It has been a difficult few weeks for racing. The picture of Gordon Elliott sitting on a dead horse, and the ensuing fallout, has dragged the game’s name through the mud.
This week the eyes of the world will be on racing again - but for the right reasons - as the 2021 Cheltenham Festival takes centre-stage.
Images from last year’s Festival seem like they’re beamed from another world. Thousands flooded through the turnstiles, despite the Covid-19 pandemic which was starting to grip the UK and Ireland.
Rightly or wrongly, it was the last time people gathered on mass to watch sport. The last time we heard the roar and saw the throb of the crowd.
This week there will be no fans present, with the Prestbury Park gates firmly shut. Fields will also be smaller, with Covid and Brexit combining to trim the numbers.
It will be strange - but it’s still Cheltenham. A lot of sport seems forced at the moment - a relentless feed of football and rugby matches blurring into one as the weeks slowly pass.
But Cheltenham stands alone. For fans of racing it’s the highlight of the year. For critics of the sport, it’s a chance to score points. For the casual observer it’s something to watch, maybe parting with a few quid along the way.
Fans or no fans, the competition will be absorbing. The greatest names in the national hunt game will be lining up over four gripping days - there might not be a roar, but it won’t be quiet.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Festival.
What is it?
The 2021 Cheltenham Festival - 28 races spread over four days.
When is it?
The tape drops on Tuesday, March 16th. They past the post on Friday, March 19th.
Where is it?
Prestbury Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK.
How can I follow it?
Working from home has never felt so good, with both Virgin Media One and ITV broadcasting all the action. Traditionally they are restricted to five races per day but this year, with spectators locked out, they will be showing six of the seven races Tuesday through to Friday. Coverage on Tuesday starts at 1pm, running until 4.30pm.
You will also be able to follow it all - including the final race of each day - via the Irish Times liveblog.
Can I go?
See you there next year.
What’s the latest going?
As of Monday morning the going has been changed to soft, good to soft in places after an unexpected 10mm of rain on Sunday night.
How’s the weather looking?
Apart from a bit of light rain early in the piece on Tuesday, a fairly dry week looks to be in store, which should see the ground firm up as the week progresses.
What’s the full schedule?
There’s a slight change to the cards this year, with the addition of a Mares’ Chase on Friday. This means the Grand Annual has been moved to the Wednesday. Your races are as follows. . .
Tuesday March 16th
1.20 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
1.55 Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
2.30 Ultima Handicap Chase
3.05 Unibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
3.40 Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1)
4.15 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
4.50 National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Chase
Wednesday March 17th
1.20 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
1.55 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
2.30 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
3.05 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
3.40 Glenfarclas Chase (Crosscountry)
4.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
4.50 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1)
Thursday March 18th
1.20 Marsh Novices' Chase (Grade 1)
1.55 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
2.30 Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
3.05 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)
3.40 Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase
4.15 Parnell Properties Mares' Novices' Hurdle
4.50 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Friday March 19th
1.20 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
1.55 McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle
2.30 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
3.05 WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup (Grade 1)
3.40 St James's Place Foxhunter Chase
4.15 Mrs Paddy Powers Mares' Chase
4.50 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
How’s the Irish challenge looking?
Smaller than usual, but no less potent. As Brian O'Connor has written this week, only 166 key personnel will be travelling from Ireland to the Festival due to Covid-19 restrictions, and they will be kept inside a bio-secure Irish bubble throughout. But despite the numbers being smaller, still expect plenty of winners. Out of the 14 Grade One races this week, 12 of the favourites are all currently Irish, including some of the week's 'bankers' - Monkfish and Envoi Allen in particular.
Willie Mullins has an enviable hand and looks a shoo-in to end the week as leading trainer, with Paul Townend nicely placed to follow suit as top jockey. One Irish trainer who will be conspicuous by his absence is Gordon Elliott, after that grim picture on him sitting on a dead horse - later identified as Morgan - circulated on social media and made headlines around the world.
