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Parade of 13 Cheltenham Festival Winners

Ireland’s record-breaking 13 winners from last month's Cheltenham festival paraded on Easter Sunday. The owners, trainers, jockeys and grooms received special presentations by Fairyhouse Racecourse and Horse Racing Ireland to mark their unprecedented achievements.  

Hurricane Fly (Champion Hurdle Grade 1)
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Owner: George Creighton & Rose Boyd
Hurricane Fly had long been touted as a potential Champion Hurdler but missing out on the previous two festivals through injury left an element of doubt as to how he would handle the quirks of the Cheltenham track. His clear superiority over his Irish rivals also caused some observers to play down his prospects. And then there was the fact that his sire, Montjeu, had never had a winner at Prestbury Park. The naysayers were made to look foolish on March 15 as he got the Irish onslaught underway in thrilling fashion.

A Listed winner on the flat in Saint-Cloud, Hurricane Fly had his first run for Willie Mullins when winning a maiden hurdle at Punchestown in May 2008. Two Grade 1 pots followed but a setback meant that he wasn’t seen on the track again until the end of April, when he won the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

By the time he returned to Punchestown the following year, he had only run once, but it didn’t stop him taking the Champion Hurdle at the Irish festival. In the process, Hurricane Fly started a winning streak that is now at five-in-a-row. Indeed, he has only been beaten twice from 12 runs over hurdles, and never out of the first three.

This year’s campaign began with success in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and two comfortable wins in the December Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle followed before Cheltenham, where he secured his eighth Grade 1 victory. Although a little keen early on, Hurricane Fly gradually made headway to track the leaders. He was travelling ominously turning into the home straight and when Ruby Walsh asked the question, he provided all the answers, showing speed and stamina to hold off Peddlars Cross.

It was Willie Mullins’ first success in a race won by his late father Paddy with the great mare Dawn Run in 1984 but with such a talented performer housed in Closutton, it might not be his last.

Sizing Australia (Cross Country Chase)
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts
It was a fairytale week for the Irish and this owner-trainer-jockey combination were front and centre, providing two of the 13 winners. Ann & Alan Potts cheered to the rafters when Sizing Australia held off the fast-finishing standing dish, Garde Champetre, for a rare non-JP McManus success in the Cross Country Chase.
Twice placed in bumpers as a four-year-old, Sizing Australia shed his maiden tag at just the second attempt in November 2006 with nine lengths in hand. That race was over 2m6f on soft ground so it was evident at that stage that he would be pursuing staying contests. He didn’t win for almost another four years though, when finally doing the honours in a beginners’ chase at Thurles in October. To his credit, he had been second six times, including running Albertas Run to 1¼ lengths in a novice chase at Cheltenham in November 2007.
It was the decision to aim Sizing Australia at the cross-country events that really lit him though. He was second and third to Garde Champetre in November and December of 2009 at Cheltenham, and though disappointing at last year’s festival, returned to the track to be third again last November.
This time, made no mistake, racing handily throughout and actually taking up the lead at the 22nd of 32 obstacles. And there he remained, despite making a mistake at the 25th. The expected challenge arrived from the gallant Garde Champetre turning for home but Sizing Australia stayed every inch of the 3m7f to assert his superiority and still have 1¼l in hand.

Quevega (Mares’ Hurdle)
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Owner: Hammer & Trowel Syndicate
Prior to this race, Ruby Walsh had said that he wished it was the meeting opener every year as it would mean he would have the pressure of riding the winner removed from him early on. That’s how much of a certainty he rated this super mare and she certainly didn’t disappoint, giving the Kildare pilot his third winner of a sensational first day, and trainer Willie Mullins his second, with a bloodless success.

Another French import, Quevega followed three successive wins on the level in her homeland with two more in Ireland in 2008. Firm ground was at the root of a poor performance in the Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown but she was much better when third in a Grade 1 event in Auteuil, just two lengths behind stablemate Hurricane Fly. She did not return until the middle of February when winning a conditions hurdle at Punchestown handily before claiming her first Mares’ Hurdle with 14 lengths to spare. A brilliant third in the Irish Champion Hurdle followed before she finished ninth in Auteuil.

