Emotions ran high in the paddock after the opening Turners Novices Hurdle on day two. No Drama This End, who went off a remarkably short price at 9/4 favourite, was never comfortable on the quick ground and he was well-beaten before the final descent.
Paul Nicholls, his trainer, was anxious about the underfoot conditions but none of that could hide his bitter disappointment that No Drama This End was messed around in what was a messy start and was never able to show his best.
Nicholls, a 14-time Champion, animatedly told Harry Cobden that the only place to have been was in the first four all the way around; he doesn’t tend to hold back when one of his well-regarded runners loses and this defeat will have hurt him deeply.
A measure of Cobden’s ability to compartmentalise was shown 35 minutes later. Rather than allowing a disagreement to get into his mind, Cobden – the Champion Jockey in 2023/24 – produced a quite magnificent front-running ride on Kitzbuhel for Willie Mullins.
Cobden is like dynamite when he gets the chance to dictate terms from the front – he gave Caldwell Potter, a horse owned by Sir Alex Ferguson and friends, a peach at The Festival last year – and you wouldn’t discount him doing the same on Regent’s Stroll in the Jack Richards Novices Chase today.
Kitzbuhel, ridden by Harry Cobden, delivered a sensational performance on Wednesday
Time is up for Galopin Des Champs
There had been some whispers from well-placed sources that King Rasko Grey, winner of the opening Turners Novices Hurdle, was well-above average and so it proved as he surged clear around the final bend.
Owned by Greg and Audrey Turley, the husband-and-wife watched their gelding win at Limerick at Christmas while they were awaiting Galopin Des Champs to reappear in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown; they thought he was good that afternoon and how that has been proven.
Willie Mullins was talking about, potentially, heading down the route of the Champion Hurdle next season – something Audrey Turley described as being ‘very exciting’ – but while his future is brimming with opportunity, it appears time is up for Galopin Des Champs.
It was an enormous blow last Friday for the Turleys, for Mullins and for every fan of jump racing that ‘Galopin’ was ruled out of the Gold Cup with injury and it seems almost certain the problem means his days as a racehorse are over.
‘I would say (retirement) would be the plan,’ Audrey Turley told Racing TV. ‘He will come home to us. He will be 11 next winter but you never know. We will see. It was a shock for us when the news came out, and of course we were gutted.
‘But we have to look back on the wonderful memories and cherish them. I haven’t seen him since we’ve been over here, I just want to go back and give him a hug. He’s such a wonderful horse, with such charisma.’
Dream come true for Final Orders syndicate
One of the most heartwarming scenes on a wild Wednesday was the explosion of joy from the syndicate who own Final Orders.
Gavin Cromwell’s gelding skipped off the quick ground and was an emphatic winner of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, confirming the promise he had shown earlier in the season when he had a first spin around the unique course.
The majority of Final Orders owners live within a good gallop of Fairyhouse Racecourse, on the outskirts of Dublin, but one member of the giddy clan was missing, owing to a long-standing family holiday in Portugal.
Though he never missed a stride of Final Orders march to glory, watching it all on his phone in the sunshine, this column is reliably informed the absent member was “raging” about missing out on a moment one of his crew had described as ‘what happens when dreams come true!’
Final Orders wins the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, thrilling syndicate owners
Trust the experts!
Information and reputation is vital whatever industry you work in and it has been interesting tracking social media in the build up to the Festival. One post on Sunday sent things into meltdown when an outspoken podcast said Final Demand wouldn’t run at The Festival.
It was total nonsense. Cheltenham Breakfast had clarified the situation with Closutton and it was confirmed Final Demand was on a boat to the UK as we spoke and he was going to run in the Browns Advisory Chase; he ran his heart out to finish second to stablemate Kitzbuhel.
The point about it all is that you must trust the experts and we are blessed here to be able to call on many: Ed Chamberlin pointed you in the direction of Jonnywho (18/1) and Old Park Star (7/4) on Tuesday, while Steve Ryder also had a double with Lossiemouth (7/5) and Madara (3/1).
Jane Mangan, meanwhile, argued it would be madness to back Majborough at odds-on – how right she was proven – and that it was imperative you back King Rasko Grey in the Turners Novice Hurdle: 11/1 was an astonishing price for a Willie Mullins-Paul Townend runner.
With two days of the Festival remaining, keep reading those with knowledge and insight in Daily Mail Sport. The arguments and views about runners are always compelling. This week is showing they are profitable, too.
