Wodhooh steps up once more for Elliott
Jockey Jack Kennedy celebrates aboard Wodhooh after winning the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle. Pic: David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire.
Like last year, when Gordon Elliott needed a hero, up stepped Wodhooh.
It was she who ensured Elliott would not end the 2025 Cheltenham Festival without a winner, scoring in the 28th and final race of the week, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
Elliott didn’t have to wait as long this year but, if he felt on edge ahead of the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle, the 17th race of the week, he was entitled to do so.
He might have taken comfort from the fact Wodhooh was the 5-6 favourite to record her 10th win in 11 starts over hurdles but the fact this meeting has been a graveyard for hotpots this week can’t have eluded him.
But Wodhooh is just one of those horses who always seemed to find a way as she did so again here in the hands of Jack Kennedy, fending off Jade De Grugy to claim her first Grade One success.
“It's hard to have winners here, the ball just wasn't bouncing, but thankfully we're on the board now,” Elliott said. “I'm delighted for myself and staff and my owners.
“The race worked out great and Jack gave her a peach. She idled a bit up the straight but she picked up again and she's something else.
“It's hard to know how good she is as she doesn't do anything fancy at home, but we're lucky to have her.” After a winless Festival last year, Kennedy was similarly relieved to get off the mark for the week.
“It’s been a frustrating couple of days, but when you have a mare like her that you are waiting on you are I suppose hopeful or even quietly confident that you are going to get one on the board.
“I had no winner here last year so to get that is brilliant and thankfully Gordon and all of the team haven’t had to wait as long as last year. A massive thanks to them for all the hard work they put in. It’s brilliant.”
Reflecting on how the race unfolded, Kennedy added: “I was very happy the whole way. She just hit a bit of a flat spot coming down the hill, which she can do, and I probably gave her a bit of a squeeze a bit early and got there plenty soon enough on her but she’s so honest nothing was going to get by her in the straight.”
Lossiemouth won this race 12 months ago before going on to win the Champion Hurdle this year so it was inevitable Elliott would be asked if Wodhooh would follow suit in 2027. It was equally inevitable that Elliott would provide a non-committal answer.
“We'll enjoy today and see what happens. My own feeling is she probably needs two and a half miles but you never know.”
Reflecting on Jade De Grugy’s run, Paul Townend said: “She's run an absolute cracker and we've been beaten by a very good mare. I don't think any of us really know how good Wodhooh is but I'm delighted with how ours ran.”
Feet Of A Dancer ran a big race to finish third, much to the delight of trainer Paul Nolan.
"What a run! Our plan was to try something different and track Wodhooh in case she idled in front and we might be able to come with one run, but ours just wants three miles now, she doesn't have that pace and the other two pulled away up the hill.
“At the end of the day if Wodhooh or Jade De Grugy ran in the Stayers' Hurdle with the allowance, they would be high up in the betting — the winner could be Quevega stuff.”
