Ballyburn will get Irish hats flying in the air
NOTHING lights a fire in the Cheltenham crowd quite like the horse who arrives here carrying the mantle of ‘Irish Banker’. It always seems to be race one on day two — today it is called the Gallagher’s Novice Hurdle — when they are unleashed. As I write this, I’m thinking back to Danoli and Istabraq in the 1990s, Faugheen, Samcro and Envoi Allen more recently. The hairs on my neck are standing up.
Those victories — costly for the bookmakers, riotously received in the stands — sparked some of the greatest scenes in the history of this place. The course commentator has a role to play in the sporting theatre and can have the Cheltenham congregation in the palm of his hand.
This brings us to the latest renewal. Can you imagine as the field free-wheels down the hill to the third last hurdle and he exclaims: ‘Just look to the looming presence of Paul Townend! He’s poised and hasn’t moved a muscle on Ballyburn!’
The place will erupt. Ballyburn has been backed at all rates down to prohibitive odds. I don’t for a second see him being beaten and that opinion was solidified after Slade Steel — who he thrashed at Leopardstown at the start of February — won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Rachael Blackmore yesterday.
A quick word on that: we could not have asked for a better start to the meeting on ITV than seeing Rachael returning to the winner’s enclosure with a beaming smile and the only thing that bettered the day for me was interviewing Marie Donnelly, co-owner of Champion Hurdler State Man.
Marie is so full of life and it meant the world for her and her husband, Joe, to have that success. She had plenty to say and we may well hear more from her later in the week, as they will have
Sir Gino running for them in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday.
But back to today and regular readers will know I have been a fan of Ile Atlantique all winter and he can follow his stablemate home. I’m pretty sure we will see something special in the shape of Ballyburn and I hope it proves to be a race you can enjoy. Another hotpot will emerge 40 minutes later in the shape of Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Chase. In contrast, this has been a graveyard for some Irish good things like Nick Dundee, Harcon and even Gerri Colombe last year.
Fact To File could be a future Gold Cup horse but he’ll be taken out of his comfort zone in a proper renewal of this contest. I’ll say again that Monty’s Star is held in high regard by the Henry de Bromhead stable — and it’s going to be one of the races of the week.
I’ve written a lot in recent times about Harry Cobden. He’s so good and from the front he can be a magnificent sight. He and Stay Away Fay are a match made in heaven. I love this horse and hope he throws down the gauntlet to Fact To File (2.10), coming down the hill: catch me if you can.
Next up comes the 24-runner Coral Cup (2.50). There are words for everything, from Sa Majeste to Langer Dan, but the one that interests me is Shanbally Kid, having caught my eye at the Dublin Racing Festival last time. He can be competitive at odds of 16-1.
A few weeks ago the Champion Chase (3.30) looked like it might be dull with a straight match between El Fabiolo and Jonbon. That was until Edwardstone’s stunning front-running display at Newbury.
A replay of those tactics from this former Arkle winner will give you a great run for your money, not least as there are doubts about the form of Jonbon’s yard, but El Fabiolo is so good it might mean he wins even further than in a slowly run contest.
Paul Nicholls doesn’t waste runners in the Bumper (5.30). Daughter Megan doesn’t waste tips either having given me Stay Away Fay last year. She told us all at Kelso last weekend to have a few quid each-way on Quebecois.
Say no more! Ed Chamberlin is an ambassador for Sky Bet