Having suffered a setback, the Hammer & Trowel Syndicate’s charge did not return to the race track until the following March but in a testament to her ability and that of Mullins, she was still able to beat Carole’s Legacy by four-and-a-half lengths to claim her second Mares’ Hurdle. An impressive success in the World Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown over Bensalem, Mourad and Noble Prince followed before Mullins once again decided to leave her fresh for Cheltenham.
Thus, once again, the remarkable seven-year-old arrived without a prep run but in peak condition nonetheless. She confirmed this when travelling supremely throughout. Walsh held her up early on before making effortless ground approaching the third last. She hit the front after the second last, winning by 10 lengths hard-held in a performance that was probably even more eye-popping than in 2009, given that Walsh wouldn’t even have had to shower after it. They may soon have to rename it The David Nicholson Quevega Hurdle.

Chicago Grey (NH Chase Challenge Cup)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Mr Derek O’Connor
Owner: John Earls
John Earls and his friends certainly know how to celebrate and they didn’t hold back when Chicago Grey won the NH Chase Challenge Cup on Cheltenham’s second day.
With a best finish of third from three bumpers, Chicago Grey was just pipped a short head in his first hurdle in Fairyhouse in November 2008. He finally shed his maiden tag in one of Gordon Elliott’s Perth raids with 10 lengths to spare and two more successes followed in Thurles, including defeating Mourad in a listed event. After failing to trouble the judges at Cheltenham and Fairyhouse, he was sent chasing.

Despite being a well-beaten third in his debut at Perth last July, Chicago Grey really took to the bigger obstacles, winning three of his next five outings, including a powerful staying performance at Cheltenham in October. He proved his liking for the track when looking the likely winner the following month before falling at the second last and then returning in December to finish second to Time For Rupert.

The Grade 1 Fort Leney Chase proved a step too far over Christmas but the better ground and four miles of turf at the foot of the Cotswolds did the trick in the Challenge Cup. With one of the best point-to-point riders ever on his back in Derek O’Connor, Chicago Grey was waited with before starting to make his move at the 19th of 25 fences. He was tracking the leaders by the third last before finding a gap up to inner to challenge two out and win readily by four and a half lengths, giving O’Connor and Elliott their first ever festival successes. It wouldn’t be their last. For the owner and his connections, the party is probably still going on and knowing their generosity, everyone’s invited.

First Lieutenant (2m5f Novices’ Hurdle Grade 1)
Trainer: Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris
Jockey: Davy Russell
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
First Lieutenant has always highly rated by ‘Mouse’ Morris and when you’ve trained champions of the calibre of War Of Attrition and Buck House, you know what you’re talking about.
The son of Presenting won a point-to-point at Kilfeacle in January 2010 before romping to victory in a Gowran bumper two months later. He was fourth in a 30-runner hurdle in Navan before winning a 23-runner contest at Punchestown in October. After that, he was third in Fairyhouse when odds on favourite but stumbled and lost his action in the ground that was so heavy, racing was abandoned later on.

After showing his true form with a battling neck defeat of Zaidpour in the Grade 1 Champion Novices’ Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29, he was always likely to give a good account of himself in Cheltenham given the good ground on which he thrives. He showed plenty of courage and determination as Davy Russell chased him along from two out and though he was very tight for space at the final hurdle, he jumped it well and rallied gamely to make up the two lengths on Rock On Ruby, putting a short head with that in the final stride.

Bostons Angel (RSA Chase Grade 1)
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Jockey: Robert Power
Owner: EAP Scouller
Around 40 minutes after Oscars Well stumbled after the last flight when leading the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle, the Jessica Harrington-Robert Power combination were transported from agony to ecstasy when Bostons Angel jumped like a dream and stayed on stoutly to win the RSA Chase. It was the horse’s third Grade 1 success of the season, Harrington’s seventh festival winner and a first for Power, who had missed out on Newmill’s Champion Chase in 2006 with a broken ankle.

