HIGH HOP ES AND LOW ATTENDANCES
Brian Flanagan picks his best and worst moments from an incredible four days in the Cotswolds.
Not easy to pick, but we’ll go for the turners’ Novice Chase won by Grey Dawning — a rare Grade 1 here that resulted in an English 1,2,3.
His epic duel with Ginny Destiny saw the pair jump immaculately throughout and by the time they sprinted down the hill, nothing in behind was getting to them.
Harry Skelton got two more spectacular leaps out of gallant grey and just outlasted his old rival, for a first success at the top level.
BEST RIDE
It was apt that what was probably the best ride of the week came in the race where Paul townend wrestled the leading jockey’s prize away from Harry Skelton.
townend’s perfectly-timed challenge on abdurde saw him collar the Skelton-mount L’eau Du Sud in the dying strides and take him to an unassailable lead to win the leading jockey’s award here for a fourth time.
MOTHER OF ALL SHOCKS
after wins for Ballyburn and fact to file in wednesday’s two opening races the final leg of another willie Mullins Grade 1 treble looked a formality with El fabiolo sent off at odds of 2-9 for the Champion Chase.
However, just four fences in he made a terrible mistake which forced jockey Paul townend to immediately pull him up, leaving the door open for Captain Guinness to capture an unlikely success for Henry De Bromhead and rachael Blackmore.
BOOKIES’ RELIEF
THE Mares’ Novice Hurdle looked like a match between Brighterdaysahead (5-6f) and Jade De Grugy (2-1) but up stepped the unheralded Golden ace for littleknown English trainer Jeremy Scott to mug the pair.
the filly was officially 19 lbs inferior to her Irish rivals and was a stone wrong on the day but she provided bookmakers with massive relief for a shock win.
BIGGEST CONCERN
No doubt the most worrying thing this week has been the alarming fall in attendances.
wednesday’s crowd of 46,771 was the lowest in 15 years while tuesday and thursday were well down on 2023 and hugely down on 2022.
Yesterday's Gold Cup day was much busier but Jockey Club bosses are sure to face a grilling in the coming days and weeks — with ticket prices and dilution of some of the races put forward as being the chief reason for the slide.
the Irish contingent looked to be smaller this year and town was certainly quieter.
MUDDY HELL
THE action on the track has been brilliant here all week but off the track it’s been chaotic.
Car-parking problems besieged the last four days, with punters facing bedlam on attempting to leave with some reporting to having been stranded for hours.
the rain turned the fields into a bog and at £30 per vehicle, punters were incensed.
WORST MOMENT
two HORSES sadly lost their lives here on tuesday but the most poignant of the pair was Highland Hunter, who died after collapsing in the Ultima Chase.
He was the favourite horse of the recently-deceased Keegan Kirkby, who was killed in a point-to-point earlier this year, and incredibly led his funeral procession through the village of Ditcheat less than a fortnight ago.
It was a heartbreaking loss and the low point of the festival.
TONDERFUL WILLIE
THE week belonged to willie Mullins and the notching of his festival century of winners was a special moment with his son Patrick winning wednesday’s bumper on Jasmin De Vaux.
the crowd was small but most stayed around to salute the uncrowned king of the Cotswolds who has achieved something that no-one ever dreamed could be done.