricia Hunt Noel Meade Ireland

Orchestra (FR) 4 Mr Lee Craze Fergal O’Brien

Peking Opera (IRE) 4 S. Packham, A. Austin and B. Austin Gary Moore

Roaring Legend (FR) 4 Mr Alan Peterson Olly Murphy

Salvator Mundi (FR) 4 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Salver (FR) 4 Mr Keith Graves Gary Moore

Sir Gino (FR) 4 Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson

Star Mood (IRE) 4 Alberta Capital Ltd T. Gibney Ireland

Storm Heart (FR) 4 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Szafran (FR) 4 Mr J. Grassick James Grassick France

Wodhooh (FR) 4 The Sundowners Partnership Gordon Elliott Ireland

44 Irish-trained

27 Irish-trained

2 French-trained

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 7f 213y

Friday 15^th March

Alcedo (IRE) 6 Mr P. Davies Venetia Williams

Answer To Kayf 8 Mr Denis A. O’Connor Terence O’Brien Ireland

Antrim Coast (IRE) 6 Mr Basil Holian Gavin Cromwell Ireland

Better Days Ahead (IRE) 6 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Bowenspark (IRE) 6 Hemmings Racing Henry Daly

Butcher Hollow (IRE) 5 Ciaran John Mooney/John Francis Ryan Thomas Cooper Ireland

Cadell (IRE) 6 Mr R. A. Bartlett Lucinda Russell

Captain Teague (IRE) 6 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls

Chapeau de Soleil (IRE) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Chigorin (IRE) 6 Mr P. Davies Henry de Bromhead Ireland

Chosen Templar (IRE) 6 Mr Mark E. Smith D. J. Jeffreys

Croke Park (IRE) 6 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

D B Cooper (IRE) 5 Caldwell Construction Ltd Gordon Elliott Ireland

Dancing City (FR) 7 Mrs J. Donnelly W. P. Mullins Ireland

Deafening Silence (IRE) 7 My Racing Manager Friends Dan Skelton

Dr Eggman (FR) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Dripsey Moon (IRE) 7 Mr J. Fyffe John McConnell Ireland

Esprit du Potier (FR) 5 The Four Lushes Lucinda Russell

Farnoge 6 JCG Chua & I Warwick Paul Nicholls

Fine Margin (IRE) 7 Mr P. Davies W. P. Mullins Ireland

Gidleigh Park 6 The Eyre Family Harry Fry

Great Pepper (FR) 6 Mills Racing Syndicate ONE James Moffatt

Haiti Couleurs (FR) 7 The Brizzle Boys Rebecca Curtis

High Class Hero 7 Sullivan B’Stock Ltd/N Hughes/P Crowley W. P. Mullins Ireland

I Will Be Baie (FR) 6 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ideal des Bordes (FR) 6 Mrs C. Hanbury & Mrs H. Mackenzie Smith Nicky Henderson

Inox Allen (FR) 6 Richard & Katherine Gilbert Lucinda Russell

Irish Panther 7 Sean & Bernardine Mulryan E. J. O’Grady Ireland

Jingko Blue (FR) 5 Countrywide Park Homes Ltd Nicky Henderson

Johnny Blue (IRE) 5 Mr John I Neocleous Nicky Henderson

Johnnywho (IRE) 7 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo O’Neill

Joyau de Thaix (FR) 5 Ecurie Madame Lynne Maclennan Paul Nolan Ireland

Kyntara 8 Lady Dulverton Mel Rowley

Largy Hill (IRE) 7 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lecky Watson (IRE) 6 Slaneyville Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lombron (FR) 5 Roaringwater Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lord of Thunder (IRE) 6 P & L Account Joe Tizzard

