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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin, with Greg Wood at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Festival 2024: State Man triumphs in Champion Hurdle – as it happened

State Man Champion Hurdle Cheltenham Festival
Paul Townend celebrates victory on State Man in the Champion Hurdle.
Paul Townend celebrates victory on State Man in the Champion Hurdle. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

There will be more to come later this evening but here’s the report so far.

And the betting guide for Wednesday.

And here’s what to look forward to tomorrow.

  • 1.30 - Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle, 2m 5f

  • 2.10 - Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, 3m 1/2f

  • 2.50 - Coral Cup Hurdle (Handicap Hurdle Race), 2m 5f

  • 3.30 - Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, 2m

  • 4.10 - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, 3m 5 1/2f

  • 4.50 - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase, 2m

  • 5.30 - Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Standard Open NH Flat Race), 2m 1/2f

A good day for those called Mullins. And Townend. Not so good for Nicky Henderson, who at least showed off how much of a gent he is in speaking. A couple of his were pulled up in Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender Jeriko Du Reponet and Champion Hurdle hope Iberico Lord.

“I’m thrilled for State Man and Willieand Joe and Marie (Donnelly, owners), I’ve got three runners for them (Donnellys) on Friday and they’re the best.

“We’ve had plenty of banter throughout the winter of how State Man and Constitution Hill are going to have a good battle and it wasn’t to be, which is a shame. There’s no point in speculating where Constitution Hill would have finished in front of Luccia, I think you can probably guess where he’s going to finish, but that’s for another day.

“Constitution Hill was ridden out with the others this morning, which was nice to see. His bloods are better, but we’ve got a long way to go. He’s not 100 per cent, but it’s a long way going down the road of improving dramatically.”

“Some of these horses probably aren’t running how they ought to, in which case he (Constitution Hill) is probably safer where he is. Everything you do at home tells you they’re all perfectly right, otherwise to be honest with you they wouldn’t be here.

“We’ll just have to play it quietly and take them as individuals. (The tests) say they’re all OK, but this ground has gone against quite a few of them, so we’ll have to regroup. I can think of two or three that won’t want to be running on that ground, but I need to talk to the owners first.”

Updated

Emmet Mullins, winning trainer, speaking to Racing TV: “Very happy. He’s a class animal and it was great to see him show his true colours. We’ve just got everything together at the right time.”

Cheltenham 5.30 result

  • 1 Corbetts Cross (Mr Derek O’Connor) 15-8

  • 2 Embassy Gardens (Mr P W Mullins) 7-4 Fav

  • 3 Mr Vango (Miss Gina Andrews) 14-1
    7 ran
    Also: 20-1 Kilbeg King 4th

Corbetts Cross wins the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Cup!

Big win for Emmet Mullins, not Willie Mullins.

Apple Away nods on landing as they head off away for the last lap of the course. Mr Vango goes into a big lead but Apple Aways stays in touch. Corbetts Cross moving up as all of them increase their interest. Looks like it will be a holdup finish. Henry’s Friend is pulled up, with three to go. Mr Vango and Apple Away. Salvador Ziggy is at the back, and way off. Corbetts Cross and Apple Away go after Mr Van Go. Corbetts Cross goes to the last, and wins by a mile. Empire Gardens is way behind. Derek O’Connor, the master amateur, takes it, and that’s a win for JP McManus in the Mullins race.

Updated

Key event

5.30 Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup

Here we go in what we used to know as the National Hunt chase, no longer over four miles but not far off at three miles and six furlongs. Mr Vango is an early leader, with no sort of pace as they still have two more circuits to do. They go past some emptying stands. Apple Away, the mare, is competing up there, too. Salvador Ziggy and Corbetts Cross are ahead of Empire Gardens at the back. It’s an idling pace as they enter the home straight with a full circuit to go.

Another fatality: Ose Partir, involved in that pileup at the back of the field in the Boodles, has been lost to Sean & Bernardine Mulryan, his owners, who actually won the same race with Lark In The Mornin. They have the favourite, Embassy Gardens, in this last race. Again, the cruelty of National Hunt racing comes in such contrast with the joy and fun it brings, too.