Denise Foster
Following Elliott’s ban from racing - 12 months, six suspended - Denise Foster has taken over Elliott’s licence at Cullentra House, and she saddles a strong team at Prestbury Park. A number of horses have left the Co Meath operation however, perhaps most eye-catchingly those belonging to Cheveley Park Stud, who have been switched to Henry De Bromhead’s yard. Among those now with De Bromhead is Envoi Allen, a big coup for the Co Waterford trainer despite the circumstances.
Prices for leading trainer
Willie Mullins 1-5
Henry De Bromhead 7-1
Nicky Henderson 10-1
Denise Foster 12-1
Dan Skelton 33-1
Paul Nicholls 33-1
Colin Tizzard 66-1
Prices for top jockey
Paul Townend 2-5
Jack Kennedy 9-2
Rachael Blackmore 10-1
Nico De Boinville 12-1
Mark Walsh 16-1
Aidan Coleman 20-1
BAR 25-1
Prestbury Cup
Ireland were responsible for 16 winners last year - including seven apiece for Willie Mullins and Elliott. It’s odds on for a similar result in 2021.
Ireland 2-7
Britain 4-1
Draw 10-1
Bidding to match Best Mate
Al Boum Photo is a warm favourite to win complete a hat-trick of Gold Cup wins on Friday - emulating Best Mate in the process (2002, 2003, 2004). Yet while the nine-year-old is on the cusp of making history, he doesn't really have the status of people's champion like he deserves.
The same could be said of his jockey Paul Townend, who perhaps doesn't get the national acclaim of some of his colleagues, despite a fantastic record both at home and at the big UK Festivals over recent years. You can read Malachy Clerkin's brilliant profile of racing's quiet man HERE.
Daily highlights
Day One
The 2021 Festival will get underway with a Supreme like no other - not only will there be no famous roar but there will be just eight runners in the field, which is the lowest on record. Willie Mullins has the hot favourite in Appreciate It - last year’s Champion Bumper second is unbeaten over hurdles since and is available at around 11-8.
The opener is followed by the Arkle - with another small field of six - in which last year’s Supreme winner Shishkin is an odds-on favourite (1-2) to land his second Festival win. Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old was expected to face a stiff challenge in the shape of Energumene but the Irish raider was ruled out last week meaning front-running Allmankind (4-1) is likely to pose the biggest danger to the favourite.
Tuesday’s feature is a mouth-watering renewal of the Champion Hurdle, with the dream team - Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore - currently leading the market. Honeysuckle (9-4) won last year’s Mares’ Hurdle and her two runs this season have been jaw-dropping, including a 10-length win in the Irish Champion Hurdle in February. Her jumping has been slick and the seven pound mares’ allowance furthers her claims.
Epatante (7-2) also receives 7lbs from the boys, and she is bidding to retain her crown after a disappointing showing at Kempton on Stephen’s Day. And there’s also Goshen (4-1) to consider - Gary Moore’s star remains a bit of an enigma. We still don’t know just how good he can be, and he would have romped last year’s Triumph Hurdle but for a fall at the last. Contenders outside the front three include Abacadabras (7-1), Sharjah (10-1) and Silver Streak (12-1) - it’s shaping up to be arguably the race of the week.
After the Champion Hurdle Willie Mullins saddles his latest big chance in the Mares’ Hurdle in the shape of Concertista (11-10), who will be tackled by the 2019 winner of the race, Roksana (3-1). Trained by Dan Skelton, Roksana could have gone for the Stayers’ Hurdle, but her entry here could well give Concertista something to think about.
Day Two
Wednesday gets off to an intriguing start in the Ballymore - Henry De Bromhead's Bob Olinger is currently a 2-1 favourite for the Grade One. It's an exciting field however - Willie Mullins has another big chance in Gaillard Du Mesnil (11-4), while Paul Nicholls seems very keen on Bravemansgame (3-1), saying he represents his best chance of a winner all week. Further down the betting, Bear Ghylls (10-1) would prove a popular winner for Nicky Martin.
