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Cheltenham 2021 - Review

The week belongs to Henry De Bromhead, Rachael Blackmore and Jack Kennedy. Minella Indo won the Gold Cup having lost the RSA on the line this time last year. Everyone loves a comeback story and this is one because following that defeat there was a fall at Leopardstown at Christmas and a very ordinary run in February. I thought he was very overrated and even though he fit the age range  (the last 3 winners of the race were 7 or 8 years old), I over looked him for Al Boum Photo. Funnily enough it had the feel of when Al Boum Photo won in 2019 because there wasn't a lot of talk about him. I still expected him to be beaten even when he flew the last but A Plus Tard couldn't run him down. He proved me and the doubters wrong today by adding the top prize in National Hunt racing to that narrow second last year and the Albert Bartlett two years ago. What a Cheltenham record! Fantastic for Jack Kennedy as well. He's had some week too - Black Tears beating the hot favourite Concertista in the Mares on Tuesday, Galvin, falling very early on many peoples banker, Envoi Allen and then never giving up on Mount Ida despite being 1000/1 to win at one stage in the race to come through and win by 6 lengths. All for different Trainers too. 

This looks like the new era of Jockeys with Rachael Blackmore taking the Festival prize for getting into the winners enclosure 6 times. It could have been seven if her old mate Minella Indo hadn't found enough to stay ahead of her on A Plus Tard. The week began with Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle, continued with Bob Olinger in the Ballymore and Sir Gerhard in The Bumper on St.Patricks Day. Allaho won the Ryanair by 12 lengths, Telmesomethinggirl took the Mares Novice Hurdle and Quilixios got Gold Cup day off to a flyer for her in the Triumph. Ruby Walsh gave some brilliant insight into what she was doing in the races that helped her win - nudging Harry Cobden and Bravemansgame back in towards the rail to shut the door on Paul Townend and Gaillard Du Mesnil who were trying to get up the inside of Bob Olinger.

Rachael Blackmore couldn't quite manage a unique treble but Trainer Henry De Bromhead did with Minella Indo's Gold Cup win adding to Put The Kettle On's Champion Chase and Honeysuckle's Champion Hurdle victory. A phenomenal week for the Waterford man who may only be 4 years older than me, if someone isn't taking the piss on wikipedia. Willie Mullins still managed to take the Trainers prize but that is a minor detail. HDB was the star man of Cheltenham 2021.

Honourable mentions go to Cheveley Park Stud who I followed this week. They had Ballyadam placed, Allaho won, Sir Gerhard won, Envoi Allen fell, Quilixios won and A Plus Tard placed. I couldn't remember Gigginstown having a winner all week in what looked like a changing of the guard at owner level also but how could I forget Tiger Roll winning a third cross country and a fifth Cheltenham Festival win. Talk about a comeback.

Betting wise it was a tough week. Vintage Clouds was one that got away on the first day when I ignored the only horse in my tracker for Tuesday. Galvin and Flooring Porter were two I didnt heed from Cheltenham previews. As I watched life changing bets and cash outs all over social media and mainstream television, I couldn't manage more than short price winners and places. The Gold Cup example above is a good indicator of the decisions involved after applying the 3 previous winners formula - Al Boum Photo had the same prep as last year so ticked the distance box which 75% of the winners this week also ticked. Minella Indo didn't have a good prep but was the right age along with A Plus Tard and Royale Pagaille. What it boiled down to though was that I didn't fancy him. There weren't that many options in the Gold Cup but I still chose the wrong one. On the other hand, in the Hunters Chase, Porlock Bay made the shortlist because he was one of seven that had distance, weight, position, month. It narrowed the field from 16 or 17 down to 7 but they have similar data so a choice has to be made. I likened this race to the Handicap Chases in which Age wasn't a factor and went for Latenightpass on that basis but of course the winner was the right age and it was a category in all the Grade 1 Chases so it looks like I was comparing it to the wrong race. Ah well. The sun goes down on another Cheltenham, I'd a chinese with the family and a brandy in my tea to celebrate. I'll take a break from racing now until Aintree or maybe I'll have a look at the Midlands National tomorrow!


Month

Distance

Position

Weight

Age

Course

Grade 1 Hurdle

Appreciate it

Appreciate it

Appreciate it

Appreciate it (6)



Grade 1 Chase

Shishkin

Shishkin

Shishkin

Shishkin

Shishkin (5)


Handicap Chase

Vintage Clouds


Vintage Clouds

Vintage Clouds (3)



Grade 1 Hurdle

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle (5)


Grade 1 Hurdle



Black Tears

Black Tears

Black Tears (3)


Handicap Hurdle


Jeff Kidder

Jeff Kidder


Jeff Kidder (3)


Grade 2 Chase


Galvin


Galvin

Galvin (3)


Grade 1 Hurdle

Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger

Grade 1 Chase


Monkfish

Monkfish

Monkfish

Monkfish


Handicap Hurdle

Heaven Help Us


Heaven Help Us

Heaven Help Us

Heaven Help Us

Heaven Help Us

Grade 1 Chase

Put The Kettle On

Put The Kettle On



Put The Kettle On


Cross Country


Tiger Roll

Tiger Roll


Tiger Roll

Tiger Roll

Handicap Chase

Sky Pirate

Sky Pirate

Sky Pirate

Sky Pirate



Bumper

Sir Gerhard

Sir Gerhard

Sir Gerhard




Grade 1 Chase

Chantry House

Chantry House

Chantry House

Chantry House

Chantry House


Handicap Hurdle




Mrs Milner (3)

Mrs Milner (3)

Mrs Milner (3)

Grade 1 Chase

Allaho

Allaho

Allaho

Allaho

Allaho


Grade 1 Hurdle

Flooring Porter

Flooring Porter

Flooring Porter




Handicap Chase

The Shunter

The Shunter





Novice Hurdle

Telmesomthinggirl

Telmesomthinggirl

Telmesomthinggirl

Telmesomthinggirl

Telmesomthinggirl

Telmesomthinggirl

Handicap Chase

Mount Ida

Mount Ida

Mount Ida

Mount Ida

Mount Ida


Grade 1 Hurdle

Quilixios

Quilixios

Quilixios

Quilixios

Quilixios

Quilixios

Handicap Hurdle


Belfast Banter

Belfast Banter


Belfast Banter


Grade 1 Hurdle

Vanillier

Vanillier


Vanillier

Vanillier


Grade 1 Chase

Minella Indo



Minella Indo

Minella Indo


Hunters Chase

Porlock Bay

Porlock Bay

Porlock Bay

Porlock Bay

Porlock Bay


Mares Chase







Handicap Hurdle

Galopin Des Champs



Galopin Des Champs


Galopin Des Champs


71%

75%

71%

71%

71%

25%


Month

Distance

Position

Weight

Age

Course



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