With a week to go until the Cheltenham Festival, our resident Irish columnist Donal Murphy turns his attentions to the action at Prestbury Park and has spoken to some notable names from the world of racing about their best bets at the festival.
The Week That Was
While we are unlikely to see any winners from the past seven days turn up at Cheltenham this year, we did see a former festival hero overturned in the feature at Navan on Saturday, the Grade 2 Webster Cup.
The winner of the Arkle in 2023 and pulled up after making a mistake when 2/9 for the Champion Chase last season, things certainly haven’t gone right for El Fabiolo since. Expected to get his career back on track at the weekend, he ultimately had to settle for second, failing to reel in game front-runner Senecia, who sprang a 50/1 shock for Co. Waterford handler Vincent Halley.
Subsequently ruled out of Cheltenham by Willie Mullins, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned runner-up is likely to reappear at Aintree.
Successful at the highest level over flights, Mullins did have better luck with Champ Kiely in the Grade 3 Flyingbolt Novice Chase.
Third in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle of 2023, this Ocovango nine-year-old made all and comfortably accounted for three rivals, with a trip to Fairyhouse at Easter now on his agenda.
At Leopardstown on Sunday, Thedevilscoachman got a confidence boosting win to his name in the QuinnBet Hurdle, while Monbeg Park and Brandt completed a double for leading conditional Tiernan Power Roche.
Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15s – Top Tips with an Irish Angle from Donal Murphy
The latest in our Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15s series comes from our Irish Angle expert Donal Murphy. Four each-way selections for the visitors feature, all of which could be overpriced, including a 33/1 shot in the Martin Pipe… This is very much an each-way Lucky 15, with the selections below competing in some of the…
Mon 03 Mar 2025On what was his first start for Emmet Mullins, Darcy’s Friend landed a significant gamble in the second divide of the Cancer Fund For Children Handicap Hurdle, with this lowly rated six-year-old backed from 12s in early shows to a starting price of 5/6.
Racing again took place at the Foxrock venue on Monday afternoon, the last National Hunt fixture at the Co. Dublin circuit this season.Returning from a leg break sustained at Fairyhouse in November, Jack Kennedy had to settle for minor honours on Arabian Diamond and Qualimita respectively.
Also returning from an injury enforced absence, albeit a much shorter one, Jordan Gainford came away with a double, while Maid On The Moon provided Co. Tipperary pilot Hannah Phillips with her first track success in the QuinnBet Mares Handicap Hurdle.
Focus On Cheltenham
With Cheltenham now just a week away, below is a list of selections from a variety of people working within the horse racing industry.
Patrick McCann – Racing Post photographer
I like AQUA FORCE in the Champion Bumper. She probably needs rain, but she was impressive on debut at Gowran and might have a bit more maturity as a six-year-old. She’s now with Willie (Mullins) after JP (McManus) bought her since Gowran and you’d imagine Mark Walsh will take the ride.
Lisa O’Neill – Cheltenham Festival winning rider, Racing TV pundit & assistant to Gordon Elliott.
KALYPSO’CHANCE has been so impressive, and his form is standout. He is the pick of Gordon’s runners for the Champion Bumper and he just looks to have that extra gear. He’ll go on any ground as well. I also think STELLAR STORY has a good each-way shout in the Brown Advisory. He won the Albert Bartlett last year, so the track and the trip will suit.
James Griffin – Assistant trainer to his father Pat & racecourse commentator
My each-way pick, away from our own lad (Roi Mage) in the Cross Country, is NURBURGRING in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase. It’s probably not a very left field selection but he is a horse for when the sun comes out and his novice chase runs have been visually better than the finishing result. He hails from a yard quite adept at readying one and he has Graded hurdle form.
Steph Searle – Travelling head lass for Tom Mullins
I like SOLNESS in the Champion Chase. His form has been rock solid this year and his win at the Dublin Racing Festival proved that his success at Christmas was no fluke. A strong front running ride at Cheltenham will put Jonbon under pressure at a course that doesn’t suit him.
Sophie Carter – Amateur rider & 2024 Ladies Derby winner
I’ll go with BEYOND YOUR DREAMS in the Fred Winter. She has been very consistent in three starts over hurdles and has plenty of previous experience on the Flat. She showed a good turn of foot after the last to win at Fairyhouse in December and she looks nicely treated off a mark of 117.
Glen Norris – Former amateur rider & 2024 Punchestown Charity Race winner
I think there is still more to come from TAPONTHEGO, who will take his chance in the Martin Pipe Conditional Riders Handicap Hurdle. The better ground and uphill finish at Cheltenham will suit him.
Eoghain Ward – p2p.ie & RTE Radio 1 reporter
ROCKY’S HOWYA would likely have finished second in the 2023 renewal of the St. James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase but for being hampered by a loose horse on the run-in. Following a period on the sidelines through injury, he has perhaps slipped under the radar a small bit this season, despite showing plenty of encouraging signs to suggest that he has retained all of his ability, including when winning well at Cragmore last time. At 16/1, he would have to have strong claims of making the frame for a stable well able to ready a horse for a big target.
Cornelius Lysaght – Broadcaster & journalist
While he looks to have a bit of everything, Final Demand is very short for the Turners, a race that is competitive. I think one of the most intriguing horses of the whole week is probably going to run in that race, despite the fact he has an entry elsewhere. JAMES’S GATE is the horse in question. He ran third in the 2022 Champion Bumper and clearly has had issues since, as he has been very lightly raced. He only won for the first time over hurdles in December aged seven, but then won again last time at Navan, recovering from a very bad mistake at the last. I’m just really intrigued by this ex-Willie Mullins horse who is now with one of the most patient trainers in these islands in Martin Brassil. He has been brought along quietly and I’m expecting him to run very well.
WHAT’S COMING UP
There is three National Hunt fixtures scheduled for the week ahead, with Thurles the first of them on Thursday.
The Holden Plant Rentals Shamrock Handicap Chase is the most valuable prize on offer at Gowran on Saturday, a card that also features the Tetratema Cup.
A Listed affair, the Bar One Racing Leinster National Handicap Chase takes centre stage at Naas on Sunday, the final fixture scheduled to take place in Ireland before Cheltenham.
ONE TO WATCH
Imadpour (Ian Patrick Donoghue): On just his second start for current connections, this lowly-rated son of Le Harve ran his best race for quite some time, finishing a close third in the race won by plunge horse Darcy’s Friend at Leopardstown on Sunday. The previous afternoon at Navan, Dunboyne struck on his first start for Donoghue, with the young Co. Meath handler clearly developing a knack of revitalising horses.
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