JIM Culloty brought two horses to last season’s Cheltenham Festival and to most observers they were at best, contenders for a share of the minor money in their respective races.
But when Spring Heeled obliged in the Kim Muir, one sensed that Lord Windermere might well out-run his odds in what turned out to be a dramatic Gold Cup. When the eight-year-old got up on the line for a narrow success, there could be no doubting that Cheltenham is Culloty’s favourite racecourse.
It is well documented that he won three Gold Cups there as a jockey on Best Mate, but despite an RSA Chase victory with Lord Windermere in 2013, the last couple of seasons were a real struggle for Culloty who has a yard that deserves to be training good horses.
“I was really was pulling my hair out as the horses looked well, but they were running way below par. I brought the horses over to Cheltenham and I’ll be honest with you, it really was only a couple of days before they ran that I was really happy with them.
“Last season was so stop/start and we never really got a clear run with them at all,” he stated.
‘”It was frustrating, but we kept our heads down and kept doing things right and the couple of days before Lord Windermere ran in the Gold Cup, was the first time that I was really happy with him all season and the rest as they say is history,” he added.
“My owners were incredibly patient and I was so thrilled for Dr Lambe when the two horses won. To train Cheltenham winners is what it is all about and he lets me get on with things. He has been a tremendous supporter from the time that I started training.”
BARBALICIOUS
5yo b m
Indian Danehill - Musical Shan
Peter Greaney
She goes well. She might start off in a bumper at Clonmel on Thursday.
COMPANY COMING
5yo b g (2/P604-P2)
Presenting - Glen’s Encore
P.P. Greaney
He ran second at Thurles on Thursday. Last year he was disappointing as he never jumped but he is going novice chasing and he has been schooling really well. He wants a trip and he likes a bit of good ground. On his point-to-point form, he should be up to winning a beginners chase. He works well at home and I was afraid to make a call on the horses last year as when I started to run them around December time, they just weren’t right. I’d be optimistic though that he will develop into a better horse over fences and the further he goes the better.
CROWN OF GOLD
5yo b g (87-2)
Flemensfirth - Killultagh Lady
Dr Ronan Lambe
He is a nice horse which was only touched off in what looked a good maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier this week. He is a lovely horse and that was a pleasing effort and I think he wants a trip. He was green at Fairyhouse and I think he will improve a lot for that. He is learning all the time and two and a half miles plus will suit him, but I would like to think that he can win a two and a half mile maiden hurdle before too long. He is a real good mover so although the ground was soft on Tuesday, I think he would like a bit of nice ground.
DIAMOND CLUSTER
5yo b g (0-)
Oscar - Notanotherone
Dr R Lambe
He’s a big horse and will take a bit of time. Chasing will be his game. He runs at Limerick tomorrow.
HEROIC APPROACH
5yo b g (4449-56)
Milan - Blue Approach
Dr Ronan Lambe
He jumped well when he ran in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse during the week. He should improve for that outing and he does stay well. He will remain over fences and he will go handicapping where he should find his own level.
LEGAL EXIT
7yo b g (B17/F171/)
Exit To Nowhere - New Legislation
Mrs Mary Samworth
He was off last year with the tiniest touch of a leg. I got him back in this season but he made a terrible noise so we had his wind done, which according to the vet has not been a success. He is working well and he will run at Navan at the weekend in a novice chase. I thought he was going to be a superstar, but there is a question mark over him now. We’ll just have to see how he gets on at the weekend as he looked a very good horse before he had his problems.
LORD WINDERMERE
8yo b g (F11418/221231/8761-)
Oscar - Satellite Dancer
Dr Ronan Lambe
He is extremely well in himself in every way. He is in great form and he came back in after a long summer break really looking great. The ground was a bit quick for him in the Hennessy (at Newbury) last year and he was a bit sore afterwards. It was a battle with him throughout last season, but he came right when it mattered at Cheltenham. That long break he had this year will have done him the power of good. He had a long, proper break. My horses were scoping dirty after racing and their lungs were never right, so the weather was so good during the summer, that they could be left out for longer. He looks fantastic and the Durkan Chase at Punchestown will be his starting off point followed by the Lexus at Leopardstown, the Hennessy at Leopardstown and then hopefully back to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup. Looking back to last season, I was very happy with him going to Newbury for the Hennessy but I was never happy with him for a long time after that and it was just the days before the Gold Cup that he came right. It was a great day and a great meeting and successes like that make all the hard graft worthwhile.
