Despite a setback at Leopardstown, Facile Vega bounced back with an impressive runner-up finish, hinting at a promising future over longer distances.
The opening couple of days at Cheltenham served up some prime entertainment, including what might be the most extraordinary hurdler display ever seen and a heartfelt farewell to one of the leading mares from recent years.
Following Honeysuckle's triumph in the Mares Hurdle on Tuesday, her next moves seem quite straightforward, but the path forward for some others might not be as plain.
I've intentionally avoided the obvious mentions, primarily the winners for this context, as the future plans for Constitution Hill, Gallopin des Champs, Energumene, and leading bumper entrants are almost self-explanatory, as well as the Grand National prospects for the top cross-country finishers.
Facile Vega underwhelmed at Leopardstown, although a runner-up finish later hinted he, like many Champion Bumper victors, might excel over longer distances in the foreseeable future. Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Despite showing some good moments at six, he couldn't match the winner Marine Nationale 's speed after the final hurdle. Considering his background, sprung from a mare whose Grade 1 victories in open competition were all over three miles, this shouldn't be too surprising.
A transition to steeplechases is expected for next year, and while ruling out the Arkle would be premature, a run in... appears likely.
The winner, a well-traveled six-year-old, made a fantastic late burst under Michael O’Sullivan. the Turners’ on the Thursday of the meeting must be favourite.
Owner and trainer Barry Connell might feel unlucky to have such a promising novice coinciding with Constitution Hill. While tempting to challenge Nicky Henderson's star, heading towards the Arkle in 2024 seems the most plausible path.
Horses like Jonbon and Saint Roi may find success stepping up in distance in open Graded races next year for JP McManus. Jonbon, with a point-to-point pedigree, and Saint Roi, who persisted nicely though posing no real threat to the leaders, both show potential.
State Man entered the main event unbeaten, having handed Honeysuckle a sound defeat in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. Expect him to encounter Constitution Hill next year, though he’s well-positioned in Ireland's hurdle scene looking forward, with Punchestown as a possible destination.
Tackling the 2m5f distance for the first time, Gaelic Warrior seemed set for longer trips while trailing stablemate Impaire Et Passe. With two Festival runner-up finishes now, a transition to steeplechases seems fitting.
Hermes Allen resulted in somewhat of a letdown, never fully earning my conviction, maybe due to the competition he's faced—mostly UK-trained horses when Irish runners reign supreme.
Paul Nicholls excels in crafting standout novice chasers, and given the scarcity of notable UK novice hurdlers this week, his dominance in early-season Graded races at Newbury and Kempton’s Kauto Star at Christmas seems plausible until the Festival.
A field of seven might look underwhelming on paper, but last year's champion Energumene delivered an emphatic triumph in this year's race, unsurprising to many.
Captain Guinness gained solid market backing and showed well to secure second, comfortably ahead of the third.
That’s arguably as good as it gets for him while Edwardstone , deemed a top UK contender, didn't perform up to expectations.
Alan King is a master at preparing for the Festival, and triumph in the Tingle Creek at Sandown suggests something noteworthy awaits. This nine-year-old offers intrigue if heading to Aintree or Sandown soon.
Stage Star , defying the Irish-trained novice winner trend, secured victory for Nicholls. The seven-year-old, winning three of four chases earlier, capitalized on experience for an impressive win.
Emerging from useful mare Sparky May, this gelding displayed plenty of speed, and while he’s likely to maintain similar distances, seeing him in an early-season Tingle Creek event would be interesting.
Mighty Potter shed a shoe and veered right as he approached the finish, and while his team will be disappointed, he still emerged best among Irish participants albeit hampered.
Anticipating a step up in distance appears logical. However, whether he can compete at the top level in open company remains in question.
Laura Morgan has had a successful early career, and it's rewarding to see Notlongtillmay excel, finishing second. With a 142 rating, returning to a November 2m5f handicap looks promising.
The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old Mr Incredible caught the eye, staying on for third under Patrick Mullins, who rode him from behind.
