Willie Mullins saved the best to last when saddling a remarkable 1500/1 five-timer on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The victories of Vauban (6/4 favourite), State Man (11/4 favourite), The Nice Guy (18/1), Billaway (13/8 favourite) and Elimay (9/4) gave him a record ten for the week and secured him another leading trainers' title.
Cheltenham Festival 2022 | Festival Review
Brilliant Vauban wins Triumph
Vauban ran out an impressive winner of the JCB Triumph Hurdle. He was always travelling sweetly under Paul Townend and he sauntered to the front going to the last.
He gave supporters a brief scare when getting in a bit tight there but ran away from his field from that point to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Fil Dor and Pied Power by two-and-a-half lengths.
Betfair and Paddy Power make the winner 7/1 for next year's Unibet Champion Hurdle with Sky Bet 8/1 from 12s.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Townend said: “We always said he was a work in progress and he’s improved every day and he can improve again. We hadn’t planned to be in front at the last, but that is just the way it turned out. He had a look around and I knew there was loads there when I got to the back of it.
“He’s a bit to learn, but he’s improving with every run. He’s got a very big engine. He’ll have to jump a bit slicker for a Champion Hurdle, but that can be worked out at home. He’s definitely going the right way.”
Mullins said of the Rich Ricci-owned winner: “I’m delighted with that. He was able to win even without having the experience that he should have going into that sort of race.
“You could see that when he hit the front. Paul said he was looking at everything and probably all the cameras on the landing side of the last hurdle and he just lost his impetus. But he picked up quickly again and went on like a good horse.
“You’d have to think he could be a Champion Hurdle horse and he has a great Flat rating. I think he’ll improve with age and experience and with the Flat rating he has, he’ll be good enough to contest those cup races, I think.
Vauban returns in triumph
“I’ll have a word with Rich, but I’d imagine we’ll give him his summer off and then maybe hurdle next season and go Flat racing after that.”
He went on: “Champion Hurdle winners over the years have gone back on the Flat. The Easterbys over the years have gone to Chester and places like that. Champion Hurdle winners in the previous generation went back Flat racing because they were top-class Flat horses. Those horses are not bought now because they’re bought to go to Australia and Dubai and places like that.
“I’ve got a bit of unfinished down in Australia (in the Melbourne Cup), but I don’t think it will be this year. After Punchestown I think we’ll give him a break. The Melbourne Cup is a particular itch we’d love to scratch. We’ve finished second, third and fourth in it over the years and it’s a race I’d love to win. He has the credentials for it every day of the week. He’d be as good as any of those horses (we have run in the Melbourne Cup before).”
Ricci added: “Certainly with that performance the Champion Hurdle has to be in our plans. We’ll have a chat, but I wouldn’t mind keeping him on the go a little bit. He’s lightly-raced. He’s a Listed winner on the Flat in France and he’d be a lot of fun on the Flat.”
Elliott said of his pair: “Both horses ran very well. We found it hard to split them at home and there was only a head between them at the line.
“The winner was very good and he beat us fair and square, we’ve no excuses. Both horses jumped and travelled, they had the run of the race they just got beat by a better horse on the day. They are two nice horses. Pied Piper could be a horse for Ascot on the Flat, we bought him with that in mind. Fil Dor could jump a fence. I’m very proud of both, they both got great rides. We are hitting the bar a lot, but we’ve two on the board so I’m not going to complain.”
State Man comes out on top in the County
State delivers double
State Man completed a quick double for Townend when powering up the hill to land a competitive renewal of the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle.
The inexperienced five-year-old, who fell in a maiden hurdle at Christmas and gained his first success in a Limerick maiden last month, was sent off the 11/4 favourite. His rider was cool under pressure, making stealthy headway down the hill and being produced between the last two flights of hurdles.
There was still work to do to wear down Eclair De Beaufeu, who was always up with the pace, and Colonel Mustard, who approached the last in front. Yet State Man grabbed the stands rail, as Townend had done in the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle with Vauban, and jumped the last flight on a good stride.