Loughglynn (IRE) 6 Jodmart Construction Ltd W. P. Mullins Ireland

Lucky Place (FR) 5 Mrs G. Van Geest & Mr M. George Nicky Henderson

Masaccio (IRE) 7 McNeill Family & Niall Farrell Alan King

Maxi Mac Gold (FR) 5 Mrs K.Browne & Mrs Anne Coffey Paul Nolan Ireland

Mercurey (FR) 6 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Meyo 6 Alberta Capital Ltd T. Gibney Ireland

Mint Boy (IRE) 6 Alymer Stud Ltd Gavin Cromwell Ireland

Mt Fugi Park (IRE) 6 Tanzanite Jonjo O’Neill

My Trump Card (IRE) 6 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

O’Moore Park (IRE) 7 Mrs S. Ricci W. P. Mullins Ireland

Peaky Boy (IRE) 6 Mr O. S. Harris Nicky Henderson

Predators Gold (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Quai de Bourbon (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland

Readin Tommy Wrong (IRE) 6 Mr Simon Munir/Mr Isaac Souede W. P. Mullins Ireland

Search For Glory (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Shanagh Bob (IRE) 6 Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson

Shannon Royale (IRE) 6 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland

Spread Boss Ted 7 Mr R. S. Brookhouse W. P. Mullins Ireland

Stellar Story (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

Stoke The Fire (IRE) 5 Middleham Park Racing Ireland W. P. Mullins Ireland

Ten Lengths Tom (IRE) 5 Mr Jerry Hinds & Mr Ashley Head Tom Lacey

The Jukebox Man (IRE) 6 Mr Harry Redknapp Ben Pauling

Transmission (IRE) 7 Mr Paul McKeon Neil Mulholland

Welcom To Cartries (FR) 6 Mrs Johnny de la Hey Paul Nicholls

Westerninthepark (IRE) 6 The Box 8 Partnership & Avon Racing Ltd Anthony Charlton

Will Do (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland

The post List of possible runners Cheltenham Festival 2024 Novice Hurdles Unveiled appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Four days of racing’s best squaring off in some of the most competitive races of the year. The unpredictability of the jump racing season is exemplified at Cheltenham, and with the coronavirus pandemic forcing last year’s Festival behind closed doors, this will be the first time spectators have been in attendance since 2020 — just a week before the country entered a national lockdown.

That aforementioned unpredictability means betting for Cheltenham 2022 is a particularly difficult task. It’s down to the work of the trainers to get their horses prepared for any occasion, and a good trainer can prove the difference between a place on the podium or not. Read on, as we go through some of the trainers to look out for this year at Cheltenham. 

Henry de Bromhead

What a four days it was for Henry de Bromhead this time last year. The Irishman would hardly have expected to enjoy the purple patch he did, with seemingly everything he touched turning to gold. Heading into the Festival, we were all aware of how strong the County Waterford stable was, possessing a plethora of previous Grade One winners, but few would have imagined how dominant De Bromhead would be — picking up an impressive treble of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup. His best hope of success this year comes in the Champion Hurdle, where the unbeaten Honeysuckle looks certain to retain the title, with Rachael Blackmore looking to win consecutive Leading Jockey awards.

Gordon Elliott

In complete juxtaposition to De Bromhead, last year at Cheltenham would have been strange for Gordon Elliott, who was serving a six-month ban after images were released of him sitting on a dead horse. The County Meath-based trainer will be eager to try and restore his reputation as one of the best in the business, and with 32 winners at Cheltenham, he’ll want to add to that as quickly as possible and make up for lost time. Elliott’s best race is the National Hunt Chase — one he’s been successful in four times — but with Conflated’s recent win in the Irish Gold Cup, and Tiger Roll potentially running for the last time in the Cross County Chase, Elliott certainly has the chance to write his name in the history books once again after a brief hiatus. 