Updated

It looks chilly and wet at HQ, but there’s no way that’s going to stop punters heading to Prestbury Park. Tomorrow, it’s Style Wednesday, rather than Ladies’ Day.

On this Style Wednesday, vintage clothes are encouraged and “slow fashion style awards” are awarded to the best dressed.

Robinson is not impressed. “For me, it’s still Ladies’ Day. We are trying to get our ladies to look as good as they can. I don’t think that’s the right day for secondhand fashion. We want everyone in their finery, not in secondhand clothes.”

The former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries was livid, describing it as “some sort of woke nod”.

5.30 Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup odds

  • Embassy Gardens 7/4

  • Corbetts Cross 13/5

  • Apple Away 6/1

  • Mr Vango 10/1

  • Salvador Ziggy 12/1

  • Kilbeg King 18/1

  • Henrys Friend 22/1

  • Odds via Oddschecker

5.30 MAUREEN MULLINS NATIONAL HUNT CHASE CHALLENGE CUP

Whatever else may have unfolded earlier in the day, Willie Mullins will obviously be very keen to see Embassy Gardens acquit himself well in a race named after the trainer’s late mother, who was a mainstay of both the Mullins family and their training operation for many decades before her death last month at the age of 94. He has shortened up in the betting this morning, moving to the head of the market at around 15-8 perhaps as a result of the rain, which will play to his strengths. The previous favourite, Corbetts Cross, still has a very obvious chance, however, and is just 5-2 to make up for a very unfortunate exit when still travelling well in a race at Fairyhouse last month. The mare Apple Away, who has run well in Grade Two company on her last two starts and seems sure to appreciate this step up in trip, is a contender too for the Lucinda Russell stable – one of very few British yards to have enjoyed much success at this meeting in recent season – while Salvador Ziggy, the runner-up in the Kerry National off a mark of 150 back in September, is a slightly under-the-rader alternative, having been given time to recover from a trip to the US for a valuable hurdle event at Far Hills in New Jersey.

SELECTION: SALVADOR ZIGGY.

Joseph O’Brien, trainer of Lark In The Mornin, speaking to Racing TV: “To have a winner here this week is very special. We had a conversation last night whether to run or not, luckily we decided to.”

JJ Slevin gave that a cracking ride for his cousin. That was a plot landed, off a rather healthy mark.

Cheltenham 4.50 result

  • 1 Lark In The Mornin (J J Slevin) 9-1

  • 2 Eagles Reign (T P Harney) 80-1

  • 3 Ndaawi (J W Kennedy) 12-1

  • 4 Harsh (C Stone-Walsh) 40-1
    22 ran
    Also: 10-3 Fav Milan Tino

Updated

Lark In The Mornin wins the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle!

The Fred Winter in old money, this one. And they go at a lick from the start to the hurdle. Mordor is at the back of the field. Latin Verse is up at the front. Liari, a fancied horse, is in there, too. Milan Tino, backed off the boards, is slow to show but is well in touch. There’s a very heavy fall at the back, including Mordor, one of three to go. Bright Legend has a lead. Roaring Legend is struggling at the back. At the third last, there’s plenty of chances. Ndaawi. Lark In The Morning in there. Latin Verse is passed by Lark In The Morning. He clears the last, and takes it under JJ Slevin, it’s a Joseph O’Brien winner. Eagles Rain is in second.

Updated

On Lossiemouth, Willie Mullins wants to take Lossiemouth to the Champion Hurdle next year: “She was great - she’s a Champion Hurdle mare, we all think. Once again, Paul was very cool on her and she can improve another year on, when she’s a bit older. Running like that, in that ground, she’s got everything. We made the right decision (not to go for the Champion Hurdle this year). She didn’t get a grueller like if she’d been in the Champion Hurdle, she’s only five and getting a grueller in the Champion Hurdle is not what you want.”

