Cheltenham Festival recap: Rachael Blackmore earns fifth win of week as Irish dominance continues
Telmesomethinggirl ridden by Rachael Blackmore goes on to win The Parnell Properties Mares NovicesHurdle goes on to win during day three of the Cheltenham Festival. Picture: Tim Goode
- Irish winners - 17; British winners - 4
- Leading trainer: Willie Mullins 4, Henry de Bromhead 4; Denise Foster 3; Nicky Henderson 2
- Leading jockey: Rachael Blackmore 5; Jack Kennedy 3; Paul Townend, Nico De Boinville 2
- Mount Ida (J W Kennedy) 3-1 Fav
- Telmesomethinggirl (Rachael Blackmore) 5-1
- The Shunter (JC Gainford) 9-4 Fav
- Flooring Porter (DE Mullins 12-1
- Allaho (Rachael Blackmore) 3-1 Fav
- Mrs Milner (BJ Cooper) 12-1
- Chantry House (N de Boinville) 9-1
4.50: Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase 3m 2f
1 Mount Ida (J W Kennedy) 3-1 Fav
2 Cloudy Glen (R T Dunne) 33-1
3 Shantou Flyer (H Cobden) 11-2
4 Hold The Note (J J Burke) 9-1
21 ran
Mount Ida put up an amazing performance to come from last to first and claim the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Leading two out in the hands of Jack Kennedy, the 3-1 favourite gradually went clear to give Denise Foster a second Festival winner after taking over the licence at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables.
Touching 999-1 in-running on the exchanges, Mount Ida was almost detached from the rest of the field in the early stages of the three-and-a-quarter-mile stamina test, but she got going on the final circuit.
She made stealthy progress and was cantering turning for home. Kennedy made sure she finished off the job and his mount did it in style to win by six and a half lengths from Cloudy Glen. Shantou Flyer was three-quarters of a length away in third. Hold The Note was a further 13 lengths back in fourth.
Rachael Blackmore came down on Plan Of Attack at the third-last fence when holding every chance.
Kennedy – who suffered heartbreak in the opening race of the day when Envoi Allen fell – said: “I was lucky they were going quick, she was doing her best work at the finish.
“We thought she’d stay, but I’d planned it going a bit smoother in the early part. I just had to make do what I could from there, luckily I had a very willing partner.
“We were hoping she’d run a big race, we thought she might be thereabouts if things went smoothly, but I thought my chances were out of the window after four fences.
“At the top of the hill I was fairly happy and I ended up getting there too soon.
“It was a massive thrill, especially after the day I’d had, probably one of the most satisfactory winners I’ve had.”
1 Telmesomethinggirl (Rachael Blackmore) 5-1
2 Magic Daze (R M Power) 22-1
3 Mighty Blue (J J Slevin) 12-1
15 ran
Rachael Blackmore strengthened her lead in the race to be top jockey at Cheltenham with victory on Telmesomethinggirl in the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
It was her fifth of the week and second on the day after winning the Ryanair Chase on Allaho.
Like Allaho and Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, Telmesomethinggirl was trained by Henry de Bromhead. The Co Waterford-based trainer was also responsible for the runner-up Magic Daze, who made the running and did not give up when headed.
Blackmore said: “It’s overwhelming, to be honest.
“Henry’s done an unbelievable job with her, he always thought a lot of her and she showed it today. She’s got speed as well as everything else, she jumped brilliantly everywhere and she settled better than she had done before.
“I wish I could give you something really good, but I’m genuinely just so overwhelmed by these last few days. It’s all about the horses you’re getting on and I’ve just been so lucky to be riding for the people I’m riding for.”
De Bromhead added: “It’s been an incredible week. The horses are flying, the jockey is flying and it’s been brilliant.
“We’re very lucky to have good mares like these and good owners.
“I thought this mare had a chance. I thought on ratings we might struggle a little bit, but I thought both of ours had a squeak.
“Magic Daze ran a cracker as well to finish second, having made all, which is a hard thing to do in this race.
“I’m delighted with both of them.”
1 The Shunter (J C Gainford) 9-4 Fav
2 Farclas (J W Kennedy) 5-1
3 Top Notch (Luca Morgan) 50-1
4 Coole Cody (T J O'Brien) 22-1
21 ran
The Shunter landed a £100,000 (€116,900) bonus as he triumphed in the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase.
Emmet Mullins’ charge won the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last time out, putting him in line for the bumper windfall if he could follow up in any race at the Festival.
The Shunter was sent off the 9-4 favourite in the hands of 7lb claimer Jordan Gainford and travelled supremely well throughout, racing prominently before kicking on at the turn for home.
Farclas tried to reel him back on the run to the line, but The Shunter was not for passing, with Top Notch also staying on back in third.
Gainford said: “It’s unbelievable, I can’t describe it, to be honest. Massive thanks to Emmet Mullins for letting me ride him and Mr Byrne, the owner. On a big day like this, for a 7lb claimer, it’s a massive opportunity. I’m just delighted it came off.
“He was stepping up in trip today and I thought that was the key to him. I gave him a squeeze at one or two but he likes to do his own little thing.
“To be honest, he took me there, I was there way too early. He started to wander, he’d have loved a bit of company down to the second-last, but he’s battled after the second-last and after the last again.
“It’s unbelievable – a big thanks everyone at home for all the opportunities I’ve got.”
1 Flooring Porter (D E Mullins) 12-1
2 Sire Du Berlais (M P Walsh) 5-1
3 Paisley Park (Aidan Coleman) 9-4 Fav
15 ran
Flooring Porter galloped his rivals into submission in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
Winner of a Navan handicap in November, Flooring Porter graduated to Grade One level with victory in Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle and he confirmed his position at the top of the staying ranks with a dominant display.
