Summary
Time to sign off after a dramatic day of racing, with driving rain and heavy ground creating tough conditions for some big players. Shishkin was pulled up in the Champion Chase as Energumene strode to victory, while Bravemansgame was pulled out of the Novices’ Chase, won by L’Homme Presse.
That was one of four favourites to win on Wednesday, with Willie Mullins adding the opener and closer to his first Champion Chase win, and Gordon Elliott getting on the board with two wins – the second a 1-2 in the Cross Country, with Delta Work denying a heroic effort from the great Tiger Roll on his farewell appearance.
Here’s Greg Wood’s report from the course – I hope you’ll join us again tomorrow.
Five Irish winners today means they take the lead in the Prestbury Cup – but the positive note for British trainers is that with six wins, they have already surpassed last year’s total.
Ireland 🇮🇪 take the lead, but its closer than many had predicted... #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/g3aOoqyEZF
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 16, 2022
Here’s a recap of all Wednesday’s winners:
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Sir Gerhard (P Townend, W Mullins) 8-11 Fav
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
L’Homme Presse (C Deutsch, V Williams) 9-4 Fav
2.50 Coral Cup
Commander of Fleet (S Fitzgerald, G Elliott) 50-1
3.30 Queen Mother Champion Chase
Energumene (P Townend, W Mullins) 5-2
4.10 Cross Country Chase
Delta Work (J Kennedy, G Elliott) 5-2 Fav
4.50 Grand Annual Chase
Global Citizen (K Woods, B Pauling) 28-1
5.30 Champion Bumper
Facile Vega (P Mullins, W Mullins) 15-8 Fav
Champion Bumper result
1 Facile Vega (Mr P Mullins) 15-8 Fav
2 American Mike (Mr J Codd) 5-2
3 James’s Gate (S O’Keeffe) 16-1
20 ran; 18-1 Seabank Bistro 4th
Updated
Facile Vega wins the Champion Bumper! It’s a 12th win in this race for Willie Mullins, with American Mike second and James’s Gate, another Mullins entry, coming third.
Updated
5.30 Champion Bumper Houlanbatordechais leads by about three lengths as the chasing pack goes around one of those diversions, but he’s slowing, and Facile Vega is storming to the front, with American Mike in pursuit ...
Updated
5.30 Champion Bumper Facile Vega and American Mike are in midfield, the whole field covered by 10 lengths. Houlanbatordechais has moved clear, though Rachael Blackmore has to stop him from pulling to the right ...
5.30 Champion Bumper They’re off in the delayed final race of the day, and tightly bunched together after half a mile ...
The course clerk, John Pullen, says that the runners will be diverted to the left of three hurdles, where water has pooled in the stake posts after the obstacles were removed. It’s been a tough day for Pullen, whose decision to water the course last night has been criticised.
“From Sunday on the forecast it was going to be a very wet day today, and why water when you’ve got a wet day forecast?” Paul Nicholls said after withdrawing Bravemansgame from the Novices’ Chase earlier on today.
Champion Bumper delayed! It looks like the race will still go ahead, but staff are out tackling pools of water where hurdles have been removed. Jockeys are also being talked through a new route, diverting around some of the trickier patches.
Willie Mullins reckons they gallop through them back in Ireland, where bumpers are traditionally held at the end of jumps meetings. He’s more concerned about the fading light out on the course.
Updated
Time for the final race of a wet, wild Wednesday at the Festival. The Champion Bumper is a flat race for jumps prospects, a tough one to call at the best of times.
Willie Mullins has five of the first six in the betting – the other is Gordon Elliott’s American Mike. Although my colleague, Tony Paley, tells me the race will be delayed because of standing water on the track ...
5.30 Champion Bumper odds
- Facile Vega – 15/8
- American Mike – 5/2
- Redemption Day – 15/2
- Madmansgame – 20/1
- James’s Gate – 20/1
- Seabank Bistro – 20/1
- Houlanbatorchais – 25/1
- Viva Devito – 28/1
- Joyeux Machin – 33/1
- Poetic Music – 35/1
- Music Drive – 50/1
- Our Jester – 50/1
- 50/1 bar; odds via Oddschecker
Updated
5.30 Champion Bumper preview
We do away with the obstacles for the day’s final contest but that does not always make Festival life any easier, as the Bumper is a race in which just two horses have sent favourite-backers home happy in the last 16 years.
