THERE IS no shortage of people willing to sharpen the knives ahead of an autopsy of British racing in the fall out from the Cheltenham Festival.
It was an obvious embarrassment that just five winners were trained within these shores as Irish trainers danced off with all four championship prizes in their record haul of 23 races.
Here’s my take on all the highs, lows and dazzling displays of four days of superb action.
Best Performance
Allaho
There were plenty of contenders for this award. Appreciate It’s 24-length demolition of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle field kicked off the meeting in stunning style and it was quickly followed by another stellar display from Shishkin in the Arkle Chase little more than half an hour later.
Bob Olinger and Monkfish also promised much for the future with smart novice wins but the jaw-dropping Ryanair Chase victory from Allaho was scarcely believable.
He set such a searching gallop under Rachael Blackmore that more than half the field were pulled up but he still had enough in the tank to pull away up the final climb.
It was one of the great Festival performances and was made for Cheltenham where slick, accurate jumping and powerful galloping is always going to be rewarded.
It’s one of those victories when race fans will proudly declare they ‘were there’. Sadly, few will be able to make that claim but the lack of crowds does nothing to diminish the brilliance.
Best Handicap Performance
Heaven Help Us/Mount Ida/The Shunter
Again, the shortlist for the best handicap victory is rather long.
Heaven Help Us’ all-the-way Coral Cup success for trainer Paul Hennessy, better known for winning Greyhound Derbies, was a sparkling effort.
Mount Ida looked cooked before the field had jumped half a dozen fences in the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir before Jack Kennedy somehow managed to conjure up enough enthusiasm from the novice to land a whopping great gamble.
The Shunter’s Plate victory was far smoother and that’s tips the balance in his favour. Those who backed Emmet Mullins’ raider down the 9-4 favourite for the supposedly competitive 21-runner handicap never had a moment’s worry.
It was a fifth win for The Shunter in eight races since joining Mullins last summer and he copped a £100,000 bonus for winning at the Festival having been successful at Kelso 12 days previously.
Some money spinner, some performance.
Best Race
Queen Mother Champion Chase
There is no better sight than top two-milers in full flight. There have been some brilliant performances in the Champion Chase fairly recently, with memories of Moscow Flyer, Master Minded, Sprinter Sacre and Altior all shining bright despite the passing years.
It’s hard to argue that Put The Kettle was in the same brilliance bracket but that’s not to say her victory was no less worthy.
Her Champion Chase win came through guts and determination, the same traits that were sadly lacking in odds-on favourite Chacun Pour Soi.
The way last year’s Arkle heroine Put The Kettle On, trained by Henry de Bromhead, saw off each and every challenge was heart-warming from a continually underestimated mare. She is underrated no more.
Biggest Disappointment
Envoi Allen
It’s a good job there weren’t any crowds at Cheltenham for the Marsh Chase as the groans from the stands might still be echoing around the Cotswolds.
Having made a late switch to Henry de Bromhead after Gordon Elliott’s ban, he came into the race with a perfect 11 wins from 11 races.
His two previous visits to the Festival resulted in wins in the Champion Bumper and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. The Marsh Novices’ Chase was meant to be a hat-trick cakewalk but he failed to rise.
His crashing fall at the fourth fence gave Nicky Henderson’s Chantry House the opportunity to get a rather rare win on the board for the British trainers.
Envoi Allen is sure to be back but his invincibility has gone – much to the disappointment of thousands of accumulator bets.
Unluckiest Loser
Sceau Royal
Alan King’s star has spent his whole life looking for decent ground in top two-mile races. When he finally got it in Champion Chase he got no luck through the contest.
Travelling smoothly on the inside coming down the hill, he was squeezed up against the rail and did well to stand on his feet. That came at a crucial stage of the race just as the leaders were preparing to turn for home so to be beaten less than four lengths in fifth was a fine effort.
It also must have made King, jockey Daryl Jacob and his owners wonder what might have been had Paul Townend on Chacun Pour Soi not tightened up Sceau Royal.
It was his third run in the Champion Chase and his first away from soft ground. There will be other opportunities granted a decent spring but this was the prize that means the most and it was circumstance – not lack of talent – that ultimate let him down.
Best Story
Rachel Blackmore
The headlines were predictably all about jump racing’s new golden girl. The first female jockey to land the Festival’s top honour with her six wins including the Champion Hurdle and Ryanair Chase, she took her profile to a whole new level.
It seems she’s not bothered with the publicity, preferring to stay out of the spotlight when not on horseback.
When she’s on it, she is superb. In my opinion, she is the most tactically aware jockey currently riding. She just makes so few mistakes and he decision making through a race is spot on.
Her biggest mistake all week was to plump for A Plus Tard instead of Minella Indo in the Gold Cup and the hurt was obvious as the field pulled up. That hurt was clearly fuelled by a steely will to win.
Forget about her gender, she is just a top-class jockey. In an era shorn of McCoy, Walsh or Geraghty, she surely now sets the standard.
Biggest Eyecatcher
On the Slopes
The Grand Annual was one of those rare races that saw a British winner. Sky Pirate looked good when holding on in the closing stages but, with a view to the future, On The Slopes put up a decent performance in fourth.
Chris Gordon’s runner was always up with the pace and he only gave in on the run-in. A trip to Aintree for the Red Rum Chase is surely high on the agenda for a horse at his best on flat tracks.
Cheltenham 2022 Yankee
Ferny Hollow (Arkle) – 12/1
Stattler (National Hunt Chase) – 12/1
Bob Olinger (Marsh Novices’ Chase) – 7/2
Champ (Stayers’ Hurdles) – 25/1