Bostons Angel 2on his bumper at the fourth attempt at Down Royal on St Patrick’s Day 2009 – just a day shy of two years before taking the festival by storm. He showed plenty of ability over hurdles, winning three out of five before being pulled up when never travelling in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last year.

Although not of the biggest stature, Bostons Angel really found his calling over fences. He stayed on to be an eye-catching in a good beginners’ event at Punchestown in October before justifying the odds with plenty to spare at Down Royal. The ease of that success seems uncharacteristic in that he clearly likes to do just enough as shown by his last three wins which came following a disappointing effort in the Drinmore Chase.

Two Grade 1s – the Fort Leney and Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chases – were pocketed with 3/4 of a length and a head respectively to spare but it was his jumping and stamina that were notable. Those successes came on heavy surfaces but Bostons Angel was even better on good ground, with 19 fences to jump over three miles around Cheltenham. Unconsidered at 16/1 despite his two Grade 1s, he travelled well and tracked the leaders before taking greater prominence and then being left in the lead three out by Quel Esprit’s fall. He was actually passed at the second last by Jessie’s Dream but imposed himself again approaching the last to establish a crucial advantage. He then began to idle, allowing Jessie’s Dream to close again but at the line it was Bostons Angel who had the vital neck in hand, leaving connections delirious and dreaming of next season.

Sizing Europe (Champion Chase Grade 1)
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Jockey: Andrew Lynch
Owner: Ann & Alan Potts
Henry De Bromhead and Andrew Lynch have both been seen at their best in their handling of this supremely talented individual, who provide them, and the owners Ann & Alan Potts with their second success of the festival. The image of Sizing Europe tanking into the straight when favourite for the Champion Hurdle in 2008 was almost mind-blowing but certainly the manner in which he stopped almost to a walk was. It was a blow to everyone involved but patience and clever handling brought the best out the Pistolet Bleu product once more.

Having won a bumper and maiden hurdle, it was Sizing Europe’s defeat of Big Zeb at the Punchestown festival in 2008 that marked him out as a real prospect. That view was confirmed when he garnered the Greatwood Hurdle (Grade 3) at Cheltenham in November. He absolutely romped to victory in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the end of January before the Cheltenham horror that left him a shadow of his former self.

Sizing Europe never rediscovered his form over hurdles but improved significantly over fences, winning five in a row including a Grade 3, Grade 2 and two Grade 1s, the last being a stunning Arkle success back at the Cheltenham festival. After being beaten into third at Punchestown, he had a break before being tried over three miles and there were good runs behind China Rock and Kauto Star before an aborted attempt at the King George. With the weather having played havoc with those plans, De Bromhead decided that he no longer had time to experiment and returned to the two-mile route.

Although well beaten by Golden Silver at Punchestown at the end of January, connections were always confident that he would strip fitter when it counted and would also relish the return to Cheltenham. And they weren’t disappointed as the Sizing Europe repeated his Punchestown defeat of Big Zeb, the reigning kingpin, in the Champion Chase. And he did it the hard way, Lynch judging the pace perfectly to either lead or be very close up from flag fall. The pair kicked for home after the second last before scooting up the hill and turning a half a length advantage over Big Zeb to five at the winning post.

Carlito Brigante (Coral Cup)
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Davy Russell
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
A winner of one of his 14 races on the flat, in Leopardstown on June 4 2008, Carlito Brigante only took two hurdles to get off the mark. Indeed it was his first race under the tutelage of Gordon Elliott, having run once over flights for Claire McMahon, after being trained on the level by David Wachman.

He was 20/1 when winning a juvenile novices’ hurdle at Musselburgh in November 2009 and the same price when thrashing the field in a Grade 2 contest at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day. There was another success at Musselburgh before he was sent of favourite in the Triumph Hurdle but just couldn’t go with the pace at the vital juncture although his fourth-place finish was still a good one. He finished the campaign with a second in the Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown.

After an impressive warm-up at Dundalk, where he finished second, Carlito Brigante had his Punchestown conqueror Barizan behind him when winning in Haydock. A disappointing run in Cheltenham followed before he was beaten in a muddling two-runner contest at Fairyhouse.