Willie Mullins

The Irish have dominated proceedings at Cheltenham in recent years as far as big winners are concerned, and Willie Mullins is no exception. He heads to Prestbury Park as the most successful trainer in the Festival’s history, saddling 65 winners in a career spanning over 25 years. Indeed, 2020 was Mullins’ silver anniversary of racing and while he celebrated it by picking up a plethora of accolades including the Gold Cup with Al Boum Photo, it would be the last time he would get to enter the winner’s podium in front of spectators for the best part of 18 months. It’s impossible to overlook Mullins for more success this year as well, simply due to the sheer quality of his stable and the rich experience he boasts in the variety of Grade One races.

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The latest racing results will tell you that the Irish-trained horses are in fine fettle ahead of Cheltenham, including Galvin, A Plus Tard and Allaho. A look at the Cheltenham 2022 race cards will show that all three of those horses are among the leading contenders for the Gold Cup, which seems set to fall into Irish hands once more. The last year a trainer outside of the Emerald Isle won the Gold Cup was 2018 when Colin Tizzard and Native River won the crown, beating out the favourite Might Bite. Since then it has been held by Mullins and De Bromhead, who triumphed in the race for the first time when Minella Indo secured the title, while his stable-mate A Plus Tard finished second.

Irish dominance could be the theme of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. The Champion Hurdle appears to be a straight battle between De Bromhead’s Honeysuckle and Mullins’ Appreciate It. Nicky Henderson does have a strong record in the race, but his hopes will rest on Epatante who was blown away by Honeysuckle at the race last season. The French thoroughbred has been on point to secure two victories over the course of the campaign, but it will take a special effort to dislodge Honeysuckle from the top spot, while Appreciate It also boasts outstanding pedigree.

The Champion Chase is perhaps the best hope for Henderson and it is arguably the lock of the week for a non-Irish trainer. Shishkin has been truly dominant over the course of his career, winning his two previous races at Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Chase. He has won his last ten races on the bounce, including a victory over Mullins’ top chaser Energumene in their last outing at the Clarence House Chase. Energumene is a fine horse and could deliver a performance for the ages to knock off Shishkin, but Henderson and Nico de Boinville will be ready for the challenge. Energumene came very close to beating out his rival at Ascot, and a slight improvement could pave the way for an Irish clean sweep of the major prizes.

The Gold Cup seems destined to fall into Irish hands. Galvin enhanced his claim for Elliott by beating A Plus Tard in Leopardstown at the Savills Chase. A Plus Tard won the Lancashire Chase earlier in the campaign with a fine performance and finished second in the Gold Cup last year. Minella Indo’s history in the race will undoubtedly allow him to contend, while Al Boum Photo and Allaho will hold the key for Mullins and a potential third crown. The best hope for a non-Irish trainer is Protektorat out of Dan Skelton’s yard, who he has impressed over the course of the term.

Irish-based trainers seem destined for another major haul at Cheltenham and it will take something special to deny another sweep of the major crowns outside of Shishkin and the Champion Chase.

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The Most Successful Cheltenham Jockey of All Time is Irish: Ruby Walsh (59 Wins)

Ruby Walsh’s multiple records at the Cheltenham Festival are so good that they are borderline ridiculous in comparison to everyone else. For example, Walsh won the title of Top Jockey 11 times in a row at the Cheltenham Festival, while English jockey Peter Scudamore (3x winner) is the only other jockey ever to win 3 or more Top Jockey awards during the festival.

Other than that, Ruby Walsh is also the only Cheltenham Jockey to win 7 races in a single edition (2009). Later, Walsh proved the point that he is his own competition by winning Top Jockey at the Cheltenham once again with 7 wins in 2016. In fact, the authorities have actually renamed the Top Jockey award in his name, as it is now called the Ruby Walsh Trophy.

The Only Female Jockey to Ever Win Top Jockey at the Cheltenham Festival is Irish: Rachael Blackmore

Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore won the title of Top jockey in 2021 by winning 6 races at the Cheltenham Festival. She immediately became:

• The first female jockey in the history of Cheltenham Festival to win Top Jockey.
• The only jockey other than Ruby Walsh to ever win 6 races in one year.
• The first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle.

