Cheltenham Festival 2025: Three things we learned on Thursday
OLD DETERMINATION: Rachael Blackmore celebrates winning onboard Bob Olinger. Pic:Ā©INPHO/Tom Maher
Dreams can come and go in an instant. The travelling hordes of Maughreen supporters and owners from the Closutton Racing Club were noticeable from early at the course due to their sheer numbers, the colourful scarves in the horsesā colours and their excited chatter before the start of the first race yesterday. Then came the actual start, or in the interest of precision, both of them.
The only certainty at the Cheltenham Festival is that there is probably going to be a false start in every second race at least and this time when the second serve was delivered Patrick Mullins was facing the wrong way, he lost a dozen lengths on the field and hunted Maughreen around a long way behind in the rear. At the business end Rachael Blackmore persevered on Air Of Entitlement to collar and pass Sixandahalf fifty yards from home in a welcome change of fortune both for her and Henry DeBromhead who had been winless until then this week. The winning rider immediately dedicated her win to her cousin Robert Blackmore who had sadly passed away recently.
Meanwhile the spokesperson for Closutton Racing was giving some direct and heartfelt feedback on the efficiency of the race starting process this week. "Why not let them walk back again and come in?ā said James Fenton. āStarting a race like that on the bend is just madness. I know you can't change the distance of the race, but if you took the bend out and let them start beyond there, it would make a lot more sense. Yesterday was the same as well. It was farcical."
De Bromhead and Blackmore did not have to wait too long for a follow up success. As is often the case good fortune can come in clusters and Bob Olinger had the good fortune to have a confident rider back to her very best after a three-month absence before Christmas due to a neck injury sustained in a fall at Downpatrick. Blackmore was as cool as a cucumber, waiting until after the last to tackle and pass Teahupoo the reigning champion and 7/4 favourite for a repeat.
Bob was also fortunate in that he had one dangerous rival less than expected to face up the gruelling hill to the post. The extended OāDriscoll family and friends were gathered in the parade ring to watch their beloved Home By The Lee try win the race at his fourth attempt and looked on in horror as he was brought down when going well when Crambo fell at the sixth flight.
Their mood may have matched the red colours of Cork that many of them sported in support of their runner, but owner Sean still had the decency to be one of the first to congratulate Henry De Bromhead on his success.
Gordon Elliottās isnāt enjoying any more luck than the Closutton Racing club this week. Another blank day means that he is still winless for the week and time and opportunity is running out. His last hope yesterday came when he saddled two runners in the concluding Kim Muir handicap chase for amateur riders. Neither of them landed a blow and the finish was fought out by Johnnywho and Daily Present, the latter prevailing in a compelling duel from the last fence. The winner is trained in Wexford by the popular Paul Nolan, who like Gordon Elliott had been winless till then.