4.50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle odds

  • Milan Tino 4/1

  • Liari 15/2

  • Lark In The Mornin 10/1

  • Batman Girac 12/1

  • Eagle Fang 12/1

  • Latin Verse 14/1

  • Ndaawi 16/1

  • Ose Partir 16/1

  • Bright Legend 16/1

  • Nara 16/1

  • BAR 18/1 - 24 runners

  • Odds from Oddschecker

CHELTENHAM 4.50 BOODLES JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

The first of the Festival hurdle handicaps, and as fiendish as they come, with 22 runners due to go to post and a pell-mell dash around Cheltenham in prospect. Frankly, you don’t need me to tell you that it’s a horribly tricky puzzle to unravel, and all the more so as four-year-olds can improve markedly from one race to the next, not least when they are being prepared with a tilt at this one in mind. Winners since 2017 have included an 80-1 chance, two more at 33-1 and another at 18-1 and it needs to be approached on the basis of almost certain disappointment, but that has not stopped punters latching on to Milan Tino, in the famous JP McManus colours and hailing from Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm’s yard in France. He has failed to notch a win in four attempts but ran well to finish third behind Sir Gino, the favourite for Friday’s Triumph Hurdle, on the New course here last time. A very long list of alternatives includes another maiden over hurdles in Joseph O’Brien’s Lark In The Mornin,and Gordon Elliott’s Ndaawi, a winner at Naas last time, while the Willie Mullins yard fields Batman Girac, fourth in a Grade Two last time. Other interesting types include William Durkan’s Eagle Fang – punters may recall Screaming Colours winning last year’s Midlands National for his small Irish stable – but this is going to be my attempt to put it out of the park, or into the first row of seats at least, on day one, via Syd Hosie’s Latin Verse. He has actually shortened significantly in the market since being priced up at 28-1 a couple of weeks ago, but still looks fair value at around 14-1 to back up an impressive success in a strongly-run race on his handicap debut at Ludlow in February.

SELECTION: LATIN VERSE

Updated

Cheltenham 4.10 result

  • 1 Lossiemouth (P Townend) 8-13 Fav

  • 2 Telmesomethinggirl (Rachael Blackmore) 22-1

  • 3 Hispanic Moon (D J O’Keeffe) 40-1
    11 ran
    Also: 18-1 Lantry Lady 4th

Updated

Paul Townend speaks to ITV again: “She was very good, there was a question mark over her stamina. I had to settle her. But she was settled enough. It’s easy to ride when you’re on a good one. I know how privileged I am.”

Lossiemouth wins the 4.10 Mares’ Hurdle!

The 97th win for Mullins at Cheltenham

This one is a calm start, and they go away easily enough over two and half miles. You Wear It Well goes off in the lead, and there’s not much movement as they speed past the stands. Theatre Glory is in there. Lossiemouth is sat deep as they turn into the country. Ashroe Diamond leads but there is no sort of pace. Telmesomethinggirl is up with the leaders. Love Envoi makes a move at five out. Lossiemouth moves to the outside as they climb to the top of the hill. Telmesomethinggirl is in second. Lossiemouth is still in the pack as they head to the second last. She’s getting closer. Telmesomethinggirl leads, and Lossiemouth chases them to the last and goes over. She wins by a mile. Townend, Mullins, the Mares’, the usual deal.

Updated

Rich Ricci has given his views on Lossiemouth: ““This is the one we thought our best chance of the week so hopefully she does it. The camp is very confident. Let us see how she goes.”

Market Movers from Oddspedia

  • Gala Marceau – 25/1 to 10/1

  • Love Envoi – 12/1 to 11/1

CHELTENHAM 4.10 MARES’ HURDLE PREVIEW

Another odds-on favourite from the Willie Mullins stable here in Lossiemouth, last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner, though the exact price she sets off at probably depends on how her yard fares earlier on the card. In the (unlikely but not *that* unlikely) event that she is bidding to complete a five-timer for her trainer, the only hope for the bookmaking fraternity is that her stamina will not hold out on the rain-softened ground, as this will be her first start beyond 17 furlongs, but there is little sign of significant concern from the Mullins camp and even if she falters on the hill, her stable companion Ashroe Diamond is the runner most likely to chase her down.

