Cheltenham In The Rear-View Mirror

So Cheltenham 2022 is behind us!

It was great to see the crowds back at the track which generated a great atmosphere.

From the very first race on Tuesday, when Constitution Hill delivered a monster performance in the Supreme Novices Hurdle, to the last race on Friday, which completed a 100% Friday win record for Irish-trained runners, we had brilliant performances and great stories.

Fan-favourite, Tiger Roll, narrowly failed to go out with a win in the cross country race and surely it was only the hours of rain that preceded the race and softened the ground that cost him the chance to go out on a real high?

It felt like the only big race that Rachael Blackmore did not win last year was the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard, but both she and the horse put that straight this year!

It was good to see a little less dominance from Irish-trained runners this year, but they still had plenty of success and to train ten winners in twenty-eight races is some training feat by Willie Mullins.

Not many runners made their way to Cheltenham from Conkwell Lodge this year, but one that did was the old boy, Kansas City Chief, who made it into the Pertemps Final courtesy of a penalty earned by winning at Plumpton earlier the same week.

The Plumpton victory was his third win of the season, backed up by two 2^nd places and one 3^rd place not bad for a veteran!

In the Pertemps Final, he showed his usual enthusiasm early in the race, leading the field for one and a half circuits before he tired two out and finished midfield.  What a season he has delivered for his owners, for rider Victoria Malzard and for all at the yard this year.

There have been a few good runs and a few bits of bad luck in the second half of the month, but with Aintree around the corner and jumps racing throughout April, we will be looking for another winner or two before the season ends and the summer jumps get underway.