It should be noted that she went on to win the Grand National last year as well. She is a solid contender for winning this year as well, but fellow Irish jockey Paul Townsend is favourite for all bookmakers at the Cheltenham this year to win the highest number of races.

The Most Successful Cheltenham Trainer in the Last Decade is Irish: Willie Mullins

Between 2011 and 2021, Irish trainer Willie Mullins has managed to win the title of Lead Trainer at the Cheltenham Festival 8 out of 11 times. Mullins was given a break by British trainer Nicky Henderson in 2012, and Gordon Elliott dominated the Cheltenham races for two consecutive years in 2017 & 2018.

Since Gordon Elliott is Irish as well, it will be a complete decade of Irish domination at Cheltenham if Mullins or any other Irish trainer manages to take the lead in 2022 as well. Indeed, it is almost an assured fact, given that a majority of favourite racehorses at the Cheltenham Festival 2022 are Irish-trained.

Will the Irish Win this Year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup?

With a prize purse of £625,000 in 2022, the Cheltenham Gold Cup will kick off at 3:30 pm (GMT) on 18th March, Friday, and is it a big surprise that there is a high chance that the Irish might win this year as well? Don’t go with hearsay and past stats if you are staking your money on the race though. Go through these Gold Cup betting tips to know which horse is in what form, as well as some neat tricks to break even.

Nevertheless, the odds of the Irish jockeys, horses, and trainers winning this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup are pretty good. The most likely horses to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup are A Plus Tard (3/1), Galvin (7/2), and Minella Indo (5/1). Check the breakdown below to know why the Irish are likely to dominate this year as well.

• Minella Indo is an Irish racehorse, trained by Irish trainer Henry De Bromhead, who will be ridden by Irish jockey Jack Kennedy.
• A Plus Tard is a French racehorse, trained by Irish trainer Bromhead, ridden by Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore.
• Galvin is an Irish thoroughbred, trained by Irish trainer Elliott, ridden by Irish jockey Davy Russell.

The main reason why there is a strong presence of Irish trainers, jockeys, and racehorses throughout the National Hunt is that they have been part of the British jump racing sport for almost as long as the sport has been in existence. More importantly, though, there is a greater interest in flat races these days in England, while Ireland’s focus is still on jump races.

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A combination of late wintry conditions and broader global events have caused disruption to a greater or lesser degree in recent years, so there’s a sense of quiet optimism that we are due a classic festival without interruptions in 2022 – indeed, tickets for the Gold Cup sold out before the end of January! 

Four days and 28 races

The Festival gets underway at 1:30PM on Tuesday 15 March with the traditional opener, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race. It’s often chaotic due to the large number of runners and the “Cheltenham roar” from the spectators, which will probably hit record volume this year. That’s the first of 28 races, and the festival closes on Friday with the Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, which gets underway at 5:30PM.

Of course, the major focus will be on each day’s showcase race: The Champion Hurdle on Monday, The Queen Mother Chase on Tuesday, The Stayers Hurdle on Thursday and of course the Gold Cup on Friday. All the bookmakers are limbering up for the big event and OnTheBallBets have a list of betting offers that are well worth a look.  

Putting the controversy behind it

Back in 2020, the Cheltenham Festival was one of the last major sporting events to take place before the world shut down. It was a controversial decision at the time, and it was followed up last year by a highly muted festival with barely anyone in attendance.

This year, the track will be open at full capacity, with up to 65,000 spectators expected each day. As we mentioned, tickets for the Gold Cup have already sold out, and other tickets are selling fast. Precautions will be unobtrusively in place. Spectators will be asked to demonstrate they are fully vaccinated, exempt or have submitted a negative test in the last 48 hours. Masks will be available at the gate and recommended in enclosed or crowded areas, but will not be mandatory.  

