It’s hard to believe we’re only half-way through.
It’s Cheltenham Thursday. Stayers Hurdle day and Ryanair Chase day. It could potentially be a big day for Davy Russell who, having come out of retirement, takes the ride on two favourites.
Russell will hope to vindicate his decision to return to the saddle when he goes to post with Mighty Potter, favourite for the Turners’ and Teahupoo, who has been heavily backed in the Stayers’ hurdle.
Whatever happens, we’ll keep you up to date on all the action in our live-blog below.
Looking back, Wednesday was yet another stunner of a day at the Cotswolds. Predictably, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend took the lions share of the spoils when they won the Ballymore with the brilliant Impaire Et Passe and the Champion Chase with the truly imperious Energumene.
It wasn’t all about Mullins and Townend though.
The two Johns, Kiely and Gleeson, took centre stage in the Champion Bumper when, with the aptly named A Dream To Share, they recorded their first ever Cheltenham festival winner. The trainer is 86 and the jockey is 18, and only doing his Leaving Cert.
That’s the magic of the Cheltenham festival right there.
Meanwhile, there were some other colourful splurges on the day with the Real Whacker delivering a much-needed win for the English, and a long awaited win for Sam Twiston Davis.
Related links
- Michael O’Sullivan and Barry Connell deliver the goods
- Henry De Bromhead’s powerful interview with Lydia Hislop after Honeysuckle win
- Outside bets at the festival
- 66-year-old becomes oldest winning jockey ever under rules
