Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

FOR the first time since its inception in 2017, this race went to the home team as Love Envoi stretched her unbeaten sequence on the track to five to give jockey Johnny Burke a long cherished first Festival success.

A £38,000 purchase after winning a Wexford point-to-point bumper almost exactly a year ago, this daughter of Westerner has steadily climbed the ranks for Harry Fry this season and she lined up here off a Grade 2 success at Sandown last month.

Even in the face of a powerful Irish challenge which accounted for two-thirds of the field, Love Envoi was a reasonably popular 15/2 shot to strike in the colours of the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate.

Harry Fry’s second runner of the week went to the head of the field as they began their long run for home and she held off all challengers with the strongest bid coming from the 50/1 shot Ahorsewithnoname who was beaten a length and quarter into second. Grangee did best of the raiders in third.

“It’s surreal. You always dream it will happen, but that’s my first. I’ve had a few seconds, when I was riding for the Potts as a younger man, and I’d played it over in my mind loads of times, but I’m almost speechless,” remarked an elated Burke.

“Noel Fehily was such a great jockey and an idol to me growing up. Noel started with my dad as an amateur in Ireland and I rode against him a bit and to ride a winner for him is great. Harry’s been very good to me too. There are a lot of people to thank and it’s just great to be a part of it.

“Love Envoi is very special. She’s done everything asked of her and keeps rising to the challenge. Three days ago she wasn’t even running, and then we had the rain. Sometimes these things are just meant to happen.”

Third Wind powers home for O’Brien

Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

THE theme of British trainers ending a long wait between winners at the meeting continued as Third Wind sprang a 25/1 surprise for Hughie Morrison whose only previous success here came courtesy of Frenchman’s Creek in 2002.

Typically the complexion of this race changes dramatically on the long run from the turn-in to the last flight and as he entered the straight this former Grade 2 winner had plenty to do. He soon began a forward charge under Tom O’Brien, without a winner here since Silk Affair won the 2009 Fred Winter, and got himself firmly into the reckoning as the last flight loomed.

On the run in, Third Wind and Alaphilippe moved clear of the others before the former edged head nearing the line to prevail by a neck. A stewards’ enquiry was called but there wasn’t much in the way of interference to speak of and it came as no surprise when it was announced that the placings would remain unchanged. The fourth-placed 11/2 joint-favourite Winter Fog did best of a sizeable Irish contingent.

“The ground was perfect for him as it was genuine soft ground and on his day he is a very good horse,” commented Morrison.

“Rather like Frenchman’s Creek, we didn’t come here expecting anything. He has been up there and won a Grade 2 and he was fourth off the same mark in this race two years ago.

“Tom rode a spectacular race. He took the brave route but he thought he was always going to get there. He said he won easy.”

Coole Cody so brave to land another Cheltenham win

Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate Handicap Chase (Grade 3)

THE latest big-priced handicap winner of the meeting arrived as a tremendously brave Coole Cody, at the age of 11, bettered his fourth place in this race last year.

A winner of a Grade 3 over this course and distance in December, the enthusiastic Coole Cody had struggled somewhat in two previous visits to this track, but he was back to his best here to give Evan Williams his first Festival triumph since High Chimes in the 2008 Kim Muir.

He made the pace but looked to be in trouble when headed at the third last before dropping back to third. Jockey Adam Wedge knew he had more to call on though and produced his mount with a strong rally to get back to the front before the last. Once he regained the initiative Coole Cody was in no mood to relinquish his advantage and he surged away to defeat the favourite Imperial Alcazar by six and a half lengths.

“That performance sums him up. He is 11 years of age and he has got so many miles on the clock but he will sit back and keep fighting all the way for you. He is a remarkable horse. This track should be all wrong for him as he jumps right handed. He is not a particularly brilliant jumper but this is a place for tough horses,” commented Evan Williams.

“It has been a long time since we have had a Festival winner and they are hard to come by. I think as you get older you start to appreciate the little things a bit more. My family at home are very heavily involved.

“I think every single winner and especially every big winner brings it home how incredibly lucky I am to be doing this for a living. This is a special place and this is a special day.”

Fabulous success for Chambard

Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

A FEATURE of the week was the tremendous efforts of the Venetia Williams string and she secured a second success of the meeting when Chambard ran out a 40/1 winner under Lucy Turner.

A seventh winner of the season for the jockey, Chambard came here chasing a fourth win in six starts this season. All of them had been achieved under Lucy Turner, the pair recording their first success together on New Year’s Day at Exeter off a mark of 110.

This was another race which appeared to emphasise the benefits of racing up with the pace as Chambard got into a forward position before halfway. The 10-year-old then stuck to his task in splendid style over the last couple of fences to hold off the favourite Mister Coffey by two and a half lengths, with the 66/1 chance Didero Vallis taking third to make it a one-three for the Williams yard.

The winning jockey’s father, Phillip, was the trainer’s head man for 24 years.

“It was amazing to watch and such a thrill. I’m so pleased for the horse’s owner David Shaw as he’s been so patient with this horse and at the age of 10 the horse is finally showing the form we thought he might be capable of. I’m so pleased for Lucy too,” stated the trainer.

Comment - Porter success represents the embodiment of National Hunt racing

MUCH might have changed over the last 12 months but there were still some reassuring constants at play on Thursday afternoon as Allaho and Flooring Porter made it back-to-back wins in their respective championship heats.

Firstly to Flooring Porter whose success perhaps represents the embodiment of National Hunt racing in that he is a relatively inexpensive €10,000 syndicate-owned horse who has competed with distinction at the top level and can now be regarded as an outstanding dual winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle.

This year Flooring Porter made a potentially daunting defence of his title look relatively straightforward and easy. The fact he did so is testament to the gelding’s abilities but also to those closest to him. Cromwell, whose training talents are already very established, has excelled in his handling of a horse who looked a tough ride earlier in his career.

Praise in equal measure must go to Danny Mullins who pulled off a tactical masterclass from the front. To pull off a pillar-to-post success in the Stayers’ while getting the fractions absolutely spot on takes some doing and Mullins made it all look so effortless, which is the gift that belongs to the most elite sports people.

This was to spark euphoric celebrations in the winner’s enclosure afterwards and this success and all it represented was perhaps the most fitting way for the feature race to unfold on St Patrick’s Day at Cheltenham.

Elsewhere this was a day of contrasting fortunes for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend with a last fence fall robbing Galopin Des Champs of a truly spectacular success in the Turners Novice Chase.

In the immediate aftermath of such an unlucky defeat the promise for the future might seem like scant consolation but if this performance is anything to go by Galopin Des Champs has some great days ahead of him on the greatest stage of all. He is an amazing talent with the potential to go to the very top and he is unquestionably now one of the brightest stars in National Hunt racing.

So while the battle may have been lost Mullins and Townend can content themselves with the knowledge that they go forth with a horse who has the capacity to contend at championship level at either end of the distance spectrum.

Substantial compensation awaited the Mullins-Townend axis just over an hour later as Allaho ran his rivals ragged in the Ryanair Chase. Last year’s winner did what odds of 4/7 suggested he would be even so he is a genuinely charismatic performer blessed with a tremendous engine which sees him standing head and shoulders above everything else in the intermediate division.

Highlight of the day

Flooring Porter’s effort in making it back to back Stayers’ Hurdles which was in large part helped by an utterly masterful Danny Mullins.