WILLIE Mullins had four hotly fancied runners on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Punters latched on, doubling up in accumulator bets. Douvan at 2/1, Un De Sceaux 4/6 and Faugheen at 4/5 had set things up perfectly for the banker in the Mares Hurdle, Annie Power to bring home the millions at 1/2.

Mullins completed his expected first day four-timer but it reportedly saved the bookmakers close to €100m as Annie Power took off too soon at the last when clear and crumpled to the ground. A last flight fall had never been more expensive for punters.

NOW YOU SEE HIM..

THE, will we see him, will we not, saga surrounding Gleneagles after his two classics and St James’ Palace win dominated the second half of the flat season.

Having decided that Goodwood in August, officially good ground on the day, was unsuitable conditions for the horse to show his best, it seemed that connections’ hands were tied. He went to both York and Leopardstown but was withdrawn at the last moment due to the softer than ideal ground.

The Derby winner Golden Horn was also best on faster ground than he was asked to race on after the Eclipse. He was withdrawn late from the King George at Ascot, run on soft ground, on the basis that John Gosden did not want to bottom him at a mile and half mid-season. He did run on softer gound at York and Leopardstown and was fortunate that the Arc was run on decent ground where he was an impressive winner.

The question at the end of the year was if the defeats at York and in Keeneland had any negative effects on Golden Horn’s career or stud value? Gleneagles ultimately bowed out with two disappointments on ground vastly more unsuitable at Ascot and Keeneland than it had been at Goodwood, York and Leopardstown.

Golden Horn stands at £60,000 and Gleneages at €60,000 in their first season at stud.

The rise of girl power?

IN the summer Sammy Jo Bell, Emma Jayne Wilson and Hayley Turner combined to win the Shergar Cup and Bell enjoyed a weekend of fame. The publicity from her win did not convert into more opportunities for Bell but it was a small step forward in the perception of women riders despite Turner’s subsequent retirement.

Over jumps Nina Carberry completed the big hunter chase treble of Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown on On The Fringe and found a new cross-country partner in Josies Orders while Katie Walsh emulated father Ted and brother Ruby in winning the Irish Grand National for Sandra Hughes on Thunder And Roses. Liz Lalor was on board top pointer Carrigeen Acerbo.

Michelle Payne won the Melbourne Cup and took the moment to declare anyone who believed female jockeys couldn’t get the job done should “get stuffed,” which was not deemed appropriate by some.

The year ended with Lizzie Kelly recording the first win at Grade 1 level over jumps for a lady rider. The engaging Kelly is another great addition to the promotion of lady riders in the sport, with the backing of a family training set up that produces good quality horses. She was unfazed by any male/female debate and had previously brushed off any debate with “they are just men on horses.”

Overall was a good year for the ladies.

Rumour mongers

It first surfaced at Galway and filtered over to York in August before Claude Duval in went to print with the rumour that David O’Meara was set to replace Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle. Six months on it seems as true as many of The Sun’s headlines.

Put the horse first

One of the less appealing moments of the season was the controversy surrounding the death of Kauto Star.

Paul Nicholls’ two superstar chasers had taken different paths in retirement. Denman was regularly seen out hunting while Kauto Star was sent by his owner Clive Smith to eventer Laura Collet to be retrained at dressage. The decision had not been welcomed by his former trainer Paul Nicholls and the famed chaser did not look to take particularly well to the new discipline.

The news broke on Monday, June 29th that he had been injured in a fall the previous Wednesday, had suffered pelvic and neck injuries and was put down six days later. He was reported to have jumped out of his paddock, suffered injuries the full extent of which were not immediately detected. Rumours spread over what exactly had happened as Collet had not been in the yard at the time. How the news of his injury was communicated to those who had trained him, communicated only after he had been put down, reflected badly on Clive Smith.

Seeing Denman still hail and hearty, hunting and in team chases, horse lovers could not but feel that Kauto Star should have been there too.

It was a sad finale to a great horse. The message should be that if trainers attempt to do what’s right by the horse while in their care, owners have the same duty in retirement.

Galway points race

Those of us who thought we had spotted a crafty betting opportunity to snap up odds of 16/1 that Willie Mullins would be leading trainer at Galway were on good terms with ourselves heading into the latter stages of the Festival. Then we found out that the leading trainer went on a points basis through the placings and Dermot Weld had held on to his title. However, even points for places might not be enough to hold off Mullins next year.

Handicap king

Much is made of the dominance in the training ranks of Willie Mullins but when it comes to laying one out for a big handicap few can match Tony Martin. The Galway Hurdle, one of the most sought-after prizes in the Irish calendar, almost saw Martin saddle three of the first four home as Thomas Edison would have been placed only for falling at the last as Quick Jack and Ted Veale were first and third.

Best forgotten

John F Kennedy began the flat season as the Derby favourite but was one Ballydoyle horse not to live up to his reputation.