SELECTION: LOSSIEMOUTH

4.10 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle odds

  • Lossiemouth 4/5

  • Ashroe Diamond 17/2

  • Love Envoi 10/1

  • Gala Marceau 11/1

  • Lantry Lady 16/1

  • Maries Rock 16/1

  • Echoes In Rain 18/1

  • Telmesomethinggirl 22/1

  • You Wear It Well 25/1

  • Hispanic Moon 40/1

  • Theatre Glory 100/1

  • Odds from Oddschecker

Another celebration from the mullet and Ray-ban stylist that is Rich Ricci with Gaelic Warrior. We’re bound to hear from him soon enough if Lossiemouth comes in on the Mares’ Hurdle.

Updated

How’s your luck today? There’s always tomorrow, with Greg Wood’s betting guide.

Cheltenham 3.30 result

  • 1 State Man (P Townend) 2-5 Fav

  • 2 Irish Point (J W Kennedy) 9-2

  • 3 Luccia (James Bowen) 33-1
    8 ran
    Also: 22-1 Zarak The Brave 4th

Willie Mullins on Constitution Hill and his new Champion Hurdler: “To win a Champion Hurdler, you gotta turn up. And we turned up.”

Also to ITV Sport from the now 96-timer at the festival: “Paul rode him so well - I didn’t dream he would be fifth or sixth jumping the fourth-last but he rode him with supreme confidence. He probably thought the ground would take it out of the horses in front of him. When you’re riding with confidence, you can do that.”

Updated

No Constitution Hill, no problem for Paul Townend, who takes his first Champion Hurdle, Willie Mullins’ fifth: “He’s a very simple horse to ride. He deserves his day in the sun. It was the one I was missing here. Back in my younger days I had an association with Hurricane Fly so it’s nice.”

Updated

State Man wins the Champion Hurdle!

Over the hill they go, Iberico Lord dropping to the back of a tight pack. State Man sad idly with Luccia, and they begin to head downhill. Nemaean Lion leads them over the third last. Not So Sleepy is heading backwards. State Man is sat and poised as is Irish Point. State Man goes for it with Irish Point, and they go over the last. There is no answer to Mullins, Townend and State Man, and this time he takes it.

Updated

3.30 Champion Hurdle

More nerves as they edge to the finish. All eyes on State Man, Not So Sleepy living up to his name. They take a turn and trot to the finish. They go off with State Man at the lead, ridden along. The pace is high despite the ground. Zarak The Brave – purported pacemaker – is sat at the back. Nemean Lion is among a pair of leaders with Not So Sleepy. Irish Point lurks with intent. Not a great deal of movement as the decision-making begins for the final few furlongs.

3.30 Champion Hurdle odds

  • State Man 2/5

  • Irish Point 5/1

  • Iberico Lord 12/1

  • Nemean Lion 14/1

  • Zarak The Brave 28/1

  • Luccia 40/1

  • Not So Sleepy 40/1

  • Colonel Mustard 60/1

  • Odds via Oddschecker

Market Movers via Oddspedia

  • State Man - 1/3 to 4/11

  • Nemean Lion – 25/1 to 11/1

Updated

Bad, desperate news on Highland Hunter, who suffered a fatality for the Fergal O’Brien team in the Ultima. There’s no other way to look on such events as the dark side of a sport that otherwise brings so much joy, and fun, especially from the O’Brien stable, one of the most relatable and fun around.

Updated

CHELTENHAM 3.30 CHAMPION HURDLE PREVIEW

Without last year’s winner, Constitution Hill, in the field to defend his crown, this year’s renewal of the timber championship was always likely to feel a bit like turning up for a West End show to find that the headline star has a sore throat and their understudy is filling in. State Man, though, has a level of form that would make him a very worthy favourite in most years, and his only defeat over hurdles when completing came at the hands – or hooves – of Constitution Hill in this race last season. Testing ground could complicate things somewhat for the favourite, though, and while he has a few pounds in hand of the field on Timeform ratings, there are some stout stayers in opposition who will surely set out to make this a real test. Irish Point is foremost among them, having been rerouted to this race from the Stayers’ Hurdle on Thursday, when he would have been one of the market leaders, while Iberico Lord, who was supplemented by Nicky Henderson, Constitution Hill’s trainer, when his stable star was ruled out, could also attract some support. He won the ultra-competitive Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last time out and is very much in the early stages of his hurdling career with just nine runs in the book, but is making his Grade One debut here and does have plenty to find with both State Man and Irish Point on ratings.

