Ireland to rule at Cheltenham
The Cheltenham Festival, the showpiece event in the UK over jumps, kicks off tomorrow and runs through to Friday, but what can we expect this week?
We can certainly expect plenty of Irish success but the increasing perception of the meeting being a needle-match between teams of horses on either side of the Irish Sea is exaggerated.
Yes, there will be daily countups, but as those who have attended or watched this celebration of jumps racing for many years will tell you, partisanship becomes almost irrelevant when certain horses are truly admired. And not many punters backing a winner this week will be too bothered about where the horse is trained.
The meeting features several Grade 1 races, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle. Large amounts of money are gambled; hundreds of millions of pounds are bet over the course of the week.
Cheltenham is noted for its atmosphere, including the "Cheltenham roar", which refers to the enormous noise the crowd generates as the starter raises the tape for the first race of the festival.
There are 28 races to bet on and the best advice on the betting front (unless you have a strong fancy in the opening race) is to set off slowly and ride a waiting race.
Tactics are equally crucial out on the track and there is a big difference between the Old Course, which has a shorter run from the top of the hill and up the home straight, compared to the New Course with a longer run to the finish.
Most of us can agree that Ruby Walsh was brilliant round both courses, but he prefers the New Course as it allows sensible riders to bide their time whereas a rush of blood on the home turn risks embarrassing failure.
So, let the festivities begin and hopefully the following will make it an extra special week.
State Man will face seven rivals as last year's Unibet Champion Hurdle runner-up bids to capitalise on Constitution Hill's absence and win at the Cheltenham Festival for the second time tomorrow.
The 2022 County Hurdle winner was joined by Colonel Mustard, Iberico Lord, Irish Point, Nemean Lion, Not So Sleepy, Zarak The Brave and Luccia in the line-up. Pied Piper, Echoes In Rain, Lossiemouth and Love Envoi were the four not declared.
Willie Mullins has a stranglehold on Day One of the meeting and perhaps most interestingly declared Gaelic Warrior alongside Il Etait Temps and Hunters Yarn for the My Pension Expert Arkle as 10 go to post for the first Grade 1 chase of the four days. Grand Annual favourite My Mate Mozzie has also been declared.
Mullins is responsible for half of the 12 who will go to post for the opening race of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with Tullyhill and Mystical Power headlining his challenge. Firefox and Slade Steel are among the opposition.
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth, another of Mullins' incredible team, will face 10 rivals as Ireland's champion trainer aims to reclaim a race he once dominated, but has not won since 2018.
The Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase will feature the smallest field of the day with just seven declared. Leading amateur rider Derek O'Connor was booked for Corbetts Cross. Embassy Gardens will be ridden by Patrick Mullins.
The Ultima Handicap Chase did not attract a full field of 24, falling one runner shy, with the Lucinda Russell-trained Apple Away switching to the National Hunt Chase.
A full field of 22 will line up for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, with the Fergal O'Brientrained Teorie the final horse to make the cut. Topweight Liari stood his ground to pin the weights at 61kg.