For once, the Festival started poorly
for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, who were both winless after the
first two days. However, four winners on Thursday, all trained by
Mullins, were enough to give Ruby Walsh his fifth jockeys’ title in
a row. Willie Mullins saddled two more winners on Friday, for a total
of six, but was pipped at the post by Co. Meath trainer Gordon
Elliot, who lifted his first leading trainer award. All in all,
Irish-trained horses won 19 out of the 28 races run during the four
days.
Notable winners during the week
included Buveur D’air in the Champion Hurdle, Special Tiara in the
Queen Mother Champion Chase, Fayonagh (Elliot) in the Champion
Bumper, Nichols Canyon (Mullins) in the World Hurdle and Sizing John
in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Labaik, who virtually refused to race
in his last race before the Festival and his next race afterwards,
set the tone for the week, quickening clear to win the opening
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at odds of 25/1 for Gordon Elliot and Jack
Kennedy. The 3/1 favourite, Melon, trained by Willie Mullins and
ridden by Ruby Walsh, could only finish second, in the first of
several notable reverses during the week.