There is a real hotpot this time around, as Willie Mullins’s Facile Vega, a son of the great Festival favourite Quevega, has been heading the market since he turned what looked like a very strong race on paper into a procession at the Dublin Racing Festival. Mullins was all but lost for words afterwards, and he is clearly a potential superstar in the making.
He has a live opponent today, however, in another unbeaten runner, Gordon Elliott’s American Mike, and while Redemption Day and Houlanbatordechais will also have their supporters, at the prices, I like Mike. He has put up a strong performance on the clock in both of his wins to date without ever coming under any pressure, and anything around 5-2 if the money comes for Facile Vega would be a fair price to turn over the favourite.
A superb ride from Kielan Woods, keeping Global Citizen steady over the final fences to leave Mark Walsh and Andy Dufresne too much to do. Charlie Deutsch produced another strong performance to steer Frero Banbou back into third place, with Editeur Du Gite fading to fourth.
4.50 Grand Annual Chase result
1 Global Citizen (Kielan Woods) 28-1
2 Andy Dufresne (M P Walsh) 10-3 Fav
3 Frero Banbou (Charlie Deutsch) 6-1
4 Editeur Du Gite (Joshua Moore) 15-2
4.50 Grand Annual Chase Global Citizen is three lengths clear at the last, with Andy Dufresne powering into second – but the gap to the leader looks too big ... Global Citizen wins at 28-1!
Updated
4.50 Grand Annual Chase On the long run to three out, Editeur Du Gite springs clear but is reeled back in by Global Citizen and Andy Dufresne. Frero Banbou is making ground after that poor start ...
4.50 Grand Annual Chase Their only trip over the water jump, with Global Citizen and Editeur Du Gite leading the way, with Andy Dufresne well placed ...
4.50 Grand Annual Chase They get away at the second time of asking, with Frero Banbou an early struggler. Global Citizen sets the pace over the first couple of fences ...
4.50 Grand Annual Chase The penultimate race of the day begins with a false start. Incidentally, Andy Dufresne is the favourite and Poseidon the outsider – two famous names who can surely handle wet conditions.
There are still two more races to come today – but you can start planning for tomorrow with Greg Wood’s preview here.
4.50 Grand Annual Chase odds
- Andy Dufresne – 10/3
- Frero Banbou – 6/1
- Editeur Du Gite – 15/2
- Amarillo Sky – 15/2
- Gumball – 12/1
- Sky Pirate – 12/1
- Embittered – 14/1
- Il Ridoto – 14/1
- Elixir De Nutz – 16/1
- For Pleasure – 20/1
- A Wave of the Sea – 25/1
- Dancing On My Own – 30/1
- Global Citizen – 33/
- Exit Poll – 40/1
- Hasankey – 40/1
- Poseidon – 50/1
- Latest via Oddschecker
4.50 Grand Annual Chase preview
A pell-mell charge around the two-mile chase course is expected despite the ground, and this is a race which could easily see some high drama in the final strides as the “closers” charge up the hill and the front-runners begin to wilt.
Editeur Du Gite, Elixir Du Nutz and For Pleasure are among those who will be looking to burn their opponents off, while Frero Banbou, who stayed on strongly from off the pace to finish second at Sandown last time, is a live 12-1 chance.
Updated
Kennedy and Russell head into the parade circle side-by-side after a 1-2 for Gordon Elliott and Michael O’Leary. There’s a huge roar from the crowd around the winners’ enclosure – but not for the winner.
🐅 Tiger Roll was oh so brave on his swansong, but Delta Work defeats his stable companion in a thrilling @glenfarclas Cross Country Chase under @jackkennedy15 @CheltenhamRaces
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
Thanks for the memories Tiger @gelliott_racing @_Davy_Russel_ #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/TN82DYm75M
4.10 Cross Country Chase result
1 Delta Work (J Kennedy) 5-2 Fav
2 Tiger Roll (D Russell) 3-1
3 Plan Of Attack (D O’Keeffe) 25-1 16 ran
Also: 12-1 Diesel D’Allier 4th
“He’s always been one of my favourite horses,” says winner Jack Kennedy of Delta Work, who then makes way for Davy Russell and Tiger Roll.
“I just couldn’t shake Jack today, [but] he’s been a fantastic horse, got me out of jail a few times,” says Russell, a fine jockey but not your man for an emotional speech.
