To say the 2019 Cheltenham Festival was bizarre, topsyturvy, chaotic yet wonderful would still not be doing it justice.
There seemed three certainties in that Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins would train hatfuls of winners and Davy Russell would partner at least one into the winner’s enclosure.
In reality Willie Mullins won the first two races then had 31 beaten horses before the awful Mares, Novice Hurdle, two full days later which he won with a 50/1 shot from his seven runners! Then between that winner and a horse even he thought of as his least chance of winning the Gold Cup he ran up another 16 losers before Al Boum Photo finished off with another five of his all failing to make the frame.
I think it fair to say that Gordon Elliott was badly out of form at Cheltenham, too, drawing an unaccustomed blank on day one. Apart from the brilliant Tiger Roll in the Cross Country and the impressive Envoi Allen in the Bumper, he scored in just one handicap with 42 losers, including favourites and other well-fancied types.
Davy Russell, with at least one winner every year since 2006, came home empty-handed while on the training front Nigel Twiston-Davies, Colin Tizzard, Gordon McCain, David Pipe, Alan King, and Jonjo O’Neill couldn’t muster a single winner between them. A closer look reveals that O’Neill, McCain, and Pipe fielded just nine runners between them. With all of this, “bizarre” barely comes close.
Perhaps the strangest thing of the first day was the Champion Hurdle. Billed almost exclusively as a three-horse race between Buveur D’Air, Apples Jade and Laurina, what price could you have gotten on none of them making the first three home?!
To top it, the winner was a five-year-old. The last from that age group to win was Katchit 21 years earlier and he never won another race, yet Espoir D’Allen won by a record-breaking margin, smashing Istabraq’s previous record.
This story is from the March 2020 edition of Racing Ahead.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2020 edition of Racing Ahead.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
LOOKING BRIGHT FOR IRISH STARS
Karl Hedley reports as jumps challengers pile on the heat across the water
WELL SET TO STEP AHEAD
Ben Morgan has ten warming prospects to follow in the coming weeks
CUE FOR MANY A CELEBRATION
Graham Buddry recalls the life and times of jumps legend Cue Card
KID KAN DOO FOR NICHOLLS
Paul Jacobs casts a close eye over leading picks for this month's big races
TWISTER RUNS MASTER CLASS
John Anthony watches Nigel Twiston-Davies' star catch time judges' eye
NO LEAVES ON LINE TO SLOW THESE FLYERS
Simon Nott enjoys a West Country Weekend catching up with ring pals
EXPECTATIONS SOAR AT RIDGE
Nick Townsend talks to rising Newmarket training star James Owen
KID KAN DOO FOR NICHOLLS
Paul Jacobs casts a close eye over leading picks for this month's big races
NORMA'S COLOURS ARE FLYING PROUD
Robert Cooper sees Percy Willis and Kaadam grace white and green spots and red cap
CHIANTI FLOWS AS NEW LION GROWLS
Prior to the National Hunt season 'proper' getting underway at Chepstow the question on many people's lips was whether or not Willie Mullins would target a second consecutive British trainers' title.