Cheltenham Festival reflections: Graham Cunningham looks back on the four days

And, just like that, it’s over another year. The cleaners will have their work cut out after another full house on Gold Cup day and the rest of us can spend the weekend catching up on lost sleep and reflecting on a week of record crowds and a slew of stellar performances. But elite sport is an unforgiving place and, now all the results are in, this year’s final Festival File pinpoints those who shone and those who struggled at Cheltenham this week.

Epic week - the Mullins Machine

Come for the ruthless, sustained brilliance of Willie’s horses – headed by Allaho, Enurgumene and Vauban – and stay for the composure and grace of a sporting gent shown over weeks of stressful prep and four days of incredibly intense competition. It shouldn’t be possible to saddle ten winners at one Festival and head home thinking the one that got away remains the ace in the pack. But that’s what will be happening after Galopin Des Champ’s heartstopping last-fence fall in the Turners. Aided by Ruby, David Casey, son Patrick and many others, the Mullins machine seems unstoppable. And, the scary thing is, it still seems to be gathering steam.

Almost perfect week – Rachael and Henry

De Bromhead and Blackmore. It sounds like a musty old legal firm you would trust to put a dear departed aunt’s affairs in order but it’s turned into a bespoke partnership for annexing the biggest races around. Honeysuckle flowered again in the Champion, A Plus Tard was devastating in the Gold Cup, and if Rachael was wowed by the Cheltenham cheers then wait and see what the Scousers have in store if she snags another National. But there is usually one small cloud on the horizon. Henry uttered one of the most telling lines of the week in saying “I didn’t think I’d ever see a horse who could make Bob look like that.” Galopin gave Bob Olinger a glimpse of the dark side on Thursday – time will tell if he wants to see it again.

Yet another good week - Henderson still heads home defence

He’s seldom seen a relatively quiet road to Cheltenham he didn’t like – but at 71 and with with dodgy mince pies he remains clear of his fellow Brits when it comes to peaking a horse for one day in March. Constitution Hill and Marie’s Rock delivered in spades but Jonbon, Epatante and Champ all hit the board at G1 level with Mill Green, Mister Coffey and First Street placed in big handicaps and Ahorsewithnoname second in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at 50-1. All of which makes Shishkin’s Champion Chase flop even harder to fathom. Was it really “purely ground-related” as Hendo suggests? Let’s hope so as it’s very rare to see a potential champion in such distress so early on the biggest day of his career.

Memorable week – Lucinda, Scu and Derek Fox

To win one Cheltenham race is good but to come close to landing another with a potential 2023 Gold Cup hope is next level. Corach Rambler might just be a 2023 Grand National horse for Russell judged on the way he charged home to win the Ultima, while Ahoy Senor never stopped trying in a punishing Brown Advisory. The Senor still has a tendency to jump like his eyes are closed at the odd fence but his running power is beyond question and it’s great to have Scotland on the map in big races again.

Turbulent week - testing times for Elliott

Saying the right things is important for post-suspension Gordon and there was plenty of measured “happy to be here” and “glad to be part of it” as the week progressed. But positive soundbites couldn’t mask the fact that most of a 60-strong team described as “savage” in advance showed far less bite than expected, with numerous disappointments set against Wednesday wins for Commander Of Fleet and Delta Work. The loss of the hugely promising Ginto in Friday’s Albert Bartlett set a sorry seal on a largely forgettable Festival for Cullentra. The man at the top there knows all about the value of resilience these days. He’ll need to call on it again after a week like this.

One hit wonder week – Danny Mullins

When you have one serious chance from limited rides you need to make it count and Danny boy stole the show in the Stayers’ with another beautifully judged front-running ride on the mercurial Flooring Porter. Once upon a time a rider with his credentials might have been tempted to try his luck in Britain full time. There’s little doubt Mullins would shake things up if he ever made that jump but the lure of a move isn’t what it was. This Mullins seems perfectly happy in his current role. And, if you’re wondering what sort of fella he is, then it’s probably worth revisiting Kevin Blake’s Tweet from earlier this week.

Highly charged week - JCR’s F&B department

Al Down’s “charging like wounded rhino” phrase came to mind as talk of punters having to pay through the nose to fulfil their food and beverage needs grew louder. Yes, there is a pandemic-sized gap to fill after last year’s shutout and most racegoers are willing to pay a premium price for a premium experience. But Cheltenham put a whole new spin on the word ‘loaded’ by charging nine quid for loaded fries and you would need a stiff drink to even dream about paying £14 for a G&T. Recommendation: Think again.

Better week until Friday - the Brit Awards

You know you have work to do when one Irish trainer matches your entire combined UK total and a final score of 18-10 is painted as a decent defence. There’s no question that British horses aimed up better this year than in last year’s 23-5 rout but it was 10-4 to the visitors in the main events and it’s a sobering fact that all of the last eleven open top-level Festival contests – Champion Hurdle, Chase, Stayers’, Ryanair and Gold Cup - have been won by Irish horses.

Up and down week – Racecourse bookmakers

I spend more time than I used to at quiet midweek meetings nowadays and often marvel at how the lads and lasses who trade in the betting ring ever make a crust. ‘With considerable difficulty’ is the short answer and a therefore Festival week takes on ever more significance for them. There were several bright spots, with Coole Cody, Commander Of Fleet, Third Wind and Chambard high on the list, but Friday’s results must have put a major hole in profits. Still, the sight of a heaving ring remains central to British racing’s biggest occasions. The cashless society marches on. But there’s still much to be said for the feeling of leaving the track with more coarse (or even soggy) banknotes than you arrived with.

