Slade Steel and Blackmore show mettle to reign Supreme at Cheltenham
WINNER: Slade Steel, with Rachael Blackmore up, jumps the last ahead of Mystical Power in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
“It’s lovely to get one on the board. You definitely breathe a sigh of relief, but we’ve never won that before, so I don’t know this feeling … but it’s good,” said a beaming Henry de Bromhead, after Slade Steel gave him a first Grade One Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
He’s right, of course, the Festival opener was a gap on his CV, but that winning feeling at this meeting is certainly nothing new to the Co Waterford trainer who was celebrating his 22nd Festival success.
For some time, he has been open about his insistence that this horse would avoid Ballyburn, wherever his old adversary would go, and when that rival pinned his colours to the mast of the Gallagher Novice Hurdle, Slade Steel was confirmed for this race.
Staying power was thought to be his strongest suit, suggesting the drop to two miles might not be ideal, but when this race came down to a battle from the back of the final hurdle, his stamina kicked in and he found the necessary reserves to get the better of Mystical Power.
The latter led over the last, went more than half a length up, and traded at 1-20, but when Rachael Blackmore, seeking her 15th Festival victory, got serious, she drew from her mount’s well of stamina and he ran on powerfully up the hill to beat Mystical Power by a length and a half. Firefox, who may have benefited from a more positive ride, had travelled well into the race but got outpaced before staying on again to take the third spot.
There were eight Irish-trained runners in the 11-runner field, and they filled the first five places, and none finished worse than ninth. Jeriko Du Reponet did little to dispel concerns about the current form of the Nicky Henderson runners as he never quite looked happy and was eventually pulled up.
💪 Slade Steel delivers in the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle@HenrydeBromhead | @rachaelblackmor | @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/sgOimJrhCb
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
“It is an amazing place, a special place, and we’ve had a lot of luck here,” said the winning trainer. “I suppose then when you get one, you want two, but we’re delighted to get one and he was one of our bigger ones coming in, so it’s great for the team.
“We try to aim for this time of year, and hopefully keep going. You have to pick your battles when you’re against the guys we’re against and we don’t have the strength in depth to turn up week-in, week-out. Luckily, we can get it right at some of these places.” For Blackmore, also winning this race for the first time, it went as smoothly as she could have wished.
“I was always travelling,” she explained. “I didn’t really want to be in front jumping the last, but he kind of took me there and battled back so well after the last.
“I could feel him picking up, I was headed but I never thought I wasn’t going to battle. I knew after two strides that I was going to get there. A lot can change between the last and the line here, so you don’t want to get there too quick.
“I knew I had a really good chance coming into the race. He’s a really, really tough horse with a massive future. He battled back really well after the line, and I think he won with a little bit in hand as well. It was a really good performance. He’s progressing all the time. He stuck his head down and battled back really well to the line. They’re two very good horses, the first and second.
“It’s just amazing to be coming here and riding these kinds of horses. It’s unbelievable. Henry’s training of them every year, to bring them here in the way he does, is incredible. Davy Roche and all his team at home do some job with all the horses.” Seldom on the day was trainer Willie Mullins trumped by his rivals, but he had to settle for minor roles with his five runners, the best of which was runner-up Mystical Power, and last of which, finishing in eighth place, was the favourite, Tullyhill.
“Mystical Power has come a very long way from winning that bumper in Ballinrobe,” said Mullins. “The ground probably inconvenienced him, but I’d say the winner was probably just idling in front. It was great for Henry, and great for Robcour.
“I was very pleased with Asian Master (in fourth) and it was a great spin for Thomas Costello. I thought he gave him every chance to win so I was very happy with that. Tullyhill was a little bit disappointing, and Paul wasn’t happy with him from halfway. Even going down to the start he said he wasn’t the usual Tullyhill. I think Supersundae ran well and I was very happy with him.”
