Blast
The Cheltenham Festival has come and gone - and what a blast we had! The very best action - loads of great fun - and several good meetings with new and existing contacts from which we hope good some exciting partnerships will emerge. I think this was the best Festival I have ever attended, the racing was simply top class, and the right horses managed to get their heads in front to confirm their places in the history books. The crowds were down - which actually made it easier to get about, and a slightly more comfortable occasion, and everyone was on such good terms with themselves!
We headed down to The Cotswolds on Monday, and headed to our usual destination for Festival week - The Fish Hotel - near Broadway. The Fish is certainly not your average hotel - situated on the 400 acre Farncombe Estate, it can either be descibed as a country hotel, or a collection of hotel houses nestled on the hill overlooking the beautiful cotswold scenery. Either way it is a little bit different and totally stunning. We have made it our base for both the November meeting and the Festival for a good number of years - and find it the perfect place to base ourselves for the racing. As it set a little off the beaten track it is a lovely quiet bolt hole to return to after a long day at the races, and with a top class restaurant with a superb fish based menu - there really is no need to leave and find a table elsewhere. It is a case of getting back - lighting the log burner and relaxing for a short while before heading out to the Lodge which houses the bar, lounges and restaurant. Perfect.
We arrived slightly ahead of check in - so spent a little while down in Broadway, where we ran into some friendly faces and Cheryl added to her extensive boot collection! In return I did manage to get a pint in the Lygon Arms Hotel, and sampled a pint of Hawkstone Lager, which you may have seen on the latest series of Clarksons Farm, as it is a lager launched by Clarkson in 2021, and brewed locally at Boughton on the Water. A tidy drop - better than expected if I'm honest!
I could have had a few more, but the car was full of luggage and it needed to be got back up to the hotel, so we headed off. There would be no shortage of pints drunk in the coming days - in fact the next few hours were not wasted - a few in the hotel bar to get the week rolling, and a gorgeous meal in The Hook to tee us up for the next few days!
Tuesday has always been the best days racing of the four - and this year was no exception, with the possibility of a new king being crowned in the shape of Constitution Hill, and a Queen that would hopefully give us all one last chance to roar her up that famous hill. It didn't disappoint. From the moment the tapes went up for the opening Supreme Novices Hurdle, the atmoasphere was fantastic. The first and second in that race looking like very nice horses for the future. They will surely be back next year - but if they head down the Champion Hurdle route, they will have to take on one of the best hurdlers we have ever seen in the shape of Constitution Hill who demolished his rivals and won this years renewal by a dazzling 9 lengths. He is a superstar, and if he stays healthy and sound it is going to take a very good one to lower his colours. The Arkle winner El Fabiolo was very impressive, but the biggest and best result of the day (if not week) was Honeysuckle winning the mares hurdle, from a gutsy Love Envoi. What a mare, and what a sight to see her and Rachel Blackmore set sail up the hill from the back of the last - that hour was an 'I was there' moment, and both the victories of Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle will live long in the memory! Cheryl took full advantage of the Shopping Village, and came away with a gorgeous coat - thanks to all of the friends who passed us as she was trying it on, and told her how good it looked and how much it suited her - your help was .....expensive!!
Honeysuckle - The Queen
A very special moment for the De Bromhead Family!
One draw back of Tuesday was the traffic - it took half an hour longer than usual to get into the track, as the car park stewards seemed to be getting themselves in a bit of a knot, and it was not much better getting out. The siting of a caoch park at the north gate and constantly stopping the traffic to allow coach passengers to get to their coaches did make for a very stop, start exit from the track. We had expected to be leaving a little later - as we were all geared up to stay behind and watch Tintagel Queen take part in the concluding bumper in Sedgefield, but I had started to get some worrying pictures and messages from the track as the afternoon wore on, as we were not the only ones having a 'blast' in Cheltenham - Sedgfield were having an 'arctic blast' in the form of heavy snow, and it soon became obvious that they were not going to be able to run the remainder of their card, and racing was abandoned! All that way - for nothing! TQ was a little puzzled when she pulled out first lot on Wednesday - but is non the worse for her journey - the only harm done was to my wallet! She has an entry in Chepstow on Thursday.