Cheltenham traditions

The Cheltenham Roar will be a welcome sound this year. It’s not the only Cheltenham festival that was conspicuous by its absence in 2021. Tuesday will be Ladies Day and on Thursday, the St Patrick’s Day celebrations will quite possibly drown out the racing. After the past couple of years, we all deserve it.

The post Your Guide to the Cheltenham Festival 2022 appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Currently, all of the first six favourites bar one are Irish, with Nicky Henderson being the only trainer who poses the threat of a non-Irish win with Epatante. If you want to do your own research then tuning into the Cheltenham Preview Panel might be a good idea, but if not then don’t worry.  

We’ve done some digging through the form of the best Irish chances for the race, to see if there’s anyone in with a chance of defeating Honeysuckle. 

Honeysuckle 

We’re starting the rundown with the hotly tipped Honeysuckle and the favourite of the whole group to win the race. She shared that title with Sharjah until very recently, when it was announced that Sharjah would be scratched from the race, leaving Honeysuckle the obvious winner.

From fourteen starts over jumps she is unbeaten, a record that a tiny percentage of horses can boast. Not only that, but she won the Champion Hurdle in 2021, beating Sharjah by 6 and a half lengths. 

She won carrying 11-5 last time out and will be carrying less in the hurdle, so the bet here seems pretty safe. 

Of course, whether your money is on the heavily favoured Honeysuckle or the big shot My Mate Mozzie, you’ll want to find the best value possible. This list of free horse racing bets has been compiled, with star ratings showing which sites provide the best service. 

There are different types of free bets available, including no deposit bets that require no initial outlay and risk-free bets, where if your pick loses, your account gets credited with your initial stake. A free bet, sadly, won’t be able to speed your horse to the finish line, but it can boost your bottom line. 

Appreciate It 

Appreciate It is now the favourite of Willie Mullins’ horses to win the Champion Hurdle, following the news that he’s been scratched from the Arkle and will remain a hurdler. 

The big bay horse has won four races out of four over hurdles, including the SkyBet Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021. 

The Champion Hurdle is a natural progression from this race and the fact that Mullins has made the conscious choice to keep this horse hurdling shows that he recognises his talent in this area. The big danger for this horse is that he hasn’t run since Cheltenham last year, which is a long break. With that said, Mullins knows exactly how to get horses fit, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see this horse taking home the prize money.  

Zanahiyr 

In any other company, Zanahiyr would be incontestable. He’s delivered solid performances in all of his previous appearances over hurdles. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t any ordinary company – Zanahiyr has come up against Honeysuckle before and lost by 6 and a half lengths. Although he gave a strong performance for second place, the Champion is over the same distance and trainer Gordon Elliot has a good strike rate at the Leopardstown course. 

At just five years old, it could be that Zanahiyr still has a little to find and may improve when he makes his appearance at Cheltenham this time around. 

The weight won’t favour Zanahiyr for the Champion Hurdle, so it remains to be seen whether there’ll be a win for the Gordon Elliot Stable.  

Teahupoo 

Teahupoo is another horse in the Elliot stable and everyone there will be praying for soft ground. 

From his six starts, Teahupoo has won five and placed second in the other. In his only place, he was beaten by 3 lengths by Jeff Kidder, who would then go on to beat Zanahiyr during their next meeting, suggesting that he’s a worthy opponent. 

Teahupoo carries the same 164 pounds as his stablemate and is slightly more fancied in the betting. If Teahupoo gets on well with the extra weight then it’s likely he’ll be beating Zanahiyr to the finish line.

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There has also been a surge in private individuals buying hospitality packages, with some remaining on sale for the most prestigious raceday in the Jump racing calendar – taking place this year on Friday 18^th March.

Tickets for the other three days of The Festival are still available but also selling quickly, with the number of general admission tickets already sold for the four days up 37% compared to the same period in 2019.