That was why he was as big as 16/1 for the Coral Cup but the 2m 5f seemed right down his alley as he was able to lie up with the pace most of the time, making his move into second approaching the second last. He was always in command and hit the front before the last. He was a length clear when For Non Stop went crashing, but had the contest in the bag by that stage and ultimately had six lengths in hand.

A subsequent fourth in the Liverpool Hurdle suggests that he may well be aimed at the big staying contests next year, if not turning his attentions to chasing.

What A Charm (Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle)
Trainer: Arthur Moore
Jockey: Paul Townend
Owner: C Jones
Everyone was pleased to see Arthur Moore back in the winners’ circle at Cheltenham, having been there in the past with Klairon Davis, Fadoudal Du Cochet and Tiger Cry in the past, not to mention being witness to many of his father Dan’s massive successes in Gold Cups with L’Escargot and Tied Cottage. It was a first winner too for young pilot Paul Townend and you wouldn’t be sticking your neck out by saying that it won’t be his last.

What A Charm’s flat form always suggested that if she took to hurdles, she would be a fine prospect. Trained by John Oxx, she made a promising two-year-old debut when third in a Cork maiden in August 2009. Two months later, she won her maiden before finishing second in a listed race in Leopardstown. A few more reasonable efforts in listed races followed before she finished second in the Irish Cesarewitch at The Curragh last September. She followed this up by bagging the prestigious Leopardstown November Handicap by four and a half lengths.

Her hurdling education began in Leopardstown in December and there was a much improved performance at the same track when fifth of 21 the next month. She sank in the heavy going at Fairyhouse in February but remained well fancied for the Fred Winter because of the good ground and the fact that her astute handler had her running off a very good mark of 10-6. In the end, the 15lbs she had on Kumbeshwar made all the difference as she held on under pressure to win by a neck. She clearly relished the conditions though and after travelling in mid-division, made steady progress to stalk the leaders three out before showing plenty of speed and fortitude to chase them down, hit the front approaching the last and take the honours under a strong Townend drive.

Noble Prince (Jewson Novices’ Chase)
Trainer: Paul Nolan
Jockey: AP McCoy
Owner: Des Sharkey
When Noble Prince came home a fairly comfortable victor by four lengths in the Jewson, it was a sixth consecutive Irish winner on the third day of the Cheltenham festival. It also equalled the Irish record of 10 winners, with the bumper and another day’s racing to go. We were living in dream world.

Trained by Andre Fabre on the flat, Noble Prince didn’t get his career under way until May 2007, when he was three. He made up for lost time though, running seven times and only being out of the first two once. He won twice, including a listed race before being touched off by three quarters of a length by odds-on stablemate Coastal Path the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay. The following season he was placed in Group 3 and Group 2 affairs before finishing last of 11 runners when 7/10 favourite for the Group 1 Prix du Cadran in Longchamp.

By December, the German-bred was making his Irish debut in Leopardstown. It wasn’t until his third run, in Gowran Park on April 1, that he showed himself to be a talent over sticks, winning a 20 runner event by 11 lengths. The Montjeu offspring was a very good second at the Punchestown festival later that month, before going on to win two more good contests. There were plenty of competitive runs in graded races after, including a close enough fifth in the County Hurdle in March 2010.

Noble Prince has been even better as a chaser though, winning his opening event at Punchestown again before going under by five lengths and a short head respectively to Realt Dubh in two Grade 1 novice chases. The expectation was that Paul Nolan’s charge would relish Cheltenham’s good ground and that was the case. AP McCoy was on board for the first time, joining an illustrious list of jockeys to have ridden the horse that is completed by Stephane Pasquier, Christophe Soumillon, Kieren Fallon, Johnny Murtagh, Pat Smullen, Paddy Flood, Alain Cawley, Paul Carberry and Barry Geraghty.

McCoy tracked the leaders throughout and though Noble Prince made a couple of mistakes, continued to travel well. When the Ulsterman set about his partner in typical style, he found a very satisfying response as Noble Prince kicked on to challenge at the last and then pull away readily.