More bad than good week – Big game tipping hunters

It’s a Third Wind that blows nobody any good and Ben Linfoot’s followers were in clover as Hughie Morrison’s gelding edged home in the Pertemps Final having been recommended at 33/1. But pickings were slim for most of those who trade at long prices and racecourse layer Kevin Myles touched on a key theme of the modern Festival in telling the RP’s Chris Cook that “you cannot get a result in any of the level-weight races.” Betting without the Albert Bartlett, which continued its trend of shocks with 18/1 chance The Nice Guy, the SP’s of the three big winners on each day of this year’s Festival read 9/4, 5/2, 8/11, 8-11, 9/4, 5/2, 6/5, 4/7, 4/1, 6/4 and 3/1. Try taking those results and making a serviceable book out of them.

Two out of plenty ain’t bad week - JP McManus

It was just like watching Brazil in the Boodles on Tuesday but the biggest owner in the jumps game had to wait until Elimay’s last-gasp Mares’ Chase success in race 27 of 28 to hit the target again. Epatante, Jonbon, Andy Dufresne and Janadil all filled the runner-up spot, while Sire Du Berlais got no luck at all in the Pertemps, but the jumping ownership landscape has changed appreciably in recent years and the old guard are feeling the pinch at the top level.

Glory in numbers week – Syndicates shine

My ears have almost recovered from standing amid the Middleham Park gang as Marie’s Rock won the Mares’ Hurdle and there was more blue-collar success as Facile Vega, Flooring Porter and Love Envoi all scored in group ownership colours. It’s easy to think Facile Vega will emulate his dam Quevega with further Festival success. And, if he does, let’s hope the bold boys who own him give his groom a chance to lead him back into the number one spot.

Bad week – Nicholls nilled again

There’s no way to say this other than Paul Nicholls had a rough one. Britain’s champion trainer hadn’t endured a blank Festival since 2002 until last year but it’s two in a row now and Wednesday was a washout on every level as Stage Star sunk in the Ballymore and Bravemansgame was pulled out of the Brown Advisory after a storm descended on watered ground. Festival sands have shifted against him but Nicholls mastered the bounceback long ago. The forecast is for him to rally at Aintree and, in the meantime, Countryfile has a fascinating feature this Sunday in which Margherita Taylor visits Melton Mowbray to find out what makes for pork pie perfection.

So near yet so far week - Fergal and Paddy

You can’t do much more than get your horses to run a career best when it matters and Alaphillipe and Imperial Alcazar’s fine efforts in defeat showed that O’Brien’s first Festival winner will surely come when the time is right. Brennan was already a big price to get the Pertemps in the stewards’ room even before he admitted that there was no interference. All the same, it was the sort of gesture that made you feel racing still has something valuable that a few other sports lost long ago.

Softie at heart week - Michael O’Leary

A 50-1 Coral Cup win and a Cross Country Chase success from twenty runners wasn’t quite what the Ryanair guv’nor was hoping for and he assumed the role of panto villain again when Delta Work thwarted Tiger Roll’s retirement party. But the tears that he (almost) shed as his old warrior returned suggested that one of the most hard-nosed operators in racing does have a heart after all. You’d (almost) want to start rooting for him to win another National next month.

Revival week – Williams team back on the Festival grid

Venetia provided a voice of reason in the heated aftermath of last season’s Festival, giving cogent reasons for Irish domination and suggesting the cycle would turn back towards Britain in due course. The vibrant L’Homme Presse and gallant Chambard led the Williams revival and, with six horses in the first three and a fourth from just eleven runners, this marked a striking return to Festival form. It’s going to take time for that cycle to turn Britain’s way again. Williams is clearly doing her bit – but she needs a few of her UK colleagues to follow suit.

Bit player week - Britain’s top jockeys

Put it this way, champion elect Brian Hughes won’t be regretting going fishing for sprats instead of heading to the Cotswolds. None of the other riders in the top eight of Britain’s championship table managed to snag a winner between them and the difference between chasing numbers at the gaffs and having genuine chances at the big shows is brought into increasingly sharp focus in weeks like this.

Thank you for your service week - the RTV Team

The best sporting broadcasts take the viewer right to the heart of the event and RTV did just that with a series of fast-paced shows that had plenty for the purist and casual fan alike. Luck and Hislop’s roles as resident ringmaster and roving inquisitor are firmly established and, with Jane Mangan adding waspish insight and key buy-in from owners, trainers and jockeys, those who sampled this year’s Festival from the sofa were well served from start to finish.

Good news week – jump racing as whole

You can’t please everyone and, as with any big event, there were grumbles about prices, queues and traffic. The raucous chanting that rang out in the latter stages of Friday got up the noses of some old-school fans – and the Covid cost of a week belting out Sweet Caroline in the Centaur has yet to be counted - but you won’t find me grousing too much about being back at the Festival for the first time since my last year with C4 in 2016. There’s a reason why Cheltenham gets into your ribs and sets up home there. It showcases brilliance, bravery and the way to win and lose with style like no other sporting occasion. And, in increasingly troubled times, to have it back and bigger than ever was nothing short of marvellous.

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