Place: Djakadam

Today’s Irish raiders at Cheltenham

After a magnificent Thursday for Irish raiders, Jordan McCarthy looks at the Irish challengers on the final day at Cheltenham...

Fri, 17 Mar, 2017

A symbolic day as Gordon Elliott shines while Willie Mullins toils

It’s been less than a week since a 26ft statue of Pharoah Ramses II, or Ozymandias as the Greeks liked to call him, was rescued from its ignoble resting place beneath a suburban Cairo slum and surrounded by dirty, running water.

Wed, 15 Mar, 2017

Robbie Power confident Sizing will stay Gold Cup trip

Robbie Power is confident the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup trip is within Sizing John’s compass.

Wed, 08 Mar, 2017

Outlander’s tenacity carries the day in Lexus Chase

Roll back the clock 12 months and the result of yesterday’s Lexus Chase – Outlander first, Don Poli second and Djakadam third – would have been a clean sweep for trainer Willie Mullins, but the dynamic nature of the sport is such it was Gordon Elliott who was celebrating having the first two home, with Mullins responsible for the third.

Sun, 01 Jan, 2017

Many Clouds set to swerve Lexus Chase assignment

Oliver Sherwood is to swerve an outing in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown next week with 2015 Grand National winner Many Clouds.

Thu, 22 Dec, 2016

Listen Dear the standout bet on a big weekend

Much as I would love to ride Douvan in the Hilly Way Chase in Cork tomorrow, I can’t be in two places at once, and so I’ll be in Punchestown to ride Djakadam in the John Durkan Memorial. It’s a Grade 1 race, the biggest race of the day, and that’s the reason I’m going there.

Sat, 10 Dec, 2016

BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle Day - Lepoardstown Races

Douvan all the rage for Tingle Creek after ‘sustained’ support

Douvan is odds-on favourite with the sponsors after Willie Mullins’ star headlined eight possibles for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Wed, 30 Nov, 2016

Dazzling Douvan completes festival hat-trick at Punchestown

All attempts to temper enthusiasm and curb expectation were lost in just two words: “just spectacular.”

Fri, 29 Apr, 2016

2016 Cheltenham Festival - Champion Day - Cheltenham Racecourse

Could Willie Mullins pay price for Aintree offensive?

Next Tuesday week will see the start of the Punchestown festival and there is going to be a somewhat unusual feel to it.

Sat, 16 Apr, 2016

Davy Russell explains Don Poli paling

Davy Russell does not blame the ground for Don Poli’s Gold Cup eclipse last week, but rather that he finished third in a well above-average renewal of the race.

Tue, 22 Mar, 2016

Don Cossack reaches summit in style

National Hunt trainers’ handbook 1.01, how not to put pressure on yourself: When you have a promising young bumper horse do not tell the owner or the racing public that it could be a Gold Cup horse.

Sat, 19 Mar, 2016

Last-minute Vautour comes good on the day

If the decision to re-route Vautour from the Gold Cup to the Ryanair Chase was an unpopular one, all animosity towards the horse and connections had dissipated by the time the beautifully athletic gelding jumped the final fence and strode clear up the straight to record victory at a third consecutive Festival.

Fri, 18 Mar, 2016

Don Cossack set for Golden moment

The absence of Vautour takes some of the intrigue from the Gold Cup, but it remains a very competitive race, in which Don Cossack can regain his place as the highest rated chaser in these islands by landing the week’s feature for Gordon Elliott, Bryan Cooper and Gigginstown House Stud.

Fri, 18 Mar, 2016

Why Willie Mullins needs that Golden Festival climax

Willie Mullins will travel to Cheltenham this week knowing there is one thing he really needs to put right — to finally win the Gold Cup.

Mon, 14 Mar, 2016

The Dawning of the day: 30 years on from Dawn Run and the greatest Cheltenham Gold Cup of all time

Thirty years ago, a stubborn mare piloted by a veteran jockey and trained by a quiet genius produced the most iconic, spine-tingling moment in Cheltenham Festival history

Mon, 14 Mar, 2016

Night of sporting drama as legends take the stage

Ronan O’Gara believes that Simon Zebo needs to stop taking “the soft option” if he is to fulfil his potential with Munster and Ireland.

Fri, 04 Mar, 2016

Willie Mullins priming ‘phenomenal’ Cheltenham Gold Cup team

Willie Mullins hailed his “phenomenal” Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup team as he hosted the press at his County Carlow yard yesterday morning.

Tue, 01 Mar, 2016

Beware the short priced favourite at Cheltenham

Cheltenham is a little over two weeks away now and one of the things that strikes you, when looking at the markets for all of the 28 races, is just how many short priced favourites are likely to go to post.

