Tag: CHELTENHAM
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Highs, lows and just enough of a pull on the heart strings
Noel Meade? Gordon? Or push the boat out and go for Willie? Yes lads and lassies, as only it can, the Cheltenham Festival has planted the seed of wanting to have a horse trained in Ireland again. The heart and soul has always said if the opportunity arose, it would be to Noel in Castletown.…
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Cheltenham 2026 – Day 4
Already this week, I have made no secret of the fact that, like every other punter on the planet it would be ventured, there were, say, a handful of horses in particular one was looking forward to going into battle. Some which have worked out SARATOGA and WODHOOH, for example, and more which may have…
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Cheltenham 2026 – Day 2
To opine that each day of the Cheltenham Festival has its own individual highlights is of course tantamount to observing the Pope is a catholic. Be that as it may, no apologies will be made for declaring that the highlight of the entire National Hunt year for yours truly takes place on Cheltenham Wednesday –…
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Cheltenham 2026 – Day 1
And like a fox stalking a chicken coup in the night, personally speaking at least, this year’s Cheltenham Festival – the best and most important four days sporting action of the year – from a business perspective – has arrived riding shotgun to me almost unnoticed. Almost. Now read on. It will be readily admitted…
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Even Noah couldn’t fight the tide without his ark
Sometimes you witness, either in person or on a screen, happenings in sport which nobody has to underline the importance of. Often the significance of which stretches well beyond the bounds of the sport concerned. For example, the penalty shootout in Genoa in 1990, Katie Taylor’s Olympic gold in London or Dawn Run winning the…
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Cheltenham 2025 – Day 4
1.20: JCB TRIUMPH HURDLE By the normal standards of the Triumph Hurdle, a relatively modest 18 runners trying to dig out the win. What’s not in the least bit surprising is that Mr Mullins is mob handed within the dozen and a half. If using jockey bookings as the yardstick by which the strength of…
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Cheltenham – Day 2 2025
1.20: TURNERS NOVICE HURDLE The New Lion has been one of the talking horses of the current jump season, and in fairness with good reason as, apart from being unbeaten in his career to date, his victory in the Challow Hurdle in Newbury was his biggest step forward to date with said contest being a…
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Cheltenham – Day 1 2025
Twas the night before Chris… Cheltenham, and all through the house, not an iota was stirring, save the click of the mouse. No certainties in Gloucester, neither cash nor romance. Now lets wrack our brains and see what might have a chance. 1.20: MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN SUPREME NOVICE HURDLE The first act in the greatest sporting…
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Brendan Cummins – A Tribute
It would appear to be from my late uncle Jimmy I inherited the gene as a GAA souvenir collector. Whether it be match programmes (mostly) or ticket stubs or photographs etc. I never knew Jimmy as he had passed a year before I was airlifted into the world. But well qualified sources attest the similarities…
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Gourmet dish off the menu as Hourigan hangs up the binoculars
“And Doran’s Pride’s a faller, Danoli hits the front, Danoli strikes the first blow for Ireland”. Peter O’Sullevan’s commentary from the back of the last home in the 1995 Sun Alliance (now RSA) Novices Hurdle. The day Danoli became ‘The People’s Champion. Even in terms of sport, it was a different world. Tom Foley’s stable…