Solid start for Irish trainers as Cheltenham kicks off in style
The Cheltenham festival kicked off in style on Tuesday and in one of the biggest weeks of the year in the horse racing calendar, one question was whether his horses could give JP McManus a particularly happy 75th birthday.
Even to the untrained eye, one of the biggest questions is whether Ireland can this week do what it did in the rugby a few weeks ago, and put one over on the English.
However, as of the end of day one British trainers held a narrow lead in the standings, with four winners to Ireland's three on the opening afternoon of the competition in the Prestbury Cup.
More than 57,000 attended day one and saw JP McManus celebrate his birthday in style by enjoying his 85th Cheltenham Festival winner with Saratoga in the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Interviewed after the win, the Limerick man said: "I met Michael O'Leary earlier and he wished me a happy birthday and said 'only the good die young'."
He also said: "We've always had a lot of fun and great days here. It's a place which means so much to so many and I'm delighted to see this one win for Padraig (Roche, the trainer).
"Every winner is special and I go back a long time with Padraig's father Christy. We won this race with Brazil a few years ago and they were praying the ground would be fast and every day it was drying out was a bonus.
"I've had winners here on my birthday before, but you never get tired of it."
He had more to celebrate in the very next race as he scored a one-two via Johnnywho (18-1) and Jagwar in the Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase.
Johnnywho is trained by Corkman Jonjo O'Neill and his son AJ.
It was also a happy day for trainer Willie Mullins when Lossiemouth won for the fourth year in a row at the festival when powering home to win a fast run Champion Hurdle.
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Earlier, in the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, Kargese, aided by a fine front-running ride from Danny Mullins, got the better of stablemate Kopek Des Bordes and 11-10 favourite Lulamba to get Mullins off the mark at the 2026 festival.
Although many people travelled from Ireland to soak up the atmosphere at the event, many more will be doing so from the comfort of their own home, or maybe the pub.
The Castle pub in Glanmire was packed for the opening day with punters gripped by the horse racing action on every screen.
Glanmire native Paul Harris said the anticipation of Cheltenham is something he looks forward to every year.
“I come here every year with the lads. We take a week off work for it. There is a great atmosphere. Cheltenham brings a load of people together.
“We are all working and busy. The only time we see one another and that we can have a few days with one another is around the festival.”Â
He added that the next day, he will get up, shower, have breakfast, and be back down at The Castle again.
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