There has also been unprecedented demand for tickets for Randox Grand National Day at Aintree, with only tickets for The Embankment – the area beyond the Melling Road – and hospitality packages now available for the world’s greatest steeplechase on Saturday 9^th April. General admission, including grandstand badges, and hospitality packages are also still available for the first two days of the Randox Grand National Festival (April 7^th and 8^th).

Overall general admission ticket sales for the three days of the Randox Grand National Festival are up 19% on those sold by the end of January in 2019, the last time the event was staged with a crowd.

The sales figures are a further boost to The Jockey Club, which has also announced that general admission ticket sales at its fixtures between August 1^st and December 31^st in 2021 increased by 7% when compared with like-for-like figures in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

The Cheltenham Festival took place behind closed doors last year due to COVID-19 protocols put in place at the time, while only slightly relaxed measures for the 2021 Randox Grand National Festival less than a month later resulted in a restricted number of racehorse owners being allowed to attend but racegoers missing out.

With the 2020 Randox Grand National Festival being cancelled completely due to the pandemic, this April will be the first time the three day Aintree spectacular has been staged in front of a crowd since 2019.

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club – the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing – said the latest ticket sales figures demonstrate both the sport’s popularity and the public’s eagerness to attend live events again.

He explained: “The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Randox Grand National are two of the biggest sporting events in the calendar, so we’re delighted that they will once again take place in front of proper crowds.

“As an organisation which reinvests all its profits back into the sport under our Royal Charter commitment, this news is not only a huge boost to The Jockey Club – it’s massive for horseracing as an industry.

“We know that the past two years have been a time of real uncertainty for everyone, so it’s fantastic to see people’s eagerness to get back to our racecourses and their confidence to book tickets for our events months in advance returning.

“We do still have tickets available for the first three days of the Cheltenham Festival and for all three days of the Randox Grand National Festival, but I can’t stress enough how popular they are proving.”

Due to the pandemic all sport in the UK was suspended from March 17^th 2020 but horseracing became one of the first to return behind closed doors two and a half months later, on June 1^st. It was not until December 2020 and after successful pilot events had taken place that spectators were allowed back on British racecourses and even then only in limited numbers.

However, a surge in COVID-19 cases quickly resulted in racing, like all other sports, being forced to go ahead behind closed doors and only in May 2021 were racegoers allowed to attend, again in restricted numbers.

These limits were only lifted completely on July 19^th last year and Truesdale added: “The British public have shown incredible patience and resilience over the past two years, especially while ever-changing restrictions have impacted our daily lives and determined what we can and can’t do.

“As restrictions have continued to ease and people look to spend their leisure time doing things they were prevented from doing during lockdown, we’ve seen a really positive increase in attendances on our racedays. This isn’t just at one or two of our bigger fixtures towards the end of 2021 but at so many of our racedays, with general admission ticket sales up 7% in the last five months of last year compared with the same period in 2019.

“As the second most attended sport in the UK we provide millions of people with fantastic, thrilling and unique days out and my own personal hope is that we can now encourage even more people to join us to see for themselves how much our sport has to offer.”

As well as the Cheltenham Festival in March and the Randox Grand National Festival in April, The Jockey Club is scheduled to stage more than 330 fixtures in 2022 at its 15 racecourses, including a three-day QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket between April 29^th and May 1^st and the Cazoo Derby Festival on June 3^rd and 4^th, which is part of Her Majesty The Queen’s official Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

In December last year it was announced that prize money at The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses is set to exceed £58 million for the first time ever in 2022, representing an increase of more than £12 million on forecast levels for 2021 and nearly £5 million more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

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Prior to the Festival last year, Blackmore was considered a strong contender, but few could have anticipated the success she would ultimately enjoy. You would have got long odds if you’d bet on horse racing exchange for Blackmore to win six races, but she stunned racing fans all over the world and became something of a sporting icon overnight. 

