Here's what we'll learn from Day 4 of Cheltenham
Joseph O’Brien — King of the Juveniles?
Not 26 years old yet and Joseph O’Brien already enjoys the ultimate badge of acceptance within the racing community. He is known simply as ‘Joseph.’ Of course, as the eldest son of Aidan and Anne-Marie O’Brien, he has had his advantages in the sport, certainly during his riding career, but as a trainer he is very much his own man.
As he trains remotely from Ballydoyle and he focuses primarily on jumpers, the old man is not around to share advice on a daily basis.
O’Brien’s clean-cut image draws him lots of gentle mockery. When he disputed a point with Gordon Elliot at a preview event last year, Elliot retorted, “Look at ye. Sitting over there with a big Baby Jesus head on ye.”
Then, when he won his first official race with Band of Outlaws on Wednesday even close friends from within his entourage were tweeting that there would be a run on Fanta Orange and a late night to bed at 9.30 on foot of it.
His first real winner as a trainer at Cheltenham was Ivanovich Gorbatov in the Triumph Hurdle three years ago, but he had not yet received his full licence and it ran under his father’s name that day. That victory was a precursor of things to come.
Almost a third of his 17 entries this week are juveniles (four-year olds) including Band of Outlaws and with Sir Erec and Gardens of Babylon at the head of the market for today’s edition of the Triumph the youthful trainer seems to be carving out a dominance with youthful horses.
How welcome are amateur jockeys at the festival?
The controversy caused by BHA’s reaction and a threat to ban the National Hunt Challenge Cup for Amateurs after an abrasive running of the race on Tuesday has lingered through the week.
Broadcaster Brough Scott, himself an ex-amateur jockey, aligned with a worrisome establishment when he said: “The question of putting inexperienced horses with amateurs, and 18 of them, round here is something I don’t think is acceptable.”
His colleague at ITV, Tony McCoy took a passionately opposing position, especially on banning jockey’s for trying too hard. “I have never seen as bad a decision in 25 years in racing,’ he said. “Talk about bringing racing into disrepute, it’s undefendable.”
The issue could get another go-round today after the Foxhunters Chase, a steeplechase for slow horses and amateur jockeys of varying degrees of expertise and experience.
One of the runners, Pacha Du Polder, bids for a treble in the race and arguably should have won it three times already. He was ridden that day by Victoria Pendleton whose focus was mainly on completing the course and she eventually ran through beaten horses to finish fifth.
The participation of the Olympic winning cyclist as a novelty candidate had generated a ton of publicity for racing and the BHA’s anxiety over amateur riders looked the other way that year.
So today the BHA will be keeping a close eye on the likes of JJ Codd, Derek O’Connor, Sam Waley-Cohen and Patrick Mullins to ensure they know what they are doing.
They’ll also be keeping an eye on the less experienced Harriet Tucker who rode Pacha to victory last year and reunites with him today.
That’s the same Harriet Tucker who dislocated her shoulder at the last fence and still had the skill, nerve and courage to steer him to victory through the pain. Instead of unwelcome scrutiny they should roll out the red carpet for these unpaid heroes.
Gold at last for WP Mullins?
When the immediate stories of joy, emotion and despair ebb in the aftermath of the Gold Cup and things begin to settle down there are still three races to be run at the festival.
No matter how hard you try it’s hard to get emotionally invested in these races as it’s a bit like watching the minor final if your county is not involved or enduring the unknown warm-up band during your favourite 1970s rock group reunion tour.
The most prominent ‘small man, big stage’ story in today’s Gold Cup is ‘Silent’ Pat Kelly and Presenting Percy and their attempt to scoop the biggest prize of all from an unembellished training base in East Galway.
The most prominent ‘big man, big stage’ story is whether this is finally the year when Willie Mullins will eventually win one of the few Championship races that have eluded him. He’s won the silver medal multiple times and runs four candidates today in his quest for gold.
None of his quartet could be described as a superstar yet, but if you ‘dutch’ (combine) their odds Willie has about a 5/2 chance of victory today. Invitation Only steps up from handicaps and Al Boom Photo mightn’t get the very heavy ground he loves. Which leaves Bellshill and Kemboy.
Ruby has chosen the former based on his win at Leopardstown last month, but he is well exposed at this stage and it’s hard to see where the improvement will come from.
Kemboy, ridden by the trainer’s nephew David Mullins, indirectly, is another small man story. He is owned by a large syndicate of owners from diverse backgrounds who paid small money for big dreams and find themselves now at the greatest show in town.