Ridden by Danny Mullins after regular partner Jonathan Moore gave up the ride on the morning of the race, Gavin Cromwell’s charge assumed control from the moment the tapes went up and Flooring Porter kept pulling out more in front.
A recent fall had left Moore him facing a race against time to make Cheltenham. He had a sit on his proposed big-race mount, but declared himself unfit and recommended Mullins to Cromwell.
Cromwell praised the selflessness of Moore and said: “It was a huge performance and a smashing ride. It was a big blow for Jonathan, he made the decision himself that he wouldn’t do the horse justice.
“He suggested Danny would be suited to the horse and it was all down to Jonny’s instructions.
“Hats off to Johnny, he’s so unselfish – he thought he wouldn’t do the horse justice, so I’m very grateful. He actually sat on him.”
Mullins was also quick to pay tribute to Moore.
He said: “It was fantastic. He’s a very good horse. I got the call-up about an hour beforehand and in fairness to Jonathan Moore he gave me every bit of information he had about the horse.
“Credit to him. He knew he wasn’t in good shape this morning and stood himself down – it’s the mark of a great man.
Defending champion Lisnagar Oscar was an early faller, leaving Sire Du Berlais and gallant favourite Paisley Park to chase home the winner.
However, they were no match, with Flooring Porter winning by three and a quarter lengths.
1 Allaho (Rachael Blackmore) 3-1 Fav
2 Fakir D'Oudairies (M P Walsh) 11-2
3 Tornado Flyer (D E Mullins) 25-1
11 ran
Allaho took apart a quality field to make virtually all in the Ryanair Chase.
Partnered by Rachael Blackmore, Allaho was keen to assert from the off, going toe-to-toe with stablemate Min through the early part of the race before he eventually pushed on.
Blackmore took no prisoners on proven stayer Allaho, keeping up the searching gallop and building up a healthy lead turning for home.
The 3-1 favourite barely faltered up the straight, coasting home 12 lengths clear of Fakir D’oudairies, with another Mullins runner Tornado Flyer staying on for third.
Blackmore, who was notching her fourth success at the meeting, said: “It’s incredible, as a jockey when you’re getting legged up on these kind of horses for Henry de Bromhead and Willie Mullins, they just know their job. It’s fantastic.
“He was just jumping and travelling, he’s a real galloper, that’s how I rode him and it was either going to work or it wasn’t and it worked. It’s fantastic. It’s an unbelievable position I’m in.”
1 Mrs Milner (B J Cooper) 12-1
2 The Bosses Oscar (J C Gainford) 10-3 Fav
3 Come On Teddy (J J Burke) 10-1
4 Milliner (Rachael Blackmore) 7-1
22 ran
Mrs Milner (12-1) ran out a clear-cut winner of the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
He was given a perfect waiting ride by Bryan Cooper, who switched Paul Nolan’s charge to the outside to challenge approaching the penultimate flight.
Mrs Milner cleared that in style and accelerated away to the last, before staying on all the way to the line with just a loose horse for company.
Of Mrs Milner, Cooper said: “It’s great, I can tell you it’s been a lonely couple of years walking out of this place without any winners when you get used to riding them.
“I can’t thank these men enough, Paul and James Nolan, they stood by me for the last three or four years and gave me some stuff when I didn’t have any.
“It’s a pity they can’t be here, the owners (Manverton Limited) – you might not have heard of them, but they put a lot of money into the game and this will mean a lot to them.”
The Bosses Oscar took second, with Come On Teddy third and Milliner fourth.
1 Chantry House (Nico de Boinville) 9-1
2 Fusil Raffles (D A Jacob) 14-1
3 Asterion Forlonge (P Townend) 14-1
8 ran
Chantry House took the Marsh Novices’ Chase after Envoi Allen’s untimely and unexpected early exit in the opening race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival.
All eyes had been on Envoi Allen and there was a real sense of anti-climax when the 4-9 favourite came down at the fourth fence, leaving his jockey Jack Kennedy disconsolate.
It was trainer Nicky Henderson who was the beneficiary, saddling the 9-1 winner Chantry House, ridden by Nico de Boinville, as well as the runner-up Fusil Raffles for good measure.
The latter was up front from the start along with Shan Blue, who was given the office by Harry Skelton to stretch the field a long way out.
That injection of pace caught the opposition off guard, but they still were able to reel in Dan Skelton’s charge after three out where the Henderson pair were in prime position.
Chantry House proved the stronger up the hill to prevail by three lengths from Fusil Raffles and give Henderson a 70th winner at the Festival.
Henderson told ITV Racing: “You have to take your opportunities when they’re given to you, to be fair we all thought we were up against it when we started. I hope he’s all right, Envoi, he looks OK.
“They both jumped beautifully, they still went a good gallop and we should be delighted. He’s a wonderful horse, they both are.
“He’s done nothing wrong all season, he really looked flat out a lot of the way. We said when we ran him in the Supreme last year that he wanted another half a mile and today he wanted another half. It really looks like we might be asking for three (miles) one day.”
Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Envoi Allen, reported his charge to have emerged unscathed after his fall in the first race.
He said: “Jack just said he was a little bit keen. He just launched at the fence, unfortunately, and that was it.
“I’ve had a look at him though and he looked fine, and Jack’s fine too, so that’s good.”
Asterion Forlonge was another two lengths back in third, with Chatham Street Lad fourth.