Sat, 27 Feb, 2016

Willie Mullins’ Gold Cup hopes bang on schedule

Willie Mullins reports the preparation for his three main hopes for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup - Vautour, Djakadam and Don Poli - to be bang on schedule with the big race just three weeks away.

Fri, 26 Feb, 2016

Two chances of Ruby Walsh buckling under Cheltenham pressure

There he was heading to the final fence at Navan last Sunday and you were thinking this fellow won’t be far away at Cheltenham.

Sat, 20 Feb, 2016

Limini can boost her Cheltenham prospects

Racing at home is in Fairyhouse, but I’m off to Cheltenham this afternoon to ride Djakadam in his final racecourse outing before returning to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup.

Sat, 30 Jan, 2016

Liam Burke achieves lifetime ambition as Murphy powers to Thyestes win

Liam Burke achieved a lifetime ambition when the Curraglass trainer’s My Murphy repelled the late challenge of well-backed favourite Mala Beach to land the prestigious Thyestes Chase at a packed Gowran Park yesterday afternoon.

Fri, 22 Jan, 2016

Mouse Morris double-handed in quest for Thyestes Chase glory

Mouse Morris believes both Rule The World and Folsom Blue are capable of making their presence felt in a fiercely-competitive renewal of the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park today.

Thu, 21 Jan, 2016

Should Vautour be run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

YES: Where’s the glory in winning Ryanair Chase, asks Darren Norris

Wed, 20 Jan, 2016

Elliott hoping cheek pieces can spark Cossack into providing golden moment

“We’ll dream for another while,” said trainer Gordon Elliott after Don Cossack completed his racecourse preparation for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a workmanlike performance in yesterday’s Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles.

Fri, 15 Jan, 2016

Don Cossack out to re-establish Gold Cup claims

Don Cossack faces just three opponents as he has his prep for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup in the Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles today.

Thu, 14 Jan, 2016

Irish horses dominate entries for Gold Cup

Irish-trained horses appear to hold all the aces in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 18, for which 32 entries were received.

Thu, 14 Jan, 2016

Sambremont looks ready to strike over fences at Fairyhouse

Today’s card at Fairyhouse doesn’t look the easiest for punters to get the new year off to a positive start, but Sambremont showed more last time than in previous efforts over fences and hurdles in this country, and can take the beginners’ chase for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Fri, 01 Jan, 2016

Prince of Scars springs shock as Arctic Fire extinguished

The progressive Prince Of Scars caused an upset when landing the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday under a beautifully judged ride from Davy Russell.

Tue, 29 Dec, 2015

No Gold Cup clues as Don Poli scrapes home to give Willie Mullins first win in Lexus Chase

The Lexus Chase, the feature on day three of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival, may have done little to help solve the Cheltenham Gold Cup conundrum but it served up a thriller as Don Poli gave champion trainer Willie Mullins success in the race for the first time.

Tue, 29 Dec, 2015

Big names stand ground as 14 remain in Lexus Chase

There are 14 top-class chasers remaining in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on Monday.

Wed, 23 Dec, 2015

Willie Mullins: Vautour very well ahead of King George

Willie Mullins is confident Vautour’s jumping will not be an issue in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Thu, 17 Dec, 2015

Irish horses dominate Gold Cup betting after Coneygree setback

Irish-trained horses dominate the betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after Britain’s number one hope and reigning champion Coneygree was taken out of the ante-post lists for the blue riband in March.

Thu, 17 Dec, 2015

Black Hercules can get chasing career off to good start at Navan

Navan is not where I expected to be this afternoon, but I suppose it was better to find out early in the week at home that Un De Sceaux was a bit flat than when leaving the Railway Fences and wondering why he wasn’t picking up going to the Pond Fence.

Sat, 05 Dec, 2015

Willie Mullins dominates the entries for Durkan Memorial

Willie Mullins has four of the 10 entries for the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on Sunday.

Wed, 02 Dec, 2015

Another reminder that we should treasure genius while we still have it

Less than a week after racing said an emotional goodbye to one genius, another weighing room veteran showed that, at 41, the fire still burns bright.

Thu, 30 Apr, 2015

No More Heroes poised to gain compensation

No More Heroes can gain compensation for his near-miss in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham by landing this afternoon’s three-mile Grade 1 Novice Hurdle on day two of the Punchestown Festival.

Wed, 29 Apr, 2015

Classy Shaneshill can go one better

Things didn’t all go to plan yesterday but you won’t complain with two winners nonetheless. I picked the wrong one big time in the Champion Chase and my hope that Champagne Fever might reproduce his best form proved unfounded. It was 50-50 with Felix Yonger and it didn’t surprise me that he stuck it out so well in the end.