Cheltenham Festival 2018

Rivalry between horses trained on either side of the Irish Sea at the Cheltenham Festival has long existed, but, in 2014, was formalised as a competition officially titled the ‘Prestbury Cup’, for which a trophy is awarded. With the exception of 2019, when the scores were tied at 14-14, the Irish have won the Prestbury Cup every year since and, in 2018, did so by a score of 17-11.

Irish-trained horses won nine of the 14 Grade 1 races, including two of the ‘feature’ races. Balko Des Flos, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Davy Russell, won the Ryanair Chase and, immediately afterwards, Penhill, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, won the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The Master of Seven Barrows, Nicky Henderson, struck a double blow for the home team, winning the Champion Hurdle with Buveur D’Air, ridden by Barry Geraghty, and the Queen Mother Champion with Altior, ridden by Nico de Boinville. Dorset-based Colin Tizzard also rowed in with two Grade 1 winners, Kilbricken, ridden by Harry Cobden, in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and, more importantly, Native River, ridden by Richard Johnson, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Despite their best efforts, though, Irishmen Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell became leading trainer and jockey with eight and four winners respectively.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup featured 15 runners and the market was headed by the talented, but quirky, Might Bite, trained by Nicky Henderson and the winner of the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day on his most recent start. Our Duke, trained by Jessica Harrington in Co. Kildare, was next best, marginally ahead of the aforementioned Native River, who had proved his well-being with a ready, 12-length win in the Denman Chase at Newbury the previous month.

As it was, Our Duke was never really travelling and was eventually pulled up, when in rear, four fences from home. The other two market leaders fought a ding-dong battle for most of the way, though, with Native River in the lead, but constantly harried by Might Bite. Indeed, the latter led, briefly, between the last two fences, but was outstayed on the run-in and eventually beaten four and a half lengths.

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