Updated
4.10 Cross Country Chase But Delta Work is smoother over the final fence, and stronger over the hill, to deny the heroic Tiger Roll a final victory! And perhaps for the first time ever, a winner is booed over the line at Cheltenham.
Updated
4.10 Cross Country Chase over the second last, and Tiger Roll finds a burst of speed to edge clear of Delta Work as they head to the last. He might do this, you know ...
4.10 Cross Country Chase It’s Tiger Roll and Delta Work going toe-to-toe, with Diesel D’Allier and Plan Of Attack clear of Mitchouka and Potter’s Corner ...
4.10 Cross Country Chase Now Tiger Roll pulls level with Easysland as the field begins to thin dramatically. Delta Work responds as Easysland is quickly left behind ...
4.10 Cross Country Chase Two pull up with 10 fences to clear – Brahma Bull and Prengarde. Still plenty in contention, Easysland ahead of Potters Corner with Mitchouka and Plan of Attack jostling for position ...
4.10 Cross Country Chase Fence 18 is another trip over the bank, this time from the opposite direction. Diesel D’Allier has joined the leading group, with Easysland setting the pace up front.
4.10 Cross Country Chase The field head up and down the bank, then over a water jump built around a natural stream. The same trio lead, with Delta Work alongside Tiger Roll just behind. Poker Party is struggling slightly at the back.
4.10 Cross Country Chase The early leaders are Easysland and Back On The Lash, with Tiger Roll in the group behind, and the 12-year-old Potters Corner in third, led by Jack Tudor in the day’s snazziest silks. 11 of 32 fences cleared.
4.10 Cross Country Chase Tiger Roll’s final curtain aside, this is one of the Festival’s left-field highlights – 32 fences of all different shapes and sizes on the 3m 6f to home. And away they go ...
Going back to the Champion Chase, it looked like Shishkin may have struggled with the going – and Nico de Boinville has confirmed the pre-race favourite “hated the ground”.
The now-heavy going is likely to deny Tiger Roll a farewell Festival win too – although ITV’s man on the track points out that the cross-country course is not quite so claggy as the main track.
4.10 Cross Country Chase odds
Tiger Roll has been overtaken by Gigginstown stablemate Delta Work, with Prengarde also gaining ground.
- Delta Work – 3/1
- Tiger Roll – 10/3
- Prengarde – 13/2
- Easysland – 10/1
- Diesel D’Allier – 11/1
- Shady Operator – 14/1
- Brahma Bull – 20/1
- Plan of Attack – 22/1
- Back on the Lash – 25/1
- Poker Party – 28/1
- Midnight Maestro – 33/1
- Tout Est Permis – 33/1
- Potters Corner – 40/1
- Step Back – 66/1
- Alpha Des Obeaux – 80/1
- Mitchouka – 125/1
- Latest via Oddschecker
The going is now heavy with three races still to come.
The going at Cheltenham is now HEAVY pic.twitter.com/wumeOVMiSt
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) March 16, 2022
Chacun Pour Soi is up and OK after falling, with Nico de Boinville leading Shishkin safely back to the paddock after pulling him up. Here’s the finale, Energumene clicking through the gears with ease.
🔵⚪️ Energumene oozes class in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
A first winner in the race for @WillieMullinsNH in the two-mile chasing championship under @PTownend @CheltenhamRaces #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/cdCXzBbDyu
A second win of the day for Paul Townend, who wins the Champion Chase for owner Tony Bloom and trainer Willie Mullins, who has never won this race before.
“It’s easy to make it look easy on a very good horse,” says the mud-spattered, beaming jockey “he’d run on very heavy ground in Ireland before, so I wasn’t too worried. Tactics? They went out of the window early on.”
Updated
3.30 Champions Chase result
1 Energumene (P Townend) 5-2
2 Funambule Sivola (Charlie Deutsch) 40-1
3 Envoi Allen (Rachael Blackmore) 10-1
80-1 Politologue 4th
Energumene wins the Champion Chase!
Paul Townend gets the job done in style after his expected rival, Shishkin, was pulled up after struggling from the start. 80-1 outsider Funambule Sivola is second under Charlie Deutsch, with Rachael Blackmore and Envoi Allen third.
Updated
3.30 Champion Chase Energumene moves to the front, but is being kept in check by Envoi Allen – Energumene jumps the second-last and pulls clear, with Funambule Sivola moving up to second ...
Shishkin and Chacun Pour Soi are both out! Wow. Shishkin never got going, and Nico de Boinville pulls him up – and seconds late, Chacun Pour Soi unseats Patrick Mullins! What drama. Three fences to go ...
