About half way through the second half of Saturday’s match in Pairc Tailteann, safely tucked away from the vile weather conditions, a young lad of what I’m guessing was about 10 was heard to opine “If we don’t win this has been a complete waste of my time”! A word of advice kid… don’t go into sports writing!
Now, this is not going to be a doom-laden tome. That’s not my style. For the simple reason that, as has been admitted on numerous occasions, for yours truly, sport takes on much greater importance than the bare bones of what transpires between the lines.
However, if you were only to scribe on the good news stories, the keyboard would be idle fairly often. Unpalatable though it may be, the reality is that the bad days will always outnumber the good. And there’s no better time to illustrate that than the week of the Cheltenham Festival with crunch GAA and rugby fixtures at the end thereof. So, for something a little different and as a means of covering all of that which needs to be, sit back and let me take you through the week of somebody who watches sport for a living in order to inform and entertain you lovely people!
MONDAY
Generally my quietest day of the week after pulling some degree of an all-nighter producing copy for this space. But normal need not apply this week. There’s four days of Cheltenham previews to get stuck into and in the middle of all that, the horse I have a share in, Swift Hawk, runs in the first race in Stratford.
After almost forgetting to back him, he’s up in the vanguard the whole way, but tires in the gluey ground and finishes third. Still, the each way part of the bet broke the fall and – as later in the week would prove – the Nicholls horses continue in fine fettle, so he should get his turn again soon. Not that there was much time to dwell on it, the Dawn Chorus having gone through a few verses by the time the Day 1 preview was published.
TUESDAY
I decided to stick to routine and pop over to the local RehabCare centre (as I do Monday-Friday every week weather permitting) to quell the nerves. Yes, nerves. For anybody bitten by the racing bug, Cheltenham, the countdown to it in particular, is like waiting for your team to play in the All Ireland Final or, for a soccer fan, the FA Cup Final.
An Irish winner of the first, the Henry De Bromhead trained Slade Steel under Rachael Blackmore. My own fancy, Mystical Prince, ran a decent race a length and a half back in second. Thereafter, I admit to totally underestimating the class of both Gaelic Warrior and State Man but got the show back on the road with the well touted Lossiemouth.
WEDNESDAY
Even from the perspective of a fan, the ups and downs of racing were written all over the second day’s action in Prestbury Park. Beginning with the truly awesome display of Willie Mullins’ Ballyburn in the opening Turner’s Novice Chase.
However,if ever there was evidence of a pat on the back being six inches from a boot in the backside it swiftly arrived for the Mullins team when what may have been their banker for the entire week,El Fabiolo pulled up quickly after jumping five fences in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. However, the roundabout went full circle again when, in the same silks as the aforementioned, Patrick Mullins gave his dad a 13th victory in the Champion Bumper. And, of even greater significance, his 100th overall Festival winner.
On Wednesday evening, by way of keeping the peace after hogging the television in the office/kitchen for two full days, with herself being an Arsenal fan, sure their Champions League escapades had to be taken in.
THURSDAY
On the preview circuit in the build up to Cheltenham, Gordon Elliott made no secret of the he felt the Thursday would be his best chance of adding to his tally of Festival winners and yet again the Summerhill man’s judgement was found to be spot on.
In that he landed the big race of the day – the Stayers Hurdle – with the very talented Teahupoo. The Robcour owned animal thus retaining his crown.
Mind you, in terms of grabbing headlines from a Meath perspective, Gordon didn’t have it all his own way as Gavin Cromwell added to his gains at the Mecca of National Hunt racing as Inothewayurthinkin was a cosy winner of the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap under the great Derek O’Connor.
That coming after his Flooring Porter had run another great race behind the Elliott winner of the race Cromwell’s stable star had also won twice.
Then, after sinking a well earned (I think!) Chinese takeaway, it was considered ‘down time’ to have a glance at the Premier League Darts from Nottingham. Where Peter ‘Snakebite’ Wright eventually got off the magic, Luke Littler continued to defy logic with his brilliance but it was World Champion Luke Humphries who claimed the overall win on the night as the weekly action heads towards its halfway point.
FRIDAY
Even my engine for all things sport runs low on fuel sometimes and by Thursday night the diesel light must have been flashing because it was decided to leave posting selections for the final day’s action at the foot of Clieve Hill until the next morning.
Not the worst decision I’ve ever made – by a long shot – but Friday’s were just about published and shared as the runners for the Triumph Hurdle made their way behind the tape.
‘Sharing’ in this case meaning posting on as many social media pages as possible via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin and YouTube.
Then, when the tapes did go up, it was Irish story after Irish story for the majority of the day. Firstly, it was Willie at it again, taking the Triumph Hurdle with Majborough in the McManus silks, who was followed home by my own fancy in the race, Kargese, the pair are neighbours in Closutton.
Thereafter, though, he in the familiar wax coat and trilby hat produced what I believe to be one of his greatest training feats (and that’s saying something) in readying Absurde to win the County Hurdle.
An Ebor Handicap success and a spin in a Melbourne Cup might seem like odd prep for a Cheltenham Festival runner, but then, maybe WP Mullins can turn water into wine.
Because from a long way out it was clear Paul Townend’s mount was weaving its way through traffic and went to record a cheeky but snug success.
Shortly after that, of course, the Cork jockey rode his way into the history books, clocking up his fourth Gold Cup victory. Thereby equaling the record of the legendary Pat Taaffe whilst at the same time surpassing the number of Festival wins steered by AP McCoy.
After that, however, it was all about stars from the Royal County making history. With firstly Limerick Lace (Keith Donoghue) emulating her full brother – the other Cromwell winner – by scoopsing the mare’s chase and thus the McManus owned/bred duo became the first full brother/sister double act to win at the same meeting.
And,by way of rounding things off, after Stellar Story – with Sam Ewing up – had given Gigginstown their first success at the blue riband event since reversing their inclination to depart racing altogether, the Cullentra House handler created even more history.
This time by giving Meath football and camogie sponsors Noel and Valerie Moran of Bective Stud their first ever Cheltenham Festival success when Better Days Ahead scooped the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Hurdle.
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