We’re just five weeks away now from the biggest four days of horse racing all year. Yes, the Cheltenham Festival is within sight following the conclusion of the Dublin Racing Festival. Now I’m going to take aim at the big five races across the four days. Here are my predictions:
Champion Hurdle
We begin with the first of the four championship races, the Champion Hurdle, where Constitution Hill is looking to rewrite the wrong from last season, which saw him only make it to the racetrack. Once met with minor setbacks and a not so minor colic episode, last season was a write off for the seemingly invincible resident of Seven Barrows. However, this season he’s been right back on song and nearly looks assured to regain his Champion Hurdle crown. With Lossiemouth taking a heavy fall at the DRF and State Man already put in his place by Connie Hill previously, and BrighterDaysAhead, seemingly going for the Mares Hurdle.
Champion Chase
The Champion Chase also looks there for the taking for a Nicky Henderson-trained horse as he sends out his wonderfully consistent and talented operator Jonbon, who finally this season is getting all of the respect he deserves for consistently delivering the goods and picking up grade one prizes as he likes. Solness has thrown his hat into the ring, however, after proving his win at Leopardstown over Christmas was no fluke, with another grade one success back at the same venue in the Dublin Chase. At least he’ll give Jonbon a really good pace to aim at around the Old Course at Cheltenham, if nothing else.
Ryanair Chase
Now the Ryanair isn’t one of the traditional four Championship races, but is considered as one of the Big Five contests and it needs to be mentioned as this looks to be the most wide open contest of all the big ones, with plenty of horses looking to avoid a Galopin des Champs in the Gold Cup, and instead opting to drop down to the intermediate trip. Fact to file. A stablemate of the two-time Gold Cup winner now looks very likely to be dropping down a trip which has seen him made favourite for the Ryanair. He’s a very talented, very straightforward horse who could add to his festival success from last year in the Ryanair.
Stayers’ Hurdle
The Stayers’ Hurdle has long been a division you can’t not mention without a smile on your face. And this year is the same case again, with plenty of these old characters facing off once more. The reigning champion, Teahupoo looks to have this division at his mercy and still only an eight-year-old. He may well rack up a sequence of wins in the Stayers’ Hurdle now for the coming years. Home by the lee, as talented as he is, he is an enigma who doesn’t seem to like the final hill run at Cheltenham. And I wonder, if again, he might sulk this year, allowing Teahupoo to win yet another festival prize.
Gold Cup
And we finish with the big one jump racing’s blue riband event – the Gold Cup, where Galopin Des Champs, is now an even shorter-priced favourite to win a third Gold Cup. Many great horses have tried and failed in this feat. If he wins, he will join the most elite band of horses. There is Golden Miller who won five Gold Cups. Cottage rake had three wins. The great Arkle won three and the most recent was Best Mate, who completed a hat-trick in 2004. Galopin Des Champs has seemingly scared away much competition and looks to have every chance of making history himself at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
