The brilliant Rachael Blackmore and Allaho stole the show
The brilliant Rachael Blackmore and Allaho stole the show

Ben Linfoot Cheltenham Festival 2021 analysis | Awesome Allaho and absolutely Shunter-ed


Ben Linfoot reflects on day three of the Cheltenham Festival as Rachael Blackmore stole the show again on Allaho, while The Shunter sauntered to bonus glory.


Envoi drama before House party

In your wildest dreams, if you were going to engineer a Deal Or No Deal situation at the Cheltenham Festival, most punters would’ve picked the ENVOI ALLEN box to carry a £500,000 jackpot.

Thankfully for Betfair punter Paul Dean, he not only had the genius to place a £5 acca including 25/1 shot Bob Olinger for the Ballymore - and Envoi Allen for the Marsh Novices’ Chase - last June, but he had the nous to realise there are no certainties at the battleground that is the Cheltenham Festival.

He’ll be happy with his £250,000 partial cashout, but for connections of Envoi Allen there is only gut-wrenching disappointment.

A perfect career record of 11 wins from 11 starts came crashing to the ground at the fourth in the Marsh, where he took off half a stride too early, clipped the top, and sent Jack Kennedy thudding into the Prestbury Park turf.

Cheltenham Festival Review: Day Three

The good news is the horse was fine and lives to fight another day. Hopefully he can prove himself before the season’s end at Aintree or Punchestown, as his status as exciting novice, in a strong field of exciting novices’, remains.

His early exit was the first real anti-climax of the week, but the drama wasn’t over in the Marsh.

Unhappy with the gallop Daryl Jacob was setting aboard the front-running Fusil Raffles, Harry Skelton injected some sudden pace into the race down the back straight where he shot five or six lengths clear aboard Shan Blue.

Perhaps Wednesday’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase was on his mind. He waited and waited with Nube Negra, the target on Chacun Pour Soi’s back executed to perfection, but he didn’t account for Put The Kettle On who got the better of him in the run to the line.

Mindful of that – and Shan Blue’s proven stamina – he went for home very early here, too early, and that played into the hands of the Nicky Henderson duo of CHANTRY HOUSE and Fusil Raffles who ran much more efficiently just off the gallop.

For all the talk of Irish domination, Nicky Henderson has now won the Sporting Life Arkle with Shishkin and the Marsh with Chantry House, the latter third to the former in last year’s Sky Bet Supreme.

He shaped like a future chaser that day, but he’s been a slow burner this season. Beaten at 8/11 by Fusil Raffles and Lieutenant Rocco (what a shame that horse had to miss the Ultima) at Cheltenham in soft ground in December, he was given a low-key confidence booster at Wetherby last month and came into this hiding in the shadows cast by Envoi Allen.

It remains to be seen where he goes from here, although it was no surprise to see Henderson talking of going up in trip to sooner rather than later to three miles.

With that in mind prices range from 14/1 to 20s about the winner for the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Envoi Allen is generally 8s. The question is - which one would you rather have in your dream Deal Or No Deal box for next year’s Festival? One to think about come Royal Ascot!


Allaho pummels Ryanair rivals into submission

If the day started badly for Cheveley Park Stud it got better - much better - just over an hour later when ALLAHO put in the performance of the week so far with a bloodless Ryanair Chase success.

This had the look of a very deep renewal with Festival winners like Min, Samcro and Imperial Aura in opposition, backed up by previous runners-up at the meeting like Fakir D’oudairies, Kalashnikov and Melon, but it was last year’s RSA Chase third, Allaho, that stole the show.

He broke some highly-talented horses at an early stage with a display of sheer brute force and awesome power, charging to victory from the front after a mesmerising gallop under the crazily-talented Rachael Blackmore.

Only Min could lay up with him in the crucial part of the race and he soon cried off, with Allaho extending his dominance just when those from off the pace should’ve been getting into things.

They didn’t – and this slots right into the classics drawer of Festival performances that enthralled in this still relatively new race – right up there with Fondmort, Albertas Run, Vautour and Frodon.

Mullins has found the key to this horse now. Riding him aggressively over two and a half miles. Last year’s RSA didn’t allow him to display his true worth, in hindsight, but what of the two horses that beat him that day?

Does this boost the Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup claims of Champ and Minella Indo?

It might well do, but a certain Rachael Blackmore, for a certain Henry de Bromhead, in the red, white and blue colours of a certain Cheveley Park Stud, have a certain A PLUS TARD in the big one.

And, just like it has been all week for that particular team, it could be a case of them saying ‘see you later’ when the red-hot jockey and the improving seven-year-old go into overdrive up the famous hill on Friday.


Absolutely Shunter-ed

THE SHUNTER is one of the stories of the Festival.

After improving beyond all recognition this season, he had no less than five handicap options this week with wily trainer Emmet Mullins choosing the handicap chase option over the intermediate trip.

He escaped a penalty for his bet365 Morebattle Hurdle success by going the chasing route, landing the £100,000 bonus for winning at the Festival following on from his Kelso victory in the process, with 7lb claimer Jordan Gainsford doing the steering.

And it was steering.

Let’s not forget though that this horse was banned for 60 days last July on the back of a running and riding charge at Tipperary when finishing a hard-held fourth having not been put in the race.

Mullins was fined €6,000 and jockey Brian Hayes was banned for three weeks, as well as The Shunter being banned from racing for two months, so connections paid for the situation although they protested their innocence, citing that a respiratory noise was made down the back straight.

Freshened up by his enforced ban, a hood was applied – and eventually a tongue-tie - and he’s now won over £250,000 in prize-money since his Tipperary exercise stretch, that small fine more than made up for.

And the name of the Tipperary race? The MansionBet It’s Not Rocket Science Maiden Hurdle. It’s not for connections of The Shunter, who are now laughing all the way to the bank.


FRESH PODCASTS

Stable staff applaud The Shunter back to the winners' enclosure
LISTEN: Cornelius Lysaght rounds up day three

Our racing podcast has a Cheltenham theme until the Festival
LISTEN: Our tipping team discuss Gold Cup day fresh from seeing day three


More from Sporting Life

Like what you've read?

Next Off

Sporting Life
My Stable
Follow and track your favourite Horses, Jockeys and Trainers. Never miss a race with automated alerts.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Click HERE for more information

Most Followed

MOST READ RACING

We are committed to Safer Gambling and have a number of self-help tools to help you manage your gambling. We also work with a number of independent charitable organisations who can offer help and answers any questions you may have.
Gamble Aware LogoGamble Helpline LogoGamstop LogoGordon Moody LogoSafer Gambling Standard LogoGamban Logo18+ LogoTake Time To Think Logo