Donn McClean takes a look at the remarkable Cheltenham rivalry of Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins and assesses their main chances next week.
Here’s the way the Cheltenham Festival went in 2017.
On Tuesday, Gordon Elliott had three winners, Labaik and Apple’s Jade and Tiger Roll, while Willie Mullins had none.
On Wednesday, Gordon Elliott had two winners, Cause Of Causes and Fayonagh, a Jamie Codd double-act and, again, Willie Mullins had none. Five nil.
Then on Thursday, Willie Mullins had that four-timer, a Ruby Walsh quadruple master class, Yorkhill and Un De Sceaux and Nichols Canyon and Let’s Dance, rat-tat-tat-tat. Five-four.
And on Friday, Mullins had two more, Arctic Fire and Penhill, both ridden by Paul Townend. That was six-five to Mullins, before JJ Slevin booted the Gordon Elliott-trained Champagne Classic home in the Martin Pipe Hurdle. That made it six-all and it went to penalties.
Turned out, Elliott had three seconds and three thirds, while Mullins had two seconds and four thirds. So, for the first time ever, in 2017, Gordon Elliott was crowned leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival.
We didn’t know it at the time, but if the short head by which the Elliott trained Mega Fortune had beaten Bapaume (Mullins) for second place behind Defi Du Seuil in the Triumph Hurdle that year had gone the other way, Elliott would have had two seconds and four thirds, Mullins would have had three seconds and three thirds, and the accolade would have gone to Mullins again.
Here’s the way the Cheltenham Festival went in 2018.
Willie Mullins had three winners on Day One, Footpad and Benie Des Dieux and Rathvinden, while Gordon Elliott had none.
Mullins had two more on Day Two, Bleu Berry and Relegate, but Elliott had three, Samcro and Tiger Roll and Veneer Of Charm. Five-three to Mullins.
Day Three was Ireland day, six of the seven winners were trained by Irish trainers. Three for Elliott, Shattered Love and Delta Work and The Storyteller, and two for Mullins, Penhill and Laurina. Seven-six to Mullins going into Friday.
On Day Four, Elliott had two winners, Farclas and Blow By Blow, while Mullins had none. That made it eight-seven to Elliott. For the second year running, Gordon Elliott was crowned leading trainer at Cheltenham. And for the second year running, the Triumph Hurdle had a profound impact. Farclas (Elliott) won the Triumph Hurdle in 2018, with Mr Adjudicator (Mullins) finishing second. It wasn’t as close as it had been in 2017 but, if Mr Adjudicator had won and Farclas had finished second, it would have been eight-seven to Mullins.
Either way, it all represents an unprecedented degree of domination by two trainers. In 2017, when they had six winners each, next best on the trainers’ list were Nicky Henderson and Jessica Harrington with three each. And last year, when Elliott had eight winners and Mullins had seven, the next best were Nicky Henderson and Colin Tizzard and Paul Nicholls with two each.
This year, while Willie Mullins may be down in terms of quantity, both trainers are set to field strong Cheltenham teams. Of the 28 races, at current ante post odds, between them they field 11 clear favourites and seven second favourites. It is a remarkable show of strength.
You can easily name the flagbearers. Apple’s Jade for Elliott in the Champion Hurdle, Battleoverdoyen in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, Tiger Roll in the Cross Country. Again.
Benie Des Dieux for Mullins in the Mares’ Hurdle, a race that the mare won last year and the trainer has won nine times in just 11 years. Min or Footpad in the Ryanair Chase, Laurina in the Champion Hurdle, Ballyward in the National Hunt Chase, Faugheen in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
There will be head-to-heads too. Like Apple’s Jade versus Laurina in the Champion Hurdle, both of them taking on the reigning champion and hat-trick seeking Buveur D’Air. Espoir Allen versus Blue Sari in the Champion Bumper. Battleoverdoyen versus Willie Mullins’ selected, probably Klassical Dream, in the Ballymore Hurdle.
They each have interesting entries in the handicaps too. Like Sire Du Berlais for Elliott, Uradel for Mullins, Dallas Des Pictons for Elliott, Wicklow Brave for Mullins, Measureofmydreams for Elliott. There is strength in-depth.
It is a big ask to expect that either will surpass or even equal last year’s totals of eight and seven respectively, or even their 2017 totals of six each. Nicky Henderson has strength in-depth too and Joseph O’Brien is having a phenomenal season and Henry de Bromhead is set to send a select and talented team and Paul Nicholls has his horses in tremendous form at present.
That said, it would not be at all surprising if Mullins and Elliott were to dominate this year’s Cheltenham Festival, as they have dominated the last two.
Elliott’s eight winners last year took his total number of Cheltenham Festival winners to 22, which is quite extraordinary when you consider that he didn’t have his first until he won the National Hunt Chase in 2011 with Chicago Grey.
Mullins’ seven last year took his overall total to 61, one ahead of Nicky Henderson and now the winning-most trainer of all time at the Cheltenham Festival. Both trainers should add to those tallies next week.
Best value for each? Maybe Measureofmydreams for Elliott in the Kim Muir, maybe Al Boum Photo for Mullins in the Gold Cup.
For now though, we can only wait and see how the Cheltenham Festival will go in 2019.