3.30 Champion Chase They’re off! Envoi Allen and Chacun Pour Soi are the early pacesetters, with Put The Kettle On also in amongst it ...
3.30 Champion Chase The magnificent seven are ready to go, with Shishkin going off as the odds-on favourite at 5-6. Here we go!
Five minutes before what could be the race of the week. Will it be Nico de Boinville on Shishkin or Paul Townend and Energumene? Or, indeed, live contenders Chacun Pour Soi or Envoi Allen? It says something for the pedigree of the field that among the three outsiders, you’ll find the last two winners of this race – Put The Kettle On and Politologue.
4.10 Cross Country chase preview
And so, after a grand total of 42 races over jumps (and two on the Flat), five wins at the Festival and two more in the Grand National, it is time for the magnificent Tiger Roll to take his leave. The “little rat of a thing with the heart of a lion”, as Michael O’Leary, his owner, once referred to him, will go to post as a favourite for the Cross Country Chase, surfing on a wave of sentimental cash, and 65,000 fans will be preparing a hero’s welcome for Gordon Elliott’s 12-year-old should he overcome the soft ground and deliver a final flourish.
He beat only three rivals home at Navan in January but there was a brief flash of the old Tiger Roll as he made some ground on the run to the home turn and he was last of six, beaten nearly 65 lengths, in a similar race in January 2021 before bolting up by 18 lengths here a few weeks later. A similar quantum leap can be anticipated today –Elliott knows that there is nothing else to worry about in April, after all – and anything close to last year’s level of form would make him a cracking bet for a repeat, even at around 2-1.
Anyone looking to oppose him, heretical though it might seem, may well alight on stable companion Delta Work, whose impressive CV includes a Grade One win in the Irish Gold Cup as recently as February 2020, while Enda Bolger’s runners can never be ignored over this unique course for all that he has not actually saddled the winner of this race since 2016.
Prengarde and Shady Operator are both attracting some cash this morning, while Richard Bandey’s Diesel D’Allier, who loves the course but would stand more chance in a handicap, has also been backed to spoil the Tiger’s leaving do.
Updated
3.30 Queen Mother Champion Chase odds
Nube Negra is a late non-runner, so just seven will start the day’s feature race.
- Shishkin – 10/11
- Energumene – 3/1
- Chacun Pour Soi – 15/2
- Envoi Allen – 12/1
- Put the Kettle On – 28/1
- Funabmbule Sivola – 40/1
- Politologue – 100/1
- Latest via Oddschecker
Michael O’Leary is playing down hopes of a fairytale farewell for Tiger Roll, with the weather and ground not playing to the double National winner’s strengths.
“I hope he runs well, I hope he doesn’t pull up – it’s a pity the ground has gone, but he owes us nothing,” said the owner. “Everyone wants to see him one more time, to see him run well and come back safely.”
Next, it’s the Champion Chase, where Shishkin and Energumene will renew their rivalry after this thrilling contest at Ascot:
A close one, alright ...
👏 Brilliant ride Shane Fitzgerald@gelliott_racing joins the 2022 @CheltenhamRaces Festival party with success for Commander Of Fleet in the Coral Cup #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/t4zhER9k9p
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
That’s a first victory of the week for Gordon Elliott, but perhaps not the one he expected. A great ride in tough conditions from Shane Fitzgerald. The emerging jockey from Cork has form with beating the odds – landing a 1,436-1 treble at Tipperary last summer.
2.50 Coral Cup result
A photo-finish, but 50-1 shot Commander of Fleet looks to have it by a nose after a thrilling race for the line with Fastorslow. Ashdale Bob has to settle for third.
1 Commander Of Fleet (S Fitzgerald) 50-1
2 Fastorslow (D O’Keeffe) 18-1
3 Ashdale Bob (J Foley) 14-1
4 Camprond (A Coleman) 10-1
Updated
2.50 Coral Cup Ashdale Bob leads Commander of Fleet and Fastorslow, but is tiring rapidly and the two chasers pull clear after the last ... it’s neck and neck ...
2.50 Coral Cup Three to go, Gowel Road stumbling and Drop The Anchor still way back. Camprond moves up to second behind Ashdale Bob, but it’s still anyone’s race ...