Final Approach (Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle)
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Ruby Walsh
Owner: Douglas Taylor
Final Approach provided Ruby Walsh with yet another winner on his way to becoming the festival’s top jockey once again, but the duo couldn’t have left it any later, pouncing right on the line.
Final Approach was very consistent on the flat for Kevin Prendergast and although he only won once – a one mile maiden by a head at The Curragh – he was second twice, including being touched off by a head three times. Having been denied so agonisingly so often, it was justice that he came on the right side of a close one at Cheltenham.

After winning his maiden hurdle by an easy nine lengths at Downpatrick in March, Final Approach finished third at Punchestown the following month. Two uninspiring efforts in Premier Handicaps followed before he returned to hurdles with a fair effort in Fairyhouse in December. He came first of 26 at Leopardstown in January which set him up perfectly for this contest.

Not everything went smoothly however and a mistake at the first saw him shuffled back to the rear of the pack. Walsh was looking for effort after the third last but once they cleared the second last, Final Approach began to fly up the famous hill, thriving in the challenge of the steep climb. With Walsh throwing everything at him, Final Approach continued to find at an amazing rate, his head bobbing by a nose in front of Get Me Out Of Here’s to take a thrilling success.

Zemsky (Foxhunters’ Chase)
Trainer: Ian Ferguson
Jockey: Mr Derek O’Connor
Owner: RA Bartlett
Zemsky won a maiden point-to-point at Loughanmore in March 2008 before claiming his winner-of-one. After being placed in his next three contests – a hunters’ chase and two more points – he became a Nicky Henderson charge and quickly bagged two novice hurdles at Plumpton and Perth in the spring of 2009. After failing to win a beginners’ chase – he was second twice in four attempts – he returned to Ian Ferguson and the Irish point-to-point circuit. He won an open event at Limerick before Derek O’Connor partnered him for the first time to be victorious in Loughrea. There were a couple of disappointments after that but Zemsky justified the 4/6 odds when scooting to a seven-length win in a Musselburgh hunters’ chase.

That was a long way from the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham though and Zemsky went off at 33/1. Ridden in customary patient fashion by O’Connor, even after he was hampered at the ninth, Zemsky made steady headway on the final circuit and was in second, tracking Baby Run from the third last. He looked to be travelling better than last year’s winner and the subsequent Aintree victor when Baby Run flung Willie Twiston-Davies out of the plate at the second last. Certainly, Zemsky had plenty in the locker and though he drifted after the last, he still won by 17 lengths to give O’Connor his second success of the festival, having waited so long to notch up one, and Ferguson his first.

Sir Des Champs (Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle)
Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Emmet Mullins
Owner: Gigginstown House Stud
Sir Des Champs justified favouritism when coming from the clouds to win the conditional jockeys’ event, giving Emmet Mullins his first success of the festival. His Uncle Willie is a veteran of Cheltenham in March of course and this was his fourth success of this renewal alone, cementing him as top trainer. It was Gigginstown House Stud’s third, which meant that Michael O’Leary was collecting the leading owner prize. With Ruby Walsh having romped to the leading jockey title and this setting the new record for Irish winners at 13, it was a never-to-be-forgotten year for racing on this island.

Sir Des Champs didn’t really show a lot when finally making the track as a three-year-old and after finishing last of six early the following year, his attentions were turned to hurdling with instant success, as he won a 17-runner newcomers’ hurdle at Auteuil. That was enough to attract Willie Mullins and O’Leary and they held onto their charge until January, when winning at Navan without being extended at all.

That was impressive and having worked well at home, there was a lot of confidence that Sir Des Champs would overcome his inexperience to take the honours in what is always a trappy affair. The pace was electric early on and Sir Des Champs struggled with it in the rear. Mullins kept his horse balanced well though and timed his run well when beginning to make head way two out as the leaders began to fade. The French-bred really sprouted wings after tackling the last and won by a half a length in the end, despite only passing Son Of Flicka 20 yards from the winning post.