Bugger!
Wednesday - and an easier trip into the track - usual times restored. Good to catch up with a few folks before racing as usual. Then the drizzle set in and the only thing to do was to get ourselves inside - wrapped round a few pints and enjoy the craic! It was good fun - once again great to catch up with a few folks we have not seen for a while - and exchange contact details with a few that will be useful across France in the coming years. The great thing about Cheltenham is the networking - I am lucky in that I get to attend both race meetings and sales throughout the year - and although the racing and bloodstock industry is a fairly 'small village', it is always good to sit down and chat with people that you think you can work with in the future. For some reason it was as easy to get out on Wednesday as it had been to get in.
Thursday was the big day for us - after having three possible runners at the meeting, we eneded up with just Itchy Feet running in the Pertemps Final on the third day. IF was purchased last year to take his owners to the biggest days throughout the calendar - and he has certainly delivered on that! He started off his season over fences at the Betfair Chase day in Haydock before abandonments led us to Cheltenham on New Years Day. He was then sent back over hurdles for his next start in Huntingdon, a qualifier for this final, which he won in good style. After that he took his owners back to the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle in Haydock where he ran a great race to be second, and then on to the Cheltenham Festival - he has done everything that we wanted of him, and more- and to be in the paddock at the Cheltenham Festival was a dream come true for many! Although he was purchased to run this week - we were very aware that the race was likely not to suit him. IF enjoys being able to bounce out in front and dictate his own fractions in a smaller field. The hurly burly of 23 runners at Cheltenham was far from ideal, and he was likely to drop himself out before staying on up the hill. Sadly when he does start to drop himself back, he isn't the sort of horse you can push and bully to maintain his position - Sean has to just sit and travel where he is comfortable. IF looked fantastic in the paddock, and was in the front rank as they approached the tape. Sadly the starter didn't let them go, and they reformed from a standing start. Sean tried to get him up the front but it was soon clear that it wasn't going to happen and he slotted in where Itch was comfortable - towards the rear. He travelled and jumped great and as they turned for home he swung wide and made his run. He did stay on well up the hill and for one split second it looked like he could get in the first four, but eventually he could only get to within just over six lengths of the winner, eventually finishing in 11th place! We are not sure we have ever had a horse run a really good race, be very pleased with him, and finish 11th before - just goes to show how competitive it was! We said to Sean that 'it was a shame that he didn't pick up off the bend' to which he replied 'he did - it's just that 10 others picked up too'! Itchy seemed fine after the race - and it was just a great buzz to be part of it all! He will now head to Aintree, where he will have entries in a couple of races on Grand National day! Another big day for his owners!
After racing on Thursday they hold the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham Festival Sale, and the buzz the whole week was about a horse called Romeo Coolio that had won his point to point in Belclare the Sunday before. This is a point that had been won by Best Mate no less, and hopes were high that he could go very close to topping the sale. This was very exciting for us as we had purchased him as a foal from his breeder Will Kinsey, only a matter of weeks after his birth. I was struck by his temperament and his walk even at that young age, and he never took a backward step. He spent the first 3 years of his life at The Elms Stud, and was sent over to Ireland last summer to finish his sales prep with Tom Rudd, and Tom Brickley before they consigned him at The Derby Sale for us.He was always a gorgeous horse, but the thing that struck me was how he got better and better as every day of the Derby Sale went by. Horses usually get tired and bored as they are continually in and out of their boxes being shown to potential purchasers - this lad thirved on it - a sign of a good one! He looked incredible as he entered the winners enclosure to be sold on Thursday - with the hammer eventually falling to a joint sales topping bid of £420,000 Mouse O'Ryan and Gordon Elliott for Dave Page, who bought him under the banner of his KTDA Racing partnership with his good mate Dave Rabson. Dave Page has had shares in a fair few of our pinhooking ventures, but by a quirk of fate, didn't have a share in the syndicate that had owned Romeo Coolio as a youngster.It was nice to see him sell so well, and we wish them the very best of luck with him - he looks like a star in the making!