2.50 Coral Cup Christopher Wood, Gowel Road, The Shunter and Commander of Fleet are in a group tucked in behind Ashdale Bob. Behind them, the field gets more mud-caked the further back they go – with Drop The Anchor among the unfortunate final group.
Updated
2.50 Coral Cup And they’re off! Ashdale Bob is the early pace-setter with eight hurdles to jump ...
Trainer Gordon Elliott is still searching for a winner at this week’s Festival, and has seven runners in the Coral Cup including the favourite, Saint Felicien. The field of 23 runners are heading to the start line ...
2.50 Coral Cup odds
- Saint Felicien 9-2
- Drop The Anchor 6-1
- Gowel Road 13-2
- Unexpected Party 10-1
- Camprond 10-1
- The Shunter 10-1
- Fastorslow 16-1
- Ashdale Bob 16-1
- Ganapathi 16-1
- Grand Roi 18-1
- More odds via Oddschecker
The rain continues to pour down at Cheltenham, where complementary pink sponsors’ umbrellas are in big demand in the media centre. Won’t somebody think of the journalists? I thought I’d notched up an impressive celebrity spot when Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars scuttled past me, but upon closer inspection I realised it was in fact intrepid Guardian photographer Tom Jenkins with his black hood up.
Updated
Victory in the Brown Advisory continues a remarkable season for Venetia Williams’ yard. Here are the trainer’s thoughts after that victory.
🗣 "I was feeling sick every stride of the way." 😂 @VenetiaWRacing on a spellbinding performance from L'Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - she also pays tribute to @charliedeutsch2 following a brilliant ride #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/aD5P4gGdrE
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
3.30 Champion Chase preview
Like The Godfather Part II, this is a sequel that could well be even better than the original, as Shishkin and Energumene reprise their roles from an epic Clarence House Chase in January, with a supporting cast that includes Put The Kettle On and Chacun Pour Soi, the winner and beaten odds-on favourite in last year’s renewal respectively. It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for since Ascot, and Shishkin remains odds-on across the board, at a top price of 10-11, to confirm his one-length defeat of Energumene.
Despite Willie Mullins’s insistence that Chacun Pour Soi is the pick of his two runners, he has been a drifter since the final declarations and is now out to 7-1, while Energumene is solid at around 3-1 having occasionally been available at 4-1 at times over the last couple of days. I’m willing to take that, on the basis that his jumping was better than Shishkin’s at Ascot and Paul Townend will probably be looking to make that count from the front. He looked the likelier winner for much of the way last time, and a length, in a two-mile horse race, is really not that much to find.
As for Chacun Pour Soi, Mullins’s belief in his innate ability is impossible to ignore, but at the same time, his limp efforts when travelling both to this meeting last year and the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December are hard to forget. Anyway, most of the arguments should be put to bed shortly after 3.30 in what promises to be an electrifying spectacle (though the issue of whether The Godfather Part II is really better than the original will probably remain unresolved).
The Racing Post tweeted out a picture of Bravemansgame at 1.51pm, with the words “BRAVEMANSGAME is a beast!” and a strong-arm emoji. Less than a minute later, news came through that the likely favourite had been scratched from the Brown Advisory Novice Chase, the race on the card, due to the soft ground.
Fury Road has also been scratched from the race for the same reason, which will prompt many punters to wonder why Jon Pullin, who took over from Simon Claisse as Cheltenham’s clerk of the course earlier this year, put 5mm of water on the track overnight when many forecasts were suggesting rain would arrive at Cheltenham today.
This is, of course, with the benefit of hindsight, and Pullin has an all-but impossible job to keep everyone happy, or even a significant proportion of them. The ground was mainly good this morning, even after the watering, and there will always be voices nagging away at him suggesting that he needs to step in before things get out of hand.
At the same time, though, he stated in fairly plain terms on Monday that there would be no more watering on the Old course this week, and punters and professionals alike that have seen the ground deteriorate from good, good-to-soft in places to soft all over in just a few hours have every right to ask why he felt the need to change his mind.
Updated
“He makes it so easy for me,” says Deutsch. “He felt comfortable the whole way. It’s wonderful to get a big winner at Cheltenham, an absolute dream. Venetia [Williams, the trainer] has done such a great job with him.”
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase result
Charlie Deutsch and L’Homme Presse are just too strong, holding off Ahoy Senor with the improving Gaillard Du Mesnil coming home in third.