SELECTION: IRISH POINT

Updated

Veteran trainer Kim Bailey wins this race for the first time in 25 years. He lost Trelawne at the start but is happy to report his other horse is “sound”. “David’s ridden a fantastic race. It’s huge for the yard. We believe in the horse.”

The owner of Chianti Classico was Sir Francis Brooke, who also happens to be chairman of Ascot Racecouse.

Highland Hunter, who was to the fore, went down on the chase to the finish under Paddy Brennan. Let’s hope for good news. Trelawne got back up.

Cheltenham 2.50 result

  • 1 Chianti Classico (David Bass) 6-1

  • 2 Twig (Beau Morgan) 28-1

  • 3 Meetingofthewaters (M P Walsh) 6-1

  • 4 Famous Bridge (Sean Quinlan) 25-1
    21 ran
    Also: 9-2 Fav The Goffer

David Bass, the winning jockey: “The rain come this morning and I thought I was on the wrong one. What a lovely horse. There’s a big race in Liverpool I’d like to ride in next year. The ground is bad but he’s done it well. He’s got a touch of class.”

Updated

Chianti Classico wins the Ultima Handicap Chase!

Monbeg Genius still not recovered as they round the stands. Eldorado Allen is looking way off, as Bustleton is pulled up. The Goffer sat back in 13th. Highland Hunter leads five out. Victorrino is pulled up. Chianti Classico looking strong as he chases down Highland Hunter. He goes into the lead from Twig. He’s over the second last in a clear lead. It’s a great ride for the Kim Bailey horse. There’s one for the Brits. Twig chased him down and it looked as if he Chianti Classico might get caught after he knuckled down at the last. What a win!

Updated

2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase

It’s a big field – 22 runners – that takes to the course. Again, edgy at the start. They’re being asked to calm down. They go off first time. Trelawne goes at the first. And that looks nasty. It may mean the race is redirected. Monbeg Genius is among those making mistakes. Eklat de Rire is leading under Rachael Blackmore. The Goffer makes a mistake. Trelawne is up, good news, so they will be able to jump the last. Highland Hunter is to the fore with 11 to jump. Victorrino, the Venetia horse, is some way back as they go past the stands.

There’s been a going change.

2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase odds

  • The Goffer 11/2

  • Trelawne 6/1

  • Chianti Classico 15/2

  • Meetingofthewaters 9/1

  • Stumptown 11/1

  • Weveallbeencaught 11/1

  • Victtorino 16/1

  • Monbeg Genius 16/1

  • Eklat De Rire 18/1

  • Famous Bridge 20/1

  • BAR 25/1 - 22 runners from Oddschecker

Market movers from Oddspedia

  • Trelawne – 7/1 to 11/2

  • The Goffer – 5/1 to 9/2

Updated

CHELTENHAM 2.50 ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE

For the first time this week, let’s sound the Stat Klaxon for one of the more unlikely Festival Facts. Willie Mullins has won 95 races at this meeting, more than any other trainer in history, and that total also includes 11 handicaps. But not one of those victories was a handicap chase, leaving a weird gap on his Cheltenham Festival cv which Meetingofthewaters will attempt to close here. The seven-year-old was installed as favourite when the weights were published a fortnight ago, but is quite easy to back today, having drifted out to 7-1 in the face of money for Gordon Elliott’s The Goffer, who finished fourth in one of the strongest ever renewals of this handicap 12 months ago and is 2lb lower in the ratings this time around. Just ahead of him in third last year was Monbeg Genius, in the colours of Doug Barrowman and Baroness Michelle Mone, who was not included in the freezing order applied to £75m of his owners’ assets back in December and is therefore free to take a tilt at the £70k first prize today. Stumptown, a winner at the New Year’s Day meeting here, is another interesting runner, but this is a race that has proved highly resistant to Irish stables, even as they have steadily swamped their British counterparts in recent years. With that in mind, I’m quite keen on the chances of Kim Bailey’s two runners, Chianti Classico and Trelawne, and while David Bass, the stable’s main jockey, is aboard the former, it’s hard to argue with Harry Cobden as a deputy aboard the latter, whose progressive profile and prominent running style look well suited to this test.