He soon forged a length and a quarter clear and held that advantage to the line, defying the staying-on First Street, and Colonel Mustard who was a length and three-quarters back in third. The first three, all novices, had West Cork, who also stayed on nicely up the hill, a further two and a quarter-lengths behind in fourth.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
“He did well to win and I hope he can brush up his jumping,” said Mullins. “He’s a horse for the Flat, and while maybe not this season certainly next. Now I am thinking the Grade One at Punchestown as the next step. He’s a lovely horse with a lot of ability that will do both jobs.”
It's Billaway at last
Billaway produced a devastating late finish to snatch victory in the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase.
The 10-year-old got up in the shadow of the post in the hands of his son Patrick to deny Winged Leader.
Billaway made it third time lucky in this race after being second in the last two runnings – but it looked unlikely as Winged Leader led into the straight after overpowering Mighty Stowaway.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Winged Leader jumped the last several lengths clear, but he could not quite last home as Billaway (13-8 favourite) came from the clouds to snatch the spoils by a neck. Mighty Stowaway was 12 lengths away in third place.
Mullins said: “Patrick kidded Billaway around there and the aim has been to win this race with him for three years. He’s come close twice and now he’s done it. Patrick never gave up and it’s unfortunate for David Christie (trainer of Winged Love) as it would have been a huge victory for him. As much as I love winning, I’m sorry for David because I know what it’s like losing in the last stride and it’s his Gold Cup as a big pointing man.
“We went for the cheekpieces as he’s idle. I’m delighted for Patrick and John and Michelle Turner (owners), it’s a race we’ve both been desperate to win. Although it might cost John a bit to fill the trophy as it’s the biggest one of them all!”
Billaway on his way to victory
Nice treble for Mullins
THE NICE GUY, tipped by Matt Brocklebank in his Value Bet column, led home a one-two for the yard in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Carrying the Malcolm Denmark silks of Monsignor, Sean O'Keeffe was always sitting pretty aboard the unbeaten seven-year-old, his only moment of concern when runner-up Minella Cocooner tightened him up going to the last.
However once switched the 18/1 chance soon had his measure and powered up the hill to score by five lengths.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Mullins said: “Minella Cocooner must have a huge engine to make those mistakes and still be there at the finish. What a ride from Sean, he rode Galopin Des Champs last year here for me, he’s an up-and-coming rider, he’s very cool. I think he’s someone who is going to come through the ranks, it’s always nice to have those, but Paul will be around for a while yet.
“Things can’t have gone to plan for the winner as the plan was to be in the first six or eight, but he obviously wasn’t quick enough to do that and he just dropped him in and crept his way around. That’s the good thing about fellows like that, they have the ability to change tactics. I like that sort of confidence.
“The horse shows nothing at home. I almost told Malcolm to sell him, but he said to give him a run and he won. He was going to go chasing but it was too late in the season so we ran him again and he won his second bumper, we then gave him a run in his hurdle and here we are today, he keeps improving all the time.”
The Nice Guy jumps to the front in the Albert Bartlett
Elimay completes the five
Mullins capped an amazing day as Elimay grabbed the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase on the line.
The Grade Two affair produced a thrilling finish with four in contention, but it was 9-4 chance Elimay who just edged ahead of Scarlet And Dove and Pink Legend.
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Log in with your existing Sporting Life, Sky Bet, or Sky Games account. If you don't have any of those, it's completely FREE to register!
Assistant trainer David Casey, giving his boss a rare race off press duties, said: “I thought we had lots of good chances and the horses have run brilliant all week. Everybody knows racing isn’t easy, we lost Brandy Love on the morning of her race, so it’s great for the team at home when it goes well.
“Elimay isn’t big but she’s really tough and stays really well. She didn’t help Mark much, but she is small. It was just her toughness that did it for her in the end.”
Elimay returns in triumph
Joseph completes clean sweep for Ireland
Mullins didn't manage to win the final race on Gold Cup day but Joseph O'Brien ensured it was a clean seep for Ireland as Banbridge won the closing Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.
It was a battle between him and Cobblers Dream after the last but it was Banbridge who proved too strong under Mark McDonagh.
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.
