Irish stables have a 64% strike rate at the Cheltenham Festival over the past five years, outscoring the home team by 89 wins to 51, and there were ominous hints of another drubbing in six weeks’ time at the track’s trials meeting.
Willie Mullins, Ireland’s perennial champion, had a double on the card and his nephew, Emmet, took the Cleeve Hurdle with Noble Yeats, while even the heartwarming success of Elixir De Nutz in the Clarence House Chase was the result of a worryingly slipshod performance by Jonbon, the second-favourite for the Champion Chase on 13 March.
That, of course, was of little concern to 18-year-old Freddie Gingell, who got Elixir De Nutz home by a neck after Jonbon, the 1-4 favourite, made the last – but by no means the worst – of several jumping errors at the final fence. This was a first winner at the highest level for both Gingell and Joe Tizzard, Elixir De Nutz’s trainer, and an emotional success too as Gingell is the son of Tizzard’s late sister, Kim, who was a cornerstone of the stable until her death from cancer in May 2020 aged 43.
“Freddie could have panicked [after the third last] and could have gone for his stick but he didn’t, he just saved a little bit and I’ll look forward to watching it back with him again,” Tizzard said. “I wouldn’t mind being in his position, 18 years old and he has it all in front of him. I’m biased but he’s done me proud and his mum would be so proud. What she has put into him has made him the man he is.”
Jonbon, meanwhile, remains second-favourite for the Champion Chase and Nicky Henderson, his trainer, can take some comfort from the way his chaser worked his way back into contention after a shocking mistake four out. But he was slow again at the last and perhaps a little reluctant to give his all up the hill, which does not bode well for the tougher test that surely lies ahead in March.
“It was a pity he didn’t see a good stride at the last as he lost a bit of momentum there and that let the other horse back in,” Henderson said. “He’s lost the battle but not the war.”
Willie Mullins completed a Grade Two double on the card either side of Elixir De Nutz’s success, initiated by Capodanno’s comfortable victory in the Cotswold Chase, which is, in theory at least, at trial for the Gold Cup in March.
Doncaster: 12.20 Dysart Enos, 12.50 Storminhome, 1.15 Some Scope (nap), 2.00 Champagne Twist (nb), 2.35 Marie’s Rock, 3.05 Paricolor, 3.35 Little Pi, 4.10 Gwash.
Fontwell: 1.12 Saladins Son, 1.45 Kruger Park, 2.20 Shuil Ceoil, 2.55 Captain Claude, 3.25 Johnny Blue, 3.55 Southern Sam, 4.30 Bond Broker.
Capodanno is a fair way down the pecking order among staying chasers at Mullins’s yard, however, and did not even get an entry for the Gold Cup. Instead, he is likely to be aimed at the Ryanair Chase, while Lossiemouth, an emphatic winner of the International Hurdle on her first start since April 2023, is now around even-money (from 2-1) for the Mares’ Hurdle in March.
The run of Irish success continued as Noble Yeats fought off the 12-year-old favourite, Paisley Park, in a close finish to the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle, after both horses had arrived with their familiar late charge having appeared to be struggling turning in.
Hereford 1.30 Rock House 2.00 Bhaloo 2.30 Wasthatok 3.00 Black Hawk Eagle (nap) 3.30 Hardy Fella 4.00 The Gypsy Davey 4.30 Cat Tiger
Plumpton 1.50 Kilbarry Hill 2.20 Duhallow Tommy 2.50 Junkanoo 3.20 For Gina 3.50 Morfee 4.20 Man Of Light
Wolverhampton 4.50 Ok Pal 5.25 Sea The Buckthorn 6.00 Race The Wind 6.30 Bradman 7.00 Clipsham Gold (nb) 7.30 Havana Goldrush 8.00 White Mist 8.30 Queens Award
The rivalry is likely to be renewed in the Stayers’ Hurdle in March, although both horses are relative outsiders at 16-1 and 20-1 respectively, but Emmet Mullins is also planning a return to the Grand National at Aintree for his stable star, a race he won as a novice in 2022.
“It was a brilliant race, two tough, genuine horses running to the line,” Mullins said. “He would be in with a shout [in the Stayers’ Hurdle] then all roads lead back to the Grand National.”