SELECTION: TRELAWNE

Some controversy over Quilixios and Rachael Blackmore, who clearly thought that was a false start. It wasn’t, and Matata, who ran a cracker for Sam Twiston-Davies, and Gaelic Warrior were long gone by the time she got her mount underway.

Cheltenham 2.10 result

  • 1 Gaelic Warrior (P Townend) 2-1 Fav

  • 2 Found A Fifty (J W Kennedy) 13-2

  • 3 Il Etait Temps (D E Mullins) 7-2
    10 ran
    Also: 22-1 Matata 4th

A masterclass from Townend, who kept the horse out of trouble and then gunned the engine that Gaelic Warrior possesses. “He was keen but better, it’s as good a ride as I have got off him. Stamina came into play and we know he stays. Just point him the right way. It’s a pressure week, the monkey’s off the back.”

Gaelic Warrior wins the 2.10 Arkle Chase.

That’s the one they wanted. Mullins and Townend on the mark.

All the jockeys watching Gaelic Warrior as he is known to jump right. Chaos. It’s edgy out there, and they go, with Quilixios six lengths behind. Authorised Speed goes at the second, a faller the outsider. Matata leads them past the stands, and Gaelic Warrior sits in second. He’s jumped fine so far and looks settled. All is forgiven? He looks to want to go well clear. Il’ Etait Temps makes a mistake at the open ditch as Mutata and Gaelic Warrior lead. Il Etait Temps makes another mistake. Mutata making a brave move. Quilixios is way off and being pushed along with three to go. Found A Fifty is in the lead now, and Gaelic Warrior has work to do. But he gets to the last, and he jumps clear for his first Cheltenham win at the third attempt.

Updated

Bad news for Gaelic Warrior backers is the horse getting warm in the paddock. He didn’t like the hood, and suddenly the odds are lengthening. Paul Townend looks a bit worried as they mill around at the start.

Henry de Bromhead, winning trainer of the Supreme with Slade Star, spoke to the BBC: “It’s amazing. It is the first time we have won this race. Rachael gave him a super ride and I am delighted. I thought he would be better on nicer ground but he has always been a pacey horse. It is great to get one on the board as he is one of our big hopes this week.”

That Blackmore win raised money for a special cause, donated by Betfair for every one of her wins. She’s got a live on in the next with Quilixios.

2.10 Arkle Chase odds

  • Gaelic Warrior 5/2

  • Il Etait Temps 4/1

  • Hunters Yarn 15/2

  • Quilixios 8/1

  • Found A Fifty 8/1

  • JPR One 14/1

  • My Mate Mozzie 16/1

  • Master Chewy 16/1

  • Matata 25/1

  • Authorised Speed 100/1

  • Odds via Oddspedia

Market mover

Updated

CHELTENHAM 2.10 ARKLE CHASE PREVIEW

Another sizable posse from the Mullins stable here, including a warm 2-1 favourite in Gaelic Warrior who leaves me very cold. He has a decent record at this meeting, having finished second in both the Boodles in 2022 and the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle last year, but his latest run behind his very useful stable companion Fact To File – he was miles adrift when unseating at the last – is hardly what you’d want to see in a Festival favourite. He is not quite top of the Timeform ratings, either – he is 1lb behind another Mullins runner, Hunters Yarn, while Il Etait Temps, the winner of the Irish equivalent of this race at Leopardstown in February, also arrives with better recent form. Quilixios, the Triumph Hurdle winner four years ago, is another with definite claims having looked to be reaching something close to his hurdles form over the biggest obstacles when successful at Naas in January, while Found A Fifty, who was only run out of it late by Il Etait Temps at Leopardstown, also deserves close consideration. The British challenge, meanwhile, is led by Joe Tizzard’s JPR One, who was only one unfortunate slip away from an impressive course-and-distance win in November, although he did finish only third when upped to Grade One company for the first time in December. My money, for what it’s worth, will be riding with Hunters Yarn, who bounced back from a fall on his chasing debut in December to record a highly impressive success at Fairyhouse in January, form that gives him a real chance to outrun his price of around 7-1 if he can overcome his relative inexperience.

