Irish set to clean up again at Cheltenham

TOO much of a good thing only lessens the sense of achievement. When something happens too often, we can get blasé about what we are seeing. Last year’s Cheltenham National Hunt Festival held behind closed doors is a case in point.

There was a time when having a winner at the Olympics of the sport in its traditional March setting in the Cotswolds was a cherished feat, especially for the Irish raiding party. Returning to the winners’ enclosure at Prestbury Park represented a special moment in time.

The Irish have always had a strong connection with the Cheltenham Festival, even through some lean years. In 1989 – the year of Desert Orchid’s landmark Gold Cup triumph – not a single Irish trained runner obliged. In both 1987 and ’88, only that redoubtable staying hurdler Galmoy prevented other whitewashes.

Granted, the festival was run over three days back then and there were only 18 races, but it was a tough period for Irish owners, trainers and horses. The powerful English yards of Nicky Henderson, Martin Pipe and David Nicholson were top of the walk.

Fast forward to 2021 and confirmation that the pendulum of power has swung so dramatically in the interim. It proved an embarrassing festival for the home brigade, winning a mere five of the 28 races over the four days. Only Henderson’s Shishkin in the Arkle Chase managed to nab a Grade One prize.

When the Irish won a remarkable 19 races at the 2017 festival, it was presumed to be a one-off, but 14 winners followed in 2019, while 17 were first past the post the following year. The stables of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott were mopping up, and the status quo was becoming something of an embarrassment for UK racing.

But last year beat the band altogether. The Irish ran riot in reaching an astonishing festival tally of 23 winners, with the feats of Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead going into racing folklore. The Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Ryanair Chase, the Stayers Hurdle and the Champion Chase – the meeting’s top five races – all crossed the Irish Sea.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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