It was another great day for the Irish at the Cheltenham Festival today.
There were big wins for Rachael Blackmore and Danny Mullins, who took the place of the injured Jonathan Moore.
5.30pm: Such was the unlikely nature of victory at one stage, the winner touched 999-1 on betting exchange Betfair.
5.22pm: Irish domination continued when Mount Ida put up an amazing performance to come from last to first and claim the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase.
Leading two out in the hands of Jack Kennedy, the 3-1 favourite gradually went clear to give Denise Foster a second Festival winner after taking over the licence at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables.
Kennedy said: “I was lucky they were going quick, she was doing her best work at the finish.
“We thought she’d stay, but I’d planned it going a bit smoother in the early part. I just had to make do what I could from there, luckily I had a very willing partner.
“We were hoping she’d run a big race, we thought she might be thereabouts if things went smoothly, but I thought my chances were out of the window after four fences.
“At the top of the hill I was fairly happy and I ended up getting there too soon.
“It was a massive thrill, especially after the day I’d had, probably one of the most satisfactory winners I’ve had.”
4.48pm: De Bromhead said: “It’s been an incredible week. The horses are flying, the jockey is flying and it’s been brilliant.
“We’re very lucky to have good mares like these and good owners.
“I thought this mare had a chance. I thought on ratings we might struggle a little bit, but I thought both of ours had a squeak.
“Magic Daze ran a cracker as well to finish second, having made all, which is a hard thing to do in this race.
“I’m delighted with both of them.”
4.38pm: Blackmore said: “It’s overwhelming, to be honest.
“Henry’s done an unbelievable job with her, he always thought a lot of her and she showed it today. She’s got speed as well as everything else, she jumped brilliantly everywhere and she settled better than she had done before.
“I wish I could give you something really good, but I’m genuinely just so overwhelmed by these last few days. It’s all about the horses you’re getting on and I’ve just been so lucky to be riding for the people I’m riding for.”
4.28pm: Blackmore claimed winner number five of the meeting with a sublime ride aboard Telmesomethinggirl in the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
After sitting towards the rear in the early stages, Telmesomethinggirl (5-1) made eyecatching progress on the run to the penultimate flight before accelerating past fellow Henry de Bromhead-trained runner Magic Daze, who had set out to make all.
Telmesomethinggirl fairly flew up the Cheltenham hill to beat her stable companion by five and a half lengths. Mighty Blue was third with bargain-buy Skyace – who cost just £600 – finishing fourth.
4.38pm: Blackmore claimed winner number five of the meeting with a sublime ride aboard Telmesomethinggirl in the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
After sitting towards the rear in the early stages, Telmesomethinggirl (5-1) made eyecatching progress on the run to the penultimate flight before accelerating past fellow Henry de Bromhead-trained runner Magic Daze, who had set out to make all.
Telmesomethinggirl fairly flew up the Cheltenham hill to beat her stable companion by five and a half lengths. Mighty Blue was third with bargain-buy Skyace – who cost just £600 – finishing fourth.
4.10pm: Mullins said: “It just fell into place, one step after the next.
“To be fair to Paul (Byrne, owner), he put it on the radar at Christmastime I think. We were minding his hurdle mark, so we ran over fences at Leopardstown.
The Shunter had multiple entries over the Festival, and Mullins added: “We got the right choice, I don’t know why we picked it, but we got it right.”
3.54pm: The Shunter landed a £100,000 bonus as he triumphed in the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase.
Emmet Mullins’ charge won the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last time out, putting him in line for the bumper windfall if he could follow up in any race at the Festival.
The Shunter was sent off the 9-4 favourite in the hands of 7lb claimer Jordan Gainford and travelled supremely well throughout, racing prominently before kicking on at the turn for home.
Farclas tried to reel him back on the run to the line, but The Shunter was not for passing, with Top Notch also staying on back in third.
3.40pm: Cromwell praised the selflessness of Moore and said: “It was a huge performance and a smashing ride. It was a big blow for Jonathan, he made the decision himself he wouldn’t do the horse justice.
“He suggested Danny would be suited to the horse and it was all down to Jonny’s instructions.
“Hats off to Johnny, he’s so unselfish, but he thought he wouldn’t do the horse justice so I’m very grateful. He actually sat on him.”
Cromwell had mentioned prior to the Festival he was worried about the fact there was no rail the whole way round as Flooring Porter has lugged left in the past, but there were no signs of any misdemeanours.
“He ran straight and true today, bar going right at the last. Other than that he was grand,” said Cromwell.
“He won a Grade B handicap at Navan when it wasn’t the plan to make the running. He decided on his tactics so we went along with it.
“We won the Champion Hurdle a few years ago, so to win another championship race is fantastic.
“The owners are a syndicate from Galway, they are a great bunch and it’s an awful pity they can’t be here.
“Everybody knows how hard it is to get a good horse. We came across this lad by accident, he was a very cheap store so it’s a bit of a fairytale really. It just goes to show dreams can still happen.”
3.33pm: Moore, who said he was “too sore” to ride following a fall, accompanied the horse back into the winner’s enclosure.
Mullins said: “He’s a proper good horse. It was a late spare ride for me, but the man down there (Moore) is the one you want to be talking to. He lost the ride this morning, gave me every bit of information he had about the horse and I had a simple job.
“I knew about an hour beforehand, that’s the man that’s done all the work, and the team at Cromwell’s.
“It’s fantastic, to win a Grade One is great as well. I’m lucky enough, I rode a very good horse today. I’ve probably given horses that were beaten better rides, I just had to steer this one. It’s special.”