This is followed by the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase - formerly the RSA - with Monkfish an 8-15 favourite. Last year’s Albert Bartlett winner looks to be one of the most bombproof favourites all week after an unbeaten start to chasing which has included three wins over the bigger obstacles. He has had Latest Exhibition behind in his last two wins - Paul Nolan’s eight-year-old is set to have another crack at his nemesis at Cheltenham (12-1).
Chacun Pour Soi missed last year’s Festival after stepping on a stone at Cheltenham but he is back to try and finally give Willie Mullins his first ever Champion Chase victory (10-11). He won’t have to beat the mighty Altior, who missed last year’s Festival and was ruled out of this year’s on Monday morning. Politilogue (10-1) and De Bromhead’s Put The Kettle On (10-1) are among the supporting cast.
Tiger Roll's preparation for the Festival has been far from ideal - he was well beaten in the Boyne Hurdle before the Elliott scandal, and lost his Cross Country crown to Easysland last year. The French raider is an evens favourite to win again this year, with Tiger Roll much longer at 11-2. It would be some story if he can land his fifth Festival victory against the odds. In the day's final race, the Champion Bumper, Sir Gerhard (15-8) and Kilcruit (2-1) - both of Willie Mullins - dominate the betting.
Day Three
All eyes will be on Envoi Allen (4-6) on Thursday morning in the Marsh Novices’ Chase. Not only is it a chance to see perhaps the best novice in training but it could also be a profitable race for punters, with Envoi Allen likely to be the last leg of some popular cross-week accumulators.
The second Grade One of the day is a very competitive renewal of the Ryanair Chase. Willie Mullins holds a strong hand here again with Allaho (4-1) leading the betting and with both Min (6-1) and Melon (7-1) looking to have good chances. Kim Bailey’s Imperial Aura is also a serious player but there’s nothing to suggest Min can’t retain his crown.
Later in the Stayers’ Hurdle Paisley Park would prove another hugely popular winner for Emma Lavelle (15-8). Paisley Park was never right as he was beaten last year, with Lisnagar Oscar a shock 50-1 winner, but that form is likely to be overturned. From the Irish challenge, Flooring Porter could be an interesting runner for Gavin Cromwell (7-1).
Day Four
The final day kicks off with another fascinating Triumph Hurdle with Zanahiyr - now trained by Denise Foster - a narrow 7-4 favourite ahead of Alan King’s Tritonic (2-1), who was mightily impressive during a recent victory at Kempton. Quilixios, another horse switched from Elliott to De Bromhead, could also be a big player (4-1). There’s another Willie Mullins favourite in the Albert Bartlett in the form of Stattler (7-2), before all eyes turn to the big one. . .
Al Boum Photo has trodden a familiar path back to Cheltenham, making one solitary appearance since his last Gold Cup win, at Tramore on New Year’s Day. It has been a strange season for many of the elite staying chasers - nobody has really caught the eye, some have regressed - meaning the defending champion deserves to retain favouritism (9-4), having not put a foot wrong.
Next in the betting is Henderson’s Champ (4-1), who produced a stirring finish up the hill to beat Allaho and Minella Indo in last year’s RSA. Like Al Boum Photo, Champ has had just one run since, which came in two-mile Chase at Newbury in February. Perhaps strange prep for a Gold Cup, but his jumping at speed was slick, and his stamina is proven. A Plus Tard (5-1) looks another big player after his Savills Chase win at Leopardstown, while Frodon (11-1) would be a hugely popular home winner under Bryony Frost.
Another interesting runner is the novice Royale Pagaille (8-1), the Rich Ricci-owned, Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old. He destroyed the field in an eye-catching win at Haydock in January and could well be involved at the business end on Friday. Santini (11-1), Native River (12-1) and Kemboy (14-1) are also set to line up while Lostintranslation’s hopes look slim after a disappointing season (33-1).
NAP of the week
Honeysuckle to win the Champion Hurdle: 9-4 (Oddschecker)
Double of the week
Honeysuckle to win the Champion Hurdle and Min to win the Ryanair: 21-1
