The many months of anticipation are nearly over with the four-day spectacular that is the Cheltenham Festival getting under way on Tuesday. Once again, hopes of a good meeting for Irish-trained horses are sky high and with the 2013 and 2014 editions producing impressive double-figure tallies for the raiding party, another similarly strong showing is expected. On paper and numerically, Willie Mullins will launch his strongest challenge yet for the meeting and the performance of his team will be a central aspect of the week.
The many months of anticipation are nearly over with the four-day spectacular that is the Cheltenham Festival getting under way on Tuesday. Once again, hopes of a good meeting for Irish-trained horses are sky high and with the 2013 and 2014 editions producing impressive double-figure tallies for the raiding party, another similarly strong showing is expected.
On paper and numerically, Willie Mullins will launch his strongest challenge yet for the meeting and the performance of his team will be a central aspect of the week.
From an Irish perspective, the clash of the undefeated Faugheen, his great stablemate Hurricane Fly and last year’s winner Jezki in the Champion Hurdle is an obvious highlight. There looks to be every chance that the Gold Cup could come back across the Irish Sea while the return of Annie Power and the chance for this season’s leading novices to test their mettle against their English counterparts are other notable features of the week.
In all it promises to be another Festival to live long in the memory and there is much to look forward to while the following quintet could help to make it a profitable as well as a hugely enjoyable meeting.
Douvan
Willie Mullins
Undefeated in two starts since coming to Ireland, this French import looks to have cast-iron claims in the Supreme Novices Hurdle. He trounced a subsequent Grade 1 winner at Gowran in November and was imperious in victory in a decent novice hurdle at Punchestown in January. His Punchestown effort was such that he was elevated to banker status by many and he gets a confident vote in the race that provided Mullins with his first Cheltenham winner in 1995.
Lite Duties
Charles Byrnes
Kadoun’s shock 50/1 success in 2006 was the last time that the Pertemps Final came back across this side of the Irish Sea. However, Lite Duties may be able to reverse that recent trend. He progressed well to notch up three successive wins prior to Christmas which culminated in his success in a high-class handicap at Navan. Lite Duties then shaped up encouragingly in a Pertemps Qualifier at Punchestown last month where he left the impression that he could do better still and his trainer’s runners at this meeting warrant the utmost respect.
Bordini
Willie Mullins
The Cheltenham bumper has long been a kind race for the Mullins yard and the champion trainer will field an especially strong team this year. The promising Stone Hard, dual winner Pylonthepressure and Au Quart De Tour are all formidable challengers but Bordini could be the pick. He was most impressive on his racecourse debut in November and he followed up in style at Navan the following month. He looks to have all the necessary qualities for the bumper and the switch to better ground looks sure to suit him well.
No More Heroes
Gordon Elliott
This gelding promised much in two bumper wins last season and he began his hurdling campaign with two smart efforts that included a noteworthy defeat of Shaneshill in a Navan Grade 2 before Christmas. On his most recent outing, No More Heroes disappointed at Leopardstown when only fifth to Outlander. However, he had a legitimate excuse for that and his trainer has long held him in the highest regard. The three miles of Friday’s Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle looks an ideal assignment for this thorough stayer.
Djakadam
Willie Mullins
In one of the most open Gold Cups for some time, a case could be made for a host of the runners, a number of whom hail from this side of the Irish Sea. The Gold Cup has thus far eluded Willie Mullins but from 11 runners in the race he has saddled four seconds and in Djakadam he has a compelling contender for this year’s edition. Like Mullins’s 2014 runner-up, On His Own, Djakadam won the Thyestes Chase off top weight last timeout, albeit against a field of exposed types. This six-year-old has long looked a potentially top chaser and after just five runs over fences he could have much more to offer. His inexperience is a potential concern and this will be his most daunting assignment to date but there is a growing sense that this horse is a Gold Cup winner in waiting.
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