Moore added: “I’m delighted for the horse, I knew Leopardstown was no fluke and I gave Danny as much information as I could. Danny gave him a great ride and he’s been a great horse for the Flooring Porter syndicate – what a great story.
“I’m just so proud of the horse, to show what he’s able to do.
“I know this lad’s got a massive engine, I rode him this morning and I was too sore, so I said ‘I’ll never do this horse justice’. I said to Gavin ‘go put Danny Mullins on this horse’s back and he’ll win’. I know how good this horse is and that was not a surprise to me.”
3.26pm: Flooring Porter galloped his rivals into submission in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
Winner of a Navan handicap in early December, Flooring Porter graduated to Grade One level with victory in Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle and he confirmed his position at the top of the staying ranks with a dominant display.
Ridden by Danny Mullins after regular partner Jonathan Moore gave up the ride on the morning of the race, Gavin Cromwell’s charge assumed control from the moment the tapes went up and Flooring Porter kept pulling out more in front.
Defending champion Lisnagar Oscar was an early faller, leaving Sire Du Berlais and gallant favourite Paisley Park to chase home the winner.
However, they were no match, with Flooring Porter winning by three and a quarter lengths.
2.48pm: Blackmore, who was notching her fourth success at the meeting, said: “It’s incredible, as a jockey when you’re getting legged up on these kind of horses for Henry de Bromhead and Willie Mullins, they just know their job. It’s fantastic.
“He was just jumping and travelling, he’s a real galloper, that’s how I rode him and it was either going to work or it wasn’t and it worked. It’s fantastic. It’s an unbelievable position I’m in.”
2.42pm: Allaho took apart a quality field to make virtually all in the Ryanair Chase.
Partnered by Rachael Blackmore, Allaho was keen to assert from the off, going toe-to-toe with stablemate Min through the early part of the race before he eventually pushed on.
Blackmore took no prisoners on proven stayer Allaho, keeping up the searching gallop and building up a healthy lead turning for home.
The 3-1 favourite barely faltered up the straight, coasting home 12 lengths clear of Fakir D’oudairies, with another Mullins runner Tornado Flyer staying on for third.
2.15pm: Of Mrs Milner, Cooper said: “It’s great, I can tell you it’s been a lonely couple of years walking out of this place without any winners when you get used to riding them.
“I can’t thank these men enough, Paul and James Nolan, they stood by me for the last three or four years and gave me some stuff when I didn’t have any.
“It’s a pity they can’t be here, the owners (Manverton Limited) – you might not have heard of them, but they put a lot of money into the game and this will mean a lot to them.”
2.10pm: Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Envoi Allen, reported his charge to have emerged unscathed after his fall in the first race.
He said: “Jack just said he was a little bit keen. He just launched at the fence, unfortunately, and that was it.
“I’ve had a look at him though and he looked fine, and Jack’s fine too, so that’s good.”
2.07pm: Mrs Milner (12-1) ran out a clear-cut winner of the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
He was given a perfect waiting ride by Bryan Cooper, who switched Paul Nolan’s charge to the outside to challenge approaching the penultimate flight.
Mrs Milner cleared that in style and accelerated away to the last, before staying on all the way to the line with just a loose horse for company.
The Bosses Oscar took second, with Come On Teddy third and Milliner fourth.
1.48pm: On possible targets for Chantry House, Henderson added: “I don’t know why we wouldn’t go over three miles at Aintree or Punchestown, it just depends how quick he recovers.”
1.45pm: Henderson told ITV Racing: “You have to take your opportunities when they’re given to you, to be fair we all thought we were up against it when we started. I hope he’s all right, Envoi, he looks OK.
“They both jumped beautifully, they still went a good gallop and we should be delighted. He’s a wonderful horse, they both are.
“He’s done nothing wrong all season, he really looked flat out a lot of the way. We said when we ran him in the Supreme last year that he wanted another half a mile and today he wanted another half. It really looks like we might be asking for three (miles) one day.”
De Boinville added: “Third in the Supreme last year, all credit to the team at home for bringing him back. He slightly suffered in the soft ground round here in December, but I’m just absolutely delighted. I hope that Envoi Allen is all right.
“To be fair, I didn’t even know he’d come down. I was wondering when he was going to come and pick me up in the straight, it’s news to me when and where he went.
“Never discount Nicky Henderson round here, or ever. It’s been a tough couple of months, but the horses seem to be returning to form and I trust in the guv’nor.”
1.33pm: Chantry House won the Marsh Novices’ Chase as hot favourite Envoi Allen crashed out in the opening event on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Envoi Allen was sent off the 4-9 favourite to extend his unbeaten record to 12, but he got no further than the fourth fence, where he appeared to clip the top of the obstacle before crumpling on landing.
That left the Grade One heat wide open, and it was Nico de Boinville who seized the initiative aboard the Nicky Henderson-trained Chantry House (9-1).
Shan Blue made a bold bid for glory kicking on down the back in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, but he had no answer as Chantry House and fellow Henderson inmate Fusil Raffles swept by at the top of the straight.
The duo enjoyed a fine battle to the line, but Chantry House was just three lengths too good. Asterion Forlonge was third.
It was a 70th Cheltenham Festival winner for Henderson.
1.28pm: Chantry House wins the Marsh Novices' Chase after heavy favourite Envoi Allen fell early on.
Here's the full schedule for today:
Thursday March 18th
1.20 Marsh Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
1.55 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle
2.30 Ryanair Chase (Grade 1)
3.05 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
3.40 Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase
4.15 Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
4.50 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
