Henry de Bromhead etches his name in the annals of horse racing after majestic week

Minella Indo and Jack Kennedy win for owner Barry Maloney and trainer Henry de Bromhead with grooms Cathal Carmody, Zoe Smalley and Jason Dunphy. Picture: Healy Racing

Henry de Bromhead, history maker, take a bow. With Minella Indo’s brilliant victory in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup he etched his name in the annals of the sport by becoming the first person to train the winners of the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and the blue riband event in the one week.

And A Plus Tard made the Gold Cup even more special for the Co Waterford trainer by filling the runner-up berth.

The meeting started so well for De Bromhead when Honeysuckle set it alight early on Tuesday, and with the exception of Envoi Allen’s mishap in the Marsh Chase, the fire has remained ablaze for four days.

Minella Indo had a little to prove after recent disappointments but, with Honeysuckle, Bob Olinger, Put The Kettle On, Telmesomethinggirl and Quilixios setting the tone, it seemed safe to assume he would turn up ready to run for his life. As would stablemate A Plus Tard.

Winner of the 2019 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, and arguably unlucky in last season’s RSA Chase, it was only Minella Indo’s recent disappointments which left questions to be answered. A faller in the Savills Chase won by A Plus Tard, he was a disappointing fourth behind Kemboy in the Irish Gold Cup on his final prep. But this was the real Minella Indo, and the race went amazingly well for the eight-year-old.

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After he crossed the first fence in a share of second place, Kennedy was happy to let him slip back a couple of places as Frodon, Black Op and Kemboy set a good pace.

His jumping was measured, not spectacular, and his cruising speed allowed him to hold his position comfortably.

The race unfolded without Santini and Champ, who both jumped poorly, and former champion Native River struggled to go the pace.

Minella Indo, meanwhile, continued to move well and he cruised through to lead on the turn for home. Stablemate A Plus Tard, who was ridden more patiently by Rachael Blackmore, was on his quarters at this point, while Al Boum Photo held every chance but lacked the pace of the front two as they moved on at the bottom of the hill.

When Kennedy applied pressure to Minella Indo, he stretched out impressively and flew the last two fences. A Plus Tard stuck to his task well but all he could so was push his idling stablemate to a little more than a length, with Al Boum Photo going out on his shield in third place.

“I can’t believe it – I really can’t,” said De Bromhead, struggling to process a mindbogglingly successful week. “I’ve said it a few times now, and it’s getting boring, but I think I’m still in the hotel, it’s Monday night, the start of the week and nothing has happened as of yet. It’s mad.” “I keep saying it’s amazing, but it genuinely is. I was looking at him (Al Boum Photo) thinking he is going to stay on. But Jack was brilliant on Indo. He is just such a tough horse. To see him pricking his ears after the second last was great, but it is all down to the crew at home and here.

“Whatever it is about here, it is a bit like Put The Kettle On, he just comes alive. He is fast asleep at home on a daily basis. Even saddling him there he was like he was before the Albert Bartlett, kicking the back wall. He was so up for it. It’s ridiculous but it’s all down to the crew at home and everyone here. They work so hard. And all our clients – you couldn’t do it without the horses. They’re so supportive. I feel very fortunate. It’s crazy.

“Whether it’s here or anywhere, there’s always a different story with every horse and every client. Not all of them would particularly put you under pressure but you just want success, and you want to achieve for them because they’ve put their faith in you.

“It’s incredible. When you get a week like this it’s crazy stuff. It’s not reality.

“And Jack has so much experience in the top races, and he’s a very cool character, I find. Very laid back, which is great. Nothing seems to faze him. He actually looked emotional when he came back in, which was a surprise. Great guy. He’s been brought through brilliantly by the lads, and he’s got a massive career in front of him.” Taking stock of a week that can scarcely have sunk in, De Bromhead explained: “It’s massive. The results this week have confirmed why I get so frustrated at home: because every day you go out it’s so competitive it’s ridiculous. You’re going out with good horses, getting beaten, and you’re wondering how they’re getting beaten.” With the backing of so many powerful owners and a brilliant young team of horses already in de Bromhead’s care, the boot might just be on the other foot next season.

Rachael Blackmore, rider of runner-up A Plus Tard, hasn’t made many wrong decisions this week, and will surely have great opportunities in future Gold Cups, but the week’s leading rider was magnanimous in defeat, preferring to congratulate the winner than dwell on her own near miss.

“It was a good run and well done to Henry, it was an unbelievable result. I’m delighted for the Maloney family (owners of Minella Indo), they’ll celebrate well at home.”

Willie Mullins, trainer of Al Boum Photo was understandably proud of his charge, who gave everything in his hat-trick bid. Coming back again will be difficult, but he lost little in his bid to make his own history.

“A great run, he ran his heart out,” said Mullins. “The winner was very unlucky last year and A Plus Tard’s form was very good in Ireland, so we’ve no excuses. Our fellow ran a cracker and it was a great race for the three horses over the last three fences.”