MARVELLOUS MOMENT
5yo b g (P7422-12)
Turtle Island - Sunshine Leader
Paul Fitzpatrick
He was second in a couple of point-to-points and then he won one last season. He is a horse that I have always liked. The form of his races has been working out very well and he started off over hurdles at Thurles on Thursday (second). He is a very nice horse that will make into a lovely chaser in time. I think he will win his maiden before we send him chasing. We’ll see how this season goes and I won’t over-race him this year and I think he will make into a better novice chaser. If he is good enough to win his maiden hurdle and run in a few novice hurdles that would be the plan for this season. He is a super jumper and he is a long term prospect.
MIDSOMMARKRANSEN
5yo gr g (-2)
King’s Theatre - Isis Du Berlais
Mrs Anne Lambe
He was second on his debut in a bumper at Thurles where inexperience probably beat him. The first two were a good but clear of the rest and he looks a nice prospect. I might try and win a bumper before he goes jumping fences after a bumper. He is a light framed horse so it might be Christmas before he runs again.
PRINCE OF LOMBARDY
6yo b g (F28/431-)
Milan - Roman Native
Dr Ronan Lambe
He won a maiden hurdle for us last year but he picked up a little injury so he won’t run until after Christmas. It might be a bit late to be sending him over fences and I think he will be a better chaser so we might just leave him over hurdles and get a full season novice chasing. I think it is important that they learn their trade properly as novices for the full year and I think he is too good a horse to win a chase next spring and miss out on most of his novice season. He is a nice horse with very few miles on the clock.
SADDLERS LUCK
7yo b g (570/1340/5734-)
Saddlers’ Hall - Glittering Luck
Benjamin Collins
He was off for a while with a leg but he has some decent form and he will start off in a handicap hurdle for me on Sunday at Navan. I’d be hopeful that he will be competitive in handicaps this season before we send him chasing sometime next year. He is a nice horse that has won a point-to-point and he was placed over hurdles before he came to me.
SPRING HEELED
7yo ch g (5334/21328015-4)
Old Vic - Central Arch
Dr Ronan Lambe
The Grand National is the aim for him and he will tip away for the winter. He is on a break at the minute but he will more than likely have a couple of runs over hurdles next year and the Bobbyjo Chase is a possibility for him if the ground wasn’t too bad. He is a horse that must have good ground and he won’t run at Aintree next year unless he has his conditions. He was very good in Cheltenham last season and he remains a horse that is capable of winning another big race. He jumps super and he stays very well but he doesn’t jump well out of heavy ground, so he is very ground dependant.
VAXALCO
5yo gr g (/70327P6-0424)
Dom Alco - Galaxie
Dr Ronan Lambe
He should have won a couple of novice chases this summer but he made some silly mistakes so I might go point-to-pointing for a couple of months next spring and then he’ll go handicap chasing. He has the ability to develop into a decent handicap chaser on good ground next summer but I would love to get his head in front and the novice chases are only going to get better so that is what he will probably do.
UNRACED HORSES
ADENE DE SEVERS
4yo b g
Network
He is a nice horse and I am not sure if he’ll go for a bumper or for a point-to-point as I think he could win either. He can be a bit free but I would like to teach him to jump before he runs on the track. He is a future chaser but he is a nice horse and he goes well.
VINNIE LUCK
5yo bg
Vinnie Roe - Glittering Luck
Benjamin Collins
He is a nice horse that goes well and he will go the point-to-point route in the spring. He does everything right and we have taken our time with him. We will know a bit more about him after he runs.
WINTER’S OVER
5yo b g
Oscar - Over Alainn
Mrs Maureen Culloty
He goes nicely enough and is ready to start off. He could start off in a bumper at the weekend and he does everything well at home. He jumps well and we’ll see how he gets on at Navan and make a plan from there.
UNNAMED
5yo b g
Flemensfirth - Laboc
He is a well-bred horse and he goes well. He had a few little problems with his feet but we like him and he will start off in a point-to-point around Christmas time.
UNNAMED
5yo b g
Presenting - Glen’s Encore
He is a full-brother to Company Coming and he could start off next week in a novice hurdle but he is a future chaser really. He goes alright.