Although relatively young, he possesses ample steeplechase experience with seven outings, including a Grade 3 second over 3m5f at Warwick in January.
A Grand National entry seems appropriate, yet few seven-year-olds attempt it (though Noble Yeats bucked that trend 12 months prior), and the track and race itself have evolved considerably.
Holding up horses often don’t prosper in Aintree, but should he compete there, an intriguing performance awaits. He’d also prove interesting in the Irish or Scottish equivalents, or the...
Friday kicked off with Lossiemouth clinching an impressive victory, outshining stablemates. Although four-year-olds don’t have a great record in the Triumph Hurdle, Willie Mullins could shape her trajectory next season effectively now that Honeysuckle has retired and with State Man's potential switch to fences, paving her way for hurdle dominance in 2023/24.
Stay Away Fay tenaciously secured his win here, projecting as a decent staying novice next season.
Paul Nicholls is skilled at nurturing such talent, likely targeting an early next season trajectory, culminating in the staying novice chase on the Wednesday of this meeting. Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown .
Corbetts Cross dashed hopes at the last obstacle while mounting a strong challenge, hinting at potential Gold Cup or Grand National credentials moving forward.
Trainer Emmett Mullins is carving a notable pathway, having guided the horse through a three-mile handicap win and a shorter Grade 2 victory, offering him various strategic options.
Some discourse inevitably surrounds the beaten horses in this context, whether they needed more distance, disliked the track, or something else.
The most conspicuous case is Noble Yeats , who many foresaw drawing attention by closing in the final stages, securing a distant fourth after struggling to keep pace intermittently.
This provided a respectable Grand National trial, suggesting an Aintree double might not be far-fetched.
Bravemansgame and Conflated faded in the closing stages. Blaming just stamina seems misguided, but concerning Conflated as a nine-year-old, it's a legitimate worry.
Both did place, neither suggesting Ryanair suitability. Paul Nicholls' entrant might appear at Aintree in the traditionally dubbed Martell Cup, whereas Conflated seems well-suited for Leopardstown.
Among those failing to finish, Ahoy Senor had claims before falling, also bringing down Sounds Russian .
Reading too deeply into these performances is unwise, and both merit another top-level attempt.
A Plus Tard , on a comeback mission post a Haydock November withdrawal, faced significant hurdles with interruptions from both Ahoy Senor and Sounds Russian.
Henry De Bromhead's gelding deserves another opportunity, presumably best when fresh, raising interest for possible Aintree or Punchestown ventures.
Recent whip rule discussions abound, with Stattler perhaps not fully displaying potential. Under early pressure, the outcome seemed sealed, while previous winner Minella Indo was done from an early stage.
The two leading horses battled this finish, Impervious ultimately proving much superior to Allegorie de Vassy .
Don't be surprised if the former evolves into a Ryanair Chase prospect next season, though connections may prefer keeping her in mares' contests, seeking consecutive victories in this race.
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Cheltenham's opening days unveiled high-octane racing moments, showcasing perhaps a legendary hurdling performance and a heartfelt farewell to a notable mare of our era.
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Despite a setback at Leopardstown, Facile Vega bounced back with an impressive runner-up finish, hinting at a promising future over longer distances.
The six-year-old showed promise but couldn't match the winner, Marine Nationale , hinting that his breeding suggests stamina over speed, aligning with a lineage of three-mile achievers.
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The victor, a six-year-old under Michael O’Sullivan, showcased patience and strength, making owner/trainer Barry Connell proud even amidst fierce competition like Constitution Hill, making the Arkle a likely objective for 2024.
Defeated competitors such as Jonbon and Saint Roi may excel in open Graded events next year, with Jonbon’s point-to-point roots and Saint Roi's late surge indicating potential.
State Man entered the marquee race unbeaten, having recently outpaced Honeysuckle at Leopardstown, set to clash with Constitution Hill yet poised to dominate Ireland's hurdles scene with potential aims at Punchestown. Gaelic Warrior , despite debuting in a 2m5f race, hinted at handling more distance, emerging as a notable runner behind stablemate Impaire Et Passe, signaling a probable shift to fences.
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