Cheltenham Festival 2015

Staged between Tuesday, March 10 and Friday, March 13, the 2015 Cheltenham Festival featured 27 races that counted towards the result of the Prestbury Cup, which Britain eventually won by the narrowest margin, 14-13. Day one, ‘Champion Day’, started as anticipated for the indomitable Willie Mullins, who saddled Douvan to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Un De Sceaux to win the Arkle Trophy and Faugheen to win the Champion Hurdle, with all three ridden by Ruby Walsh. However, the fourth Mullins-trained ‘good thing’ of the day, Annie Power, who was sent off at odds of 1/2 for the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, fell at the final flight when four lengths ahead and in command. Mullins still won the race, with his second string, Glens Melody, but that was scant consolation for punters who piled into the short-priced four-timer.

Mullins actually went on to become leading trainer at the Festival for the third year running with eight winners over the four days and Walsh the leading jockey, also for the third year running, with four winners. The Champion Hurdle aside, the remaining four ‘feature’ races of the week all went the way of British-trained horses. Dodging Bullets, trained by Paul Nicholls, won the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Uxizandre, trained by Alan King and ridden by Tony McCoy – in his farewell year – the Ryanair Chase and Cole Harden, trained by Warren Greatrex, the Stayers’ Hurdle. Last, but by no means least, Coneygree, trained by Mark Bradstock, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and, in so doing, become the first novice since Captain Christy, in 1974, to win the prestigious steeplechase.

Commenting on his decision not to replace winning jockey Nico De Boinville, who was having his first ride in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Bradstock said, “It’s not just about Coneygree, it’s the work he does coming in whenever we ask him for the other horses as well.” For his part, De Boinville said, “It’s the greatest feeling in the world.”