Now, all eyes are turning towards Blackmore once again as she seeks to produce yet more heroics at the Cheltenham Festival. The 2022 edition of the event is just a couple of months away, and racing fans all across the country are expecting big things of Blackmore, now that she has proved herself on the biggest stage and in the most prestigious races. 

Honeysuckle, last year’s winner of the Champion Hurdle, is heavily favoured to defend the title, and Blackmore will likely be the jockey in the saddle for that one. Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the mare is unbeaten in all her career outings thus far, and it’s hard to see that run of victories coming to an end, even if she will face stiff competition from the likes of Appreciate It, Sharjah and Epatante. 

Similarly, Allaho is well fancied to repeat his success in the Ryanair Chase. Blackmore produced a fine display to win the race last year, and the Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old looks in good nick following a win in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown back in December. The chasing pack for the 2022 Ryanair Chase, according to the betting market, includes Fakir D’Oudairies, Saint Calvados and Shan Blue.

Of course, the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup will be races that Blackmore will be desperate to add to her CV, having fallen short in both in 2021. She rode the 22/1 shot Notebook to a seventh-placed finish in last year’s Champion Chase, and then failed to get A Plus Tard over the line in first place in the Gold Cup, with stablemate Minella Indo nicking the big one. 

Captain Guinness could be Blackmore’s best bet for the 2022 Champion Chase, although the ante-post odds are listing him as a 20/1 shot, so the jockey will have to work to do to overcome some of the favourites in that race, which include Shishkin, Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi. 

As for the Gold Cup, Blackmore will view it as one that got away last year, despite her huge haul of wins in other races. A Plus Tard was seen as the most likely horse to topple two-time defending champion Al Boum Photo, but it was Minella Indo and jockey Jack Kennedy who stole the show. 

It will be interesting to see whether Blackmore rides A Plus Tard again in the Gold Cup or if she switches to Minella Indo. It’s one of the big decisions facing De Bromhead in the lead-up to the showpiece race, but whoever Blackmore takes the saddle of, you can bet she’ll be doing everything to land the victory. 

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We know all about the established stars that will hopefully be heading to Cheltenham once again, and some of the star performances from the up-and-coming horses have also been seen in Ireland, which further strengthens things. Of course, the countdown is important to see which horses are impressing, and following racing results today and in the future will be key for any punter that is trying to put together their own form book and work out who they think will come out on top at the festival.

The start to the new horse racing season has been strong for Ireland, and if that continues during the start of 2022, by the time we reach March and the festival, hopes will be high that more winners will come. Reaching the heights of last season may be a tough ask, but 20 winners is certainly a target to aim for that, which would work out at five winners per day on average across the meeting.

Who Will be the Stars for Ireland?

While the winners last season were spread across the major races at the meeting and the handicaps, it is of course the stars of Irish racing that everyone looks forward to seeing.

The two feature races of the meeting, the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup, take centre stage on the opening and final day of the festival, and both already have strong Irish challengers at the head of the betting.

Honeysuckle won the Champion Hurdle in great style last season, and she is on course to come back and defend her crown. If there is a new contender to trouble here, that could well be Appreciate It, who will stay hurdling this season, and recorded a wide-margin victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season.

Appreciate It streaks away to win the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race and in some style #ITVRacing #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/0uzKLgvLtX

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 16, 2021

In the main contest of the week, the Gold Cup, all eyes will be on the rematch between 2021 winner Minella Indo and the runner-up that day, A Plus Tard. The second named has already been out and impressed this season, winning at Haydock on seasonal reappearance in good style.

Not only did Ireland have the first two home in the Gold Cup last season, but they also had the third, with previous two-time winner Al Boum Photo running well for Willie Mullins. Given the strength in depth that Ireland have in this division, even if one of their horses either cannot make the race or disappoints on the day, many alternatives could take the crown.

Elsewhere, previous big race winners such as Allaho, Bob Olinger, Flooring Porter will all be going back to Cheltenham with expectations on their shoulders and could play their part in another successful festival for Ireland.

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