1 L’Homme Presse (Charlie Deutsch) 9-4 Fav
2 Ahoy Senor (D Fox) 4-1
3 Gaillard Du Mesnil (P Townend) 11-1
4 Capodanno (M Walsh) 5-1
Updated
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Heading downhill, the field fans out before the third-last – but can anyone keep pace with L’Homme Presse? Ahoy Senor has slipped behind Farouk D’Alene – but the latter falls at the second last! It’s a two-way battle now ...
Updated
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Six fences to go and the pace is creeping up, but Ahoy Senor stutters over a fence, allowing Farouk D’Alene and Threeunderthrufive to gain ground. L’Homme Presse still leads ...
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase It’s a slow, squelchy slog out there with L’Homme Presse edging ahead of Ahoy Senor and Farouk D’alene well placed, and Nico de Boinville holding the inside rail on Dusart ...
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Over the water jump and the leading trio are Ahony Senor, L’Homme Presse and Threeunderthrufive. Streets of Doyen, who looked uncomfortable before the start, is at the back of the field ...
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase The day’s second race is under way, with Ahoy Senor first to clear the opening fence. Still 18 to go ...
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
- L’Homme Presse – 10/3
- Capodanno – 6/1
- Ahoy Senor – 7/1
- Farouk Dalene – 8/1
- Beacon Edge – 11/1
- Gaillard Du Mesnil – 14/1
- Threeunderthrufive – 18/1
- Dusart – 25/1
- Streets of Doyen – 150/1
- Latest odds via Oddschecker
Updated
Breaking news for the next race – the favourite, Bravemansgame, is a non-runner due to the conditions, alongside Fury Road.
R2 @CheltenhamRaces BRAVEMANSGAME (FR) Withdrawn (Going)
— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) March 16, 2022
After success in the day’s opening race, Willie Mullins thinks the conditions will help many of his runners – including Energumene in the Champion Chase.
🗣 "I think [the rain] will sort all our horses. It will suit Energumene hugely."@WillieMullinsNH believes the Champion Chase is all to play for. Some clash coming up at 3.30pm live on Racing TV#TheFestival @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/8PUF6WNYaX
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
2.50 Coral Cup preview
A 26-runner handicap which changed shape fairly abruptly over the last 48 hours when Good Risk At All, the likely favourite, missed the cut by one. In his absence, they are betting 7-1 the field, with plenty of money arriving for Gordon Elliott’s Saint Felicien, in the increasingly familiar colours of Brian Acheson’s Robcour operation. Robbie Power takes the reins on the five-year-old, who has just three starts over hurdles and has been given an opening mark of 149 – just 5lb below top weight and stable companion The Bosses Oscar – for this handicap debut.
There are no end of alternatives, however, including the much more exposed Drop The Anchor, who hinted strongly at an imminent return to his best form when fifth in a big-field handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival. He was a close seventh in the County Hurdle here last season, arrives on a 3lb lower mark today and has probably been aiming towards today’s race all year.
Camprond, Gowel Road and Unexpected Party are also likely to run well while few will have forgotten the ease with which the versatile The Shunter took the Plate Handicap Chase here last year and landed a £100,000 bonus into the bargain. His latest hurdles rating of 148 is just 8lb above his winning chase mark 12 months ago. I’ll be rowing in with Drop The Anchor but this race is as tough as it gets, even by Festival standards.
Updated
After a nasty-looking fall at the last, I’m pleased to report that both Journey With Me and jockey Rachael Blackmore are up and unhurt.
👍 Fantastic news
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 16, 2022
Journey With Me OK after his fall at the final-flight. @rachaelblackmor also fine @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/OUrIy6CVVY
Updated
“Best he’s ever jumped on the course ... we love the rain!” says Paul Townend after earning Willie Mullins his 80th career win at Cheltenham.
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle result
Paul Townend wins on the big favourite, Sir Gerhard, clear of Davy Russell and Three Stripe Life in second. Whatdeawant is a distant third, with Stage Star pulled up.
1 Sir Gerhard (P Townend) 8-11 Fav
2 Three Stripe Life (D Russell) 8-1
3 Whatdeawant (D Mullins) 18-1
4 I Am Maximus (N de Boinville) 12-1
Updated
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle As they approach the last, Townend makes his move on Sir Gerhard – and Journey With Me falls! Three Stripe Life is chasing, but won’t get there ...
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Three to go, Journey With Me still leads Sir Gerhard. Mistakes from Stage Star and Three Stripe Life over the fourth from last, but both stay in touch ...
