Trainer Nicky Henderson started the
week with 39 Cheltenham Festival winners, just one behind the late
Fulke Walwyn but, by Friday evening, was far and away the most
successful trainer in the history of the meeting. Henderson saddled
seven winners, two more than the previous record held by Paul
Nicholls, including an unprecedented four on the second day, to
finish the week with a career total of 46 Festival wins. Perhaps the
most poignant of the seven was Bellvano, who beat stable companion
Tanks For That by 2¼ lengths in the closing Johnny Henderson Grand
Annual Chase to give the Lambourn trainer a 1-2 in the race named in
honour of his late father.
Interestingly, Henderson Jnr. saddled
the winner of just one ‘championship’ race, Finian’s Rainbow in
the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but victories for Sprinter Sacre in
the Racing Post Arkle Chase, Simonsig in the NIM Novices’ Hurdle,
Bobs Worth in the RSA Chase and Riverside Theatre in the Ryanair
Chase were sufficient to make Barry Geraghty the leading jockey at
the Festival for the second time in his career with five winners.
Not even Henderson could stop Quevega
or Big Buck’s completing hat-tricks in the David Nicholson Mares’
Hurdle and Ladbrokes World Hurdle, respectively. Other notable
winners included Rock On Ruby in the Stan James Champion Hurdle,
Champagne Fever in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and Synchronised in
the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.
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