SELECTION: HUNTERS YARN.

What does that all mean? The Mullins quadpot is already sunk and those wondering about Seven Barrows form may be concerned about what happened to Jeriko Du Reponet. De Bromhead and Blackmore – a golden couple at Cheltenham.

Cheltenham 1.30 result

  • 1 Slade Steel (Rachael Blackmore) 7-2

  • 2 Mystical Power (M P Walsh) 10-3

  • 3 Firefox (J W Kennedy) 11-2
    11 ran
    Also: 11-4 Fav Tullyhill, 16-1 Asian Master 4th

Rachael Blackmore speaks: “I didn’t want to be in front jumping the last but he took me there and battled hard. I love this place, it’s amazing to be coming here and riding these kinds of horses.”

It was won at the last, and Slade Steel was asked for a big one. Mystical Power lost his speed as they climbed to the finish, having jumped in front.

Updated

Slade Steel wins the Supreme!

It’s Rachael and Henry de Bromhead again!

The horses shunt around as they look for the best start possible. Will there be a false start? The Cheltenham roar goes up, but then halts. The track looks like a paddy field, it’s extremely moist. It’s an edgy start, and a false start. Back we go. The roar goes up on the second attempt. We are racing. Tullyhill takes an early lead. Jeriko Du Reponet tracks the leaders as they go past the main stands. Slade Steel, backed in, is up there too. Supersundae is the back marker. It’s not a rapid pace. Tullyhill continues to be up there, Tellherthename is up in the vanguard too, as they swing down to the business end. It’s a bunched field at the third last. Slade Steel in there. Tullyhill leads over the second last, and to the last. Slade Steel takes on Tullyhill and jumps the last, and Mystical Power looks to have it, only for Slade Steel to stay up, and win. Rachael Blackmore has done it again! Beating the Annie Power horse!

Updated

1.30 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

  • Tullyhill 3/1

  • Mystical Power 7/2

  • Slade Steel 9/2

  • Firefox 15/2

  • Jeriko Du Reponet 10/1

  • Mistergif 14/1

  • Asian Master 20/1

  • Tellherthename 25/1

  • Favour And Fortune 33/1

  • Supersundae 100/1

  • Kings Hill 200/1

  • Odds via Oddspedia

Market movers:

  • Tullyhill – from 11/4 to 5/2

  • Slade Stell – from 5/1 to 7/2

Updated

It’s all about Willie Mullins this week, though this is the first year he won’t have his mother, Maureen, around.

Today’s last race, the novice chase for amateur jockeys, has been renamed in her honour.

Everyone in our organisation has that ambition to be at the top,” he says. “If some area is not going well it’s hopped on immediately and put right. We’re always looking for new ways and we tinker and change and hold our breath. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It runs right through the yard, to the grooms and riders, and I love them buying into it.

Preview: CHELTENHAM 1.30 SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE

A race that could well set the tone for the afternoon, as Willie Mullins sends out the first of an army of favourites this week in Tullyhill, with backup from the unbeaten Mystical Power, who is one the most impressively-bred horses ever to set foot on Prestbury Park. His sire was the late Galileo, who is generally agreed to have been the greatest Flat stallion of the last 50 years at least, while his dam, Annie Power, won the Champion Hurdle. Mystical Power is unbeaten in three starts, while Tullyhill has won twice since finishing second on his first start over timber, and either could end up going off as favourite (Tullyhill is currently shading it at 3-1, with Mystical Power at 7-2). They are, to some extent, the B team, however, as Mullins’s Ballyburn would have been a red-hot favourite for this had he not been re-routed to the opening race tomorrow, over an extra half-mile, and as it happens, Slade Steel, who was seven lengths behind Ballyburn in a Grade One at Leopardstown last month. That form puts Henry de Bromhead’s runner very close to the market leaders – he is 1lb clear at the top of Timeform’s ratings, in fact – and I reckon he could get Rachael Blackmore off to a perfect start at the meeting. Gordon Elliott’s Firefox, who actually beat Ballyburn in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in December, is the other leading member of an extremely strong Irish team, while anyone looking for a British-trained winner will probably start with Nicky Henderson’s Jeriko Du Reponet, who is unbeaten in three including a Grade Two at Doncaster last time. He has yet to post anything close to the level of form that the market leaders can boast, however, and there are also those nagging concerns about the overall wellbeing of the Henderson string – four of his last 10 runners have been pulled up.

