Horses for Courses

The Cheltenham Festival returned on Tuesday and the first home in the Supreme Novice Hurdle were Irish trained. The Willie Mullins trained favourite Facile Vega finishing runner-up to Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale ridden by Michael O’Sullivan for his first festival win.

The Arkle developed into a two-horse race with WP Mullins’ El Fabiolo beating Paul Nicholls’ Jonbon.

The Ultima Handicap chase was won for the second year in a row by Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler and Derek Fox beating Sean Mulryan’s Fastorslow.

In the Champion Hurdle, long oddson Constitution Hill destroyed the field beating WP Mullins’ State Man and Gordon Elliott’s Zanahiyr and is now oddson again to repeat the feat next year.

Honeysuckle bows out in style!

In the Mares Hurdle, wonder mare Honeysuckle returned to the winner’s enclosure beating Love Envoi and Queens Brook and will now be retired. The stands erupted when Rachael Blackmore drove on after the last and the pair got a reception equal to, if not better, to that enjoyed by Constitution Hill.

The Juvenile Handicap Hurdle provided the Irish with a fourth winner on the day as Michael O’Sullivan completed a double on Elliott’s Jazzy Matty beating compatriots Byker and Risk Belle.

In the National Hunt Challenge Cup for amateur riders, Patrick Mullins completed a double for his father on Gail- lard Du Mensil with Chemical Energy second for Elliott and Jamie Codd with Derek O’Connor third on Mister Coffey. A clean sweep for Ireland’s top amateurs giving Ireland a 5-2 lead in the Prestbury Cup.

On Wednesday, the Ballymore Novices Hurdle threw up another winner for Ireland as WP Mullins had a 1, 2, 3 with Impaire Et Passe from Gaelic Warrior and Champ Kiely.

The ten-runner Brown Advisory Novice Chase was won by The Real Whacker, trained in England by former Irish trainer Patrick Neville who led pillar to post.

In the Coral Cup, Sean Mulryan’s An Epic Song was beaten a head by Langer Dan trained by Dan Skelton.

Energumene for WP Mullins easily beat de Bromhead’s Captain Guiness Queen Mother Champion Chase, while Elliot’s Delta Work one the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.

The Grand Annual Chase had 18 runners and there was another Irish 1, 2 with the de Bromhead outsider Maskada beating WP Mullins’ Dinoblue. In the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper, the winner was Irish trained by John Kiely in Waterford. The winner, Dream To Share, gave John Gleeson a winner on his first ride in Prestbury Park beating WP Mullins’ Fact To File. A winner tipped here last week and who won in Roscommon.

Cheltenham Thursday

In the opening Turners Novice Chase, nine runners go to post, four Irish and five British. The Irish contingent is headed by Elliott’s Mighty Potter head-