WHAT a week at Cheltenham. Rachael’s Cheltenham.
As I drove away from Cleeve Hill after four glorious days on ITV, it was impossible not to reflect on the drama that had unfolded.
Worryingly for star rider Rachael Blackmore she was on my mind plenty.
But not just the Gold Cup heroine.
It struck me I would have loved a penny for the thoughts of Jack Kennedy as he tracked Tiger Roll in the Cross Country and the crowd roared and cheered for the latter to storm home in one last glorious hurrah.
And a few quid to be in Paul Townend’s brain as Galopin Des Champs jumped the last fence in the Turners Novices’ Chase with aplomb, only to collapse to the ground on landing.
Then there was Paddy Brennan, who was all class in the stewards’ enquiry following the Pertemps. The rider had just finished second in a fairly close finish.
I tipped the 25- winner Third Wind in this column, and I have no idea why anyone was even having a look at the closing stages.
Many jockeys might have created an issue, but Brennan basically said to the stewards nothing happened, which was exactly the truth. Respect.
Back to Kennedy.
Remember he was riding Delta Work in the Cross Country, the horse which had caused him to lose the mount on Minella Indo in the Gold Cup.
Surely it must have crossed his mind that owner Michael O’Leary might just want Tiger Roll to bang in another Cross Country as he challenged one of racing’s favourite warriors.
I put that to the Ryanair boss, who also ran Delta Work in his Gigginstown silks, and this is what he said: “As with all jockeys, only one thing on Jack’s mind – winning!
“I was with the rest of the 69,000 (crowd number), take a pull and let him win!
“Jeez, wudda’ been a fairytale result. Although I think he embellished his legend status even further going down by three-quarters of a length on ground he hated.
1.30 Kempton – Uallrightharry
2.05 Kempton – Rockstar Ronnie
2.40 Kempton – Zanza (EW)
3.15 Kempton – Pistol Whipped
1.50 Uttoxeter – Serious Charges
2.25 Uttoxeter – Fuji Flight
3.00 Uttoxeter – Panic Attack
3.35 Uttoxeter – Captain Drake (EW)
“Jeez, if the rain hadn’t come he wudda’ won by half the track.”
It’s hard to argue with any of that.
Friday was all about the Boodles Gold Cup, and Blackmore was The Queen of Cheltenham with a beautiful waiting ride on Cheveley Park Stud’s A Plus Tard.
It was an act of genius on a horse most thought might not storm up the Cheltenham hill as he did. I was a doubter. I was wrong.
Back to Tuesday, and I was also wrong to take on Blackmore and Honeysuckle who was strong in the Champion Hurdle, proving she’s miles better than the moderate bunch she’s racing against in that sphere.
The BHA handicappers told me she would have a rating of 158 for the performance, which is desperately low, although they will keep her on 165.
I love Honeysuckle. How could you not as she keeps on winning for the excellent Henry de Bromhead, also the trainer of A Plus Tard.
She might be one of the best ever, but until she takes on something better than she is at the moment she won’t be able to prove it. That’s why I will keep taking her on and if she keeps proving me wrong that’s fantastic.
The Champion Chase was a shambles, with nothing really to celebrate even if you were a supporter of the winner Energumene.
The classy chaser, who became a closer rather than a front-runner, provided his enthusiastic and shrewd owner Tony Bloom with a massive success before he went and saw his beloved Brighton toppled by my beloved Tottenham in the evening! For Ireland’s champion trainer Willie Mullins it was an emotional first Champion success.
But it was a hollow victory, with Shishkin pulled up and Chacun Pour Soi crashing out under Patrick Mullins, just as he had on Douvan a few years earlier.
Danny Mullins took all the plaudits on Thursday with his ride on Flooring Porter in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
One man who was impressed was Danny’s old man, Tony, who despite being jocked off Dawn Run knows a good rider when he sees one.
Tony Mullins told me: “Danny is the best judge of pace in the business.”
Away from the feature events, Constitution Hill was surely the horse who captured the imagination with a blistering track-record-breaking success in the Supreme.
He just looks a monster, and one day might be the one to take the sweetness out of the ‘Honey’.
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