SELECTION: SLADE STEEL.

Updated

Here’s today’s schedule of races.

  • 13:30 - Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, 2m 1/2f

  • 14:10 - My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, 2m

  • 14:50 - Ultima Handicap Chase, 3m 1f

  • 15:30 - Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy, 2m 1/2f

  • 16:10 - Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, 2m 4f

  • 16:50 - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, 2m 1/2f

  • 17:30 - Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase (Novices’ Chase, amateur jockeys), 3m 6f

A reminder of the first day last year, maybe some pointers to this year in there.

  • Marine Nationale, Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

  • El Fabiolo, Sporting Life Arkle

  • Corach Rambler, Ultima Handicap Chase

  • Constitution Hill, Unibet Champion Hurdle

  • Honeysuckle, Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

  • Jazzy Matty, Boodles Juvenile Hurdle

  • Gaillard Du Mesnil, Wellchild National Hunt Chase

Breakfast is probably a no-go. For lunch, I try to have a sandwich then have something like a pasta-based dinner, nothing too heavy. I try to drink plenty of water and avoid sugary drinks. Chocolate and fizzy drinks are my guilty pleasures. It’s difficult not to, but I try not to snack as it doesn’t suit me at all.

Sadly, the weather may not have helped the chances of a late show-up at the festival. Today, at least. The first year back after Covid was bedlam, the second far emptier. Usually go Champion Chase day, this year going to the Gold Cup, but you have to wonder whether Cheltenham’s dominance of the rest of the UK scene – Ireland has its Dublin Festival and also Punchestown – has eventually hurt the blue-riband event itself.

Of course, the post-Covid years have not been easy on the pocket, either, where in March 2022 there was a lot of saved-up cash and pent-up frustration to exert. There may, though as favs are usually beloved at Prestbury Park, be something of a Max Verstappen/Manchester City effect going on with the Mullins team.

More on that heavy ground. Bottomless?

John Brewin here, rather glad I am not at HQ today. The weather looks, well, unpromising. And could have a big say in what happens today.

Here’s Greg’s betting guide for the first day.

Preamble

Good morning from Cheltenham, where a damp and soggy start to the opening day of the Festival meeting has seen the going on the Old course deteriorate to soft, heavy in places and left Wednesday’s Cross-Country Chase hanging in the balance.

There was 6mm of rain overnight, significantly more than the 2mm-4mm that had been forecast, and it is still raining, with another 4mm-6mm expected in all today before the conditions (hopefully) start to brighten up around lunchtime. The Cross Country course, meanwhile, will be inspected at 6am GMT tomorrow, and if the race cannot be staged in its usual slot, the track will look into shifting it to Friday’s Gold Cup card.

Any mention of heavy in the going description on day one is a distinct rarity these days – it’s more common for the track to be putting water on in the fortnight before to ensure that it’s on the soft side of good. And it could make for a much more interesting race for the Champion Hurdle at 3.30pm, since it will play to the strengths of the stayers, like Irish Point, and potentially blunt the speed of the odds-on favourite, State Man.

State Man is just one among a whole host of market leaders from Willie Mullins’s stable on the opening card, and he will hope to make a significant dent in the half-dozen wins he needs to be the first trainer with 100 at the Festival. Tullyhill and Mystical Power – a son of the Champion Hurdle winner, Annie Power - are likely to set off as first- and second-favourites for the opening Supreme Novice Hurdle, and he also has three of the top four in the Arkle betting and another odds-on shot, Lossiemouth, in the Mares’ Hurdle.

That said, there are live runners from other yards in most of the races and quite a few of them appealed when I put my final selections together yesterday. That, of course, may or may not be good news for the man from County Carlow.

As ever, every market move, millimetre of rain and point of interest will be dissected here on the blog as it happens, today and every day at racing’s showpiece event, so let’s take a deep breath and get on with the giddy ride!

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