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle They begin the final circuit with Journey With Me taking the lead and Sir Gerhard keeping pace. Davy Russell and Three Stripe Life in behind Hemlock in fourth ...
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Whatdeawant and Hemlock the early frontrunners, with Rachael Blackmore keeping Journey With Me well-placed on the outside with seven to jump ...
Updated
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle The field of nine runners are gathered in front of the start line in squally conditions. Sir Gerhard is the odds-on favourite – and they’re off!
Updated
Going is now soft all over
As my colleague Tony Paley points out, the decision to water the course last night now looks questionable ...
Following persistent rain @CheltenhamRaces, the going on all courses is now Soft. #TheFestival
— BHA Stewards (@BHAStewards) March 16, 2022
Ten minutes to go – there’s still time to make your picks for Wednesday, with the help of Greg Wood:
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle odds
- Sir Gerhard – 5/6
- Journey With Me – 9/2
- Three Stripe Life – 8/1
- Stage Star – 17/2
- I Am Maximus – 16/1
- Whatdeawant – 22/1
- Scarface – 80/1
- Haxo – 125/1
- Hemlock – 200/1
- Latest odds at Oddschecker
We’re half-an-hour from our first race of the day, the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. The going is now officially good to soft all over the course, and it may end up soft later if the rain continues. It looks very grey and drizzly at Cheltenham right now.
The going at Cheltenham is now good to soft (from good to soft, good in places) pic.twitter.com/YXLjBxRoms
— Racing Post (@RacingPost) March 16, 2022
A slight diversion from race day, now – these are paintings by Jonathan Armigel Wade, a Lincolnshire artist whose work focuses on rural pastimes, including horse racing. If you like what you see, London’s Osborne Studio Gallery has an exhibition of his art from 29 March to 16 April.
Updated
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
British stables got off to a rather better start to the week yesterday than many – me included– had anticipated, and Wednesday’s second Grade One is an obvious chance to get another home win on the board. Three British-trained runners - Bravemansgame, L’Homme Presse and Ahoy Senor – head the market, and all seem likely to race towards the head of affairs, raising the juicy prospect of a three-way duel from the off. That would test the accuracy of their jumping at speed, and while all three have looked very solid in that department so far, it might be worth remembering that Ahoy Senor was not as slick as Bravemansgame in the Grade One Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton at Christmas.
Ahoy Senor has about seven lengths to find with Paul Nicholls’s runner on that form, and the betting suggests that the race may boil down to a head-to-head between Bravemansgame and L’Homme Presse, who arrive with very similar, unbeaten profiles over fences including a Grade One win apiece. Bravemansgame is proven over today’s three-mile trip whereas L’Homme Presse has so far raced at around two-and-a-half. He is very likely to get another four furlongs, but for betting purposes, Bravemansgame looks a slightly safer option.
The Irish challenge, meanwhile, should not be overlooked, as Willie Mullins’s Capodanno ran really well to finish within five lengths of the classy Bob Olinger at Punchestown in January before unseating at the fifth in a Grade One at Leopardstown last month.
“If rain comes and the ground softens, it won’t be for him,” said Michael O’ Leary ahead of Tiger Roll’s swansong and potential record-equalling tilt in the Cross Country today. “If we don’t get much rain and the ground stays good, he should run reasonably well.”
Well, perhaps as divine retribution for O’Leary pulling the Tiger out of next month’s Grand National, the rain has come by the bucket-load. The first drops fell at around 9.30am and it’s been raining steadily ever since. It’s currently chucking it down with just over an hour to go to the first race. Tiger Roll will almost certainly take his chance but his chances of victory are diminishing by the minute.
Updated
There is a going change on the chase track only at present – it’s now good-to-soft, good in places after 1.5mm of rain up to 11.30. It’s continued to rain steadily since, so the hurdles course may well follow in due course.
The double Grand National winner Tiger Roll is set to make his final appearance at Cheltenham today, going for a sixth Festival victory in the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at 4.10pm.
🐴 Tiger Roll 🐴
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 15, 2022
His connections have said the Glenfarclas Chase will be his final race. Win, lose, or draw, the one certainty on Wednesday is that the Cheltenham faithful will salute a legend of the sport.#CheltenhamFestival @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/eFoCE1I7qW
“Can you tell me why today’s final race is called the Champion Bumper?” asks my esteemed colleague, Will Unwin. “Sounds like an unwanted award to me.”
