Lucky 13

By Alan Conway

I wasn’t expecting that. The 2011 Cheltenham will be forever associated with the incredible 13 winners for Ireland. It was a week that started out great and continued to get even better. From Hurricane Fly through to Sir De Champs the Irish went on a roll that doesn’t happen too often.

On day one Hurricane Fly repaid the huge faith that his connections had in him when he eyeballed and defeated Peddlers Cross in the Stan James Champion Hurdle. It was a true run race in which there were few if any hard luck stories.

Hurricane Fly travelled like the winner throughout the race and his jump at the last sealed a first win for his trainer, jockey and sire in the race. It is hard to say where Binocular would have finished in the Champion. I, for one, cannot wait to see him hook up with the Hurricane.

In the mares race Quevega did what she does best. Turns up and wins. It was a performance that oozed quality and she looks set to take on the boys either at Aintree or Punchestown. Wherever she goes it will take a good one to pass her as she has looked like a machine on her last number of starts.

Where to start with day two? It was our day of days. I thought that maybe Ireland might get three winners on the day. But six? Never. It started out perfectly when Chicago Grey gave his jockey and trainer their first festival win in the National Hunt Chase.

Things then just fell into place. First Lieutenant was tigerish in defeating Rock On Ruby in the Neptune. Bostons Angel, whose starting price defied belief, gave Robbie Power ample compensation for his near miss on Oscars Well when he edged out Jessies Dream in the RSA. Sizing Europe showed that two miles is his distance when he beat Big Zeb.

On the races rolled and the Irish winners flowed as much as the Guinness did. It was Murphy’s Law that the only race Ireland didn’t win, the Bumper, is the race that has been farmed by the Irish in the recent past.

Day three belonged to Big Bucks who showed what a talent he is by repelling Grand Crus and bagging his third World Hurdle. But Paul Nolan and Noble Prince ensured that the Irish grabbed some of the headlines when he took the Jewson from Wishful Thinking. His win added further proof that the Irish Grade 1 horses run this winter were from the top drawer.

All the headlines on Gold Cup day deservedly went to Long Run. He won a high class renewal of the Gold Cup in which the old guard Denman and Kauto Star went out fighting. It was a race that pulled at the heartstrings and also gave us optimism for the future.

Willie Mullins was not done yet and he landed a narrow double when Final Approach just about chinned Get Me Out Of Here and Sir De Champs gave Emmet Mullins his first festival win. It was a week that nobody will ever forget. Cheltenham is the place that dreams come true. Last week gave us something to treasure.

By Alan Conway