I can indeed – a “bumper” is the nickname given for a flat race (no hurdles or fences) for horses being trained towards jumps. It used to be solely the domain of amateur jockeys, whose riding style wasn’t always the smoothest as they “bumped” their horse towards the finish line.
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle preview
The first odds-on shot of the meeting duly obliged on Tuesday and Sir Gerhard will attempt to keep the ball rolling for the shorties in Wednesday’s opener, having been steered around a meeting with Constitution Hill in yesterday’s Supreme – probably very wisely, as it turned out – in favour of a crack at this longer trip. He arrives on the back of two wins from two starts over hurdles, but he will need to jump rather better than he did in a Grade One at Leopardstown last time if he is going to stamp his class on this field.
Willie Mullins will have been working on that since, of course, and Sir Gerhard has finished several lengths in front of Three Stripe Life, the second-favourite, both in last year’s Champion Bumper and his latest race. The longer trip today will also give him a little more room for manoeuvre and it would be a surprise if he failed to see it out, but he is one of those likely winners that is easy to ignore for betting purposes when there are so many alternatives elsewhere on the card.
Journey With Me and Stage Star have also both shown enough so far to suggest that they could be in the same parish as the favourite with normal improvement. Journey With Me in particular will be a popular each-way alternative with Rachael Blackmore taking the reins.
Updated
Wednesday’s race card
1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
2.10 Festival Novices’ Chase
2.50 Coral Cup
3.30 Queen Mother Champion Chase
4.10 Cross Country Chase
4.50 Grand Annual Chase
5.30 Champion Bumper
In today’s Talking Horses, Greg Wood looks ahead to the Champion Chase duel between Shishkin and Energumene – plus the rest of Wednesday’s racecard.
This year’s Festival has seen grandstands full again after the 2021 edition was held behind closed doors. Move the slider below to compare and contrast ...
Before we press on with all of Wednesday’s action, here’s Barry Glendenning on Tuesday’s feature race with Rachael Blackmore delivering as crowds returned to the stands.
Preamble
Good morning from an overcast and slightly murky Cheltenham, where we are waiting for a band of rain to pass through and wondering if it will have any effect on the going ahead of the second day of this year’s Festival meeting.
The first light rain arrived at around 10am GMT and it is expected to continue until early afternoon, with one forecast suggesting up to 2.6mm/hour from around midday. That will be on top of the 5mm that Jon Pullin, Cheltenham’s new clerk of the course, decided to apply overnight, despite having suggested on Monday that there would be no more watering on the Old course this week.
“We’ve updated the ground to good, good-to-soft in places,” Pullin said in his early-morning briefing on Twitter. “Following a drying day yesterday we took the decision to apply some irrigation last night, so an average of 5mm went on from the top of the old [course] hill, and the two-mile start right up to the winning post.”
Hopefully it will not have any significant effect on the big race of the day – and quite possibly the week – when Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin lines up against Energumene in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a rematch after their epic first encounter in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January. With Chacun Pour Soi, last year’s beaten favourite, joining his stable companion in the field – having also been anointed as the better of his two runners by Willie Mullins – the stage is set for one of the great Festival occasions.
This is the only Grade One at the meeting that Mullins has yet to win, and it is not for want of trying, with Chacun Pour Soi (8-13), Douvan (2-9) and Un De Sceaux (4-6) all failing to deliver in the last six years. Shishkin, though, is a daunting opponent, unbeaten in 10 starts since falling at the second on his hurdling debut. He was just a length in front of Energumene in the Clarence House, which will give Mullins cause for hope, but after a stronger-than-expected start for British stables on Tuesday, he is certain to set off as a strong favourite to get another home win on the board.
Forty minutes after one outstanding horse goes into the record books in the Champion Chase, another great favourite will take his leave, as the dual Grand National and five-time Festival winner, Tiger Roll, bows out in the Cross Country Chase. Win or lose, the Tiger is going to get a rousing send-off from the fans, but a win would be the perfect end to a Cheltenham career which started with victory in the two-mile Triumph Hurdle in 2014.
The only previous six-time winner at the Festival is Quevega, who took the Mares’ Hurdle six times in a row, and by coincidence her first foal, Facile Vega, is expected to go off as favourite for the Bumper at the end of the card.
Regular updates on the betting, rainfall gauges and other news will be here as they arrive through the day, and the first race will be off, as ever, at 1.30pm.