Talking of our pinhooking ventures we have just one horse to go to the sales this summer - a gorgeous son of Muhtathir who will head to The Derby Sale in June. I purchased this horse as a foal in France as I am a big fan of his sire, who happens to be the sire of Envoi Allen no less - so what a boost to see him win the Ryanair Chase this week! He has always been a favourite of mine, and his win will certainly remind the trade what a great sire Muhtathir was - this horse is from his final crop, and out of a winning mare who is a half sister to no less than 5 black type performers. I hope they like him as much as we do!
We always head home on Friday - in time to see the Triumph Hurdle, and watch the meeting on the TV. It was a superb afternoons racing - great results across the board. Lossiemouth looks like a very good filly - and Galopin Des Champs was very impressive in the Gold Cup - The ride he got from Paul Townend after he was not as fluent as he would have liked early doors was spectacular! A Joy to watch! A proper result in the Foxhunters as well - Bradley Gibb, who can now go in the book as a 'local trainer' as he has moved from his native Wales to just outside Welyn Garden City - trained and rode the winner - nice to see a small yard pick up the biggest trophy in racing!
Obviously 4 days in the Cotswolds - and I had not had quite enough beer - so what better way to end the week than another trip down to a Friday night under the lights at Goldington Road to see Bedford take on Richmond. The first pint went down well, the second not quite so well - a bit like 'chewing barbed wire' but we pushed on through, and it was another good night, and another fine winning performance from the Blues.
Saturday we stayed at home and I was enjoying a morning coffee, when Donald McCain rang to say that Dino Bellagio had worked well, but was not 100% after he came off the walker. Vets have checked him over and there doesn't seem to be anything majorly wrong - hopefully he will be fine in a couple of days. I do hope so , as yet again the form of his Doncaster win was franked again yesterday - when a horse that he gave a stone and an eleven length beating to in Donny won what looked like a good 4 yr old bumper in Kempton. That is now the second and fourth from that race that have won, with the third only just beaten on his next start - The form looks very strong, and remember - Dino was carrying a penalty, and won it very easily by 8 lengths - he's exciting! Donald has just called to say that Dino is good this morning - and hopefully he can carry on with him as planned this week! Hopefully it was something of nothing and the dream of that Aintree run is still on! He's in great hands - so lets hope he gets there!
Tomorrow we head down to Taunton where Mamoon Star and Auditoria are declared to run. Mamoon Star is a course and distance winner, and tackles handicap company for the first time. Auditoria steps back up in trip a tad, and has a change of headgear to try and get her head in front again - she is getting frustrating. I would expect both to run well - we have had a lot of luck in Taunton this season - hopefully more to come tomorrow!
I am not sure how the rest of the week will pan out, and where I will be - I could stay down the west country on Tuesday - as Greyval has an entry in Ffos Las on Wednesday - although we may wait and go elsewhere with her next week. She is back in fine form, and we are looking forward to seeing her out again before a run in Cheltenham next month - Her 'Gold Cup'! Also entered next week is Tintagel Queen who is engeaged in the mares bumper in Chepstow on Thursday - hopefully they avoid snow!!
Elsewhere around the squad - At Ravenswell Farm - Fortune Forever is in good form, and will be out again in the next couple of weeks - she will have another run in a bumper before a summer holiday - she is improving all the time, and she should go very close next time out if we find the right race. Blue Bikini is also going nicely at home, and she too will be out again in the next couple of weeks - she was disappointing last time out - but we know why, and hopefully she will be much better on her next start, she remains nicely treated. Volkovka is ready to run again - and we will keep an eye open for suitable races, and the other eye on the weather forecast - hopefully there will be a suitable race on her favoured soft ground in the next few weeks.
At Ivy Lodge Farm - Intrepide Sud looks fantastic - one if his owners, James popped in to see him last Sunday and he was in fine fettle. He has had a long break after his bumper win last summer, and will now resume his career in the national hunt season proper which means a return to training in June/July. He is a very exciting prospect over timber, as he is such an electric jumper of an obstacle - and he can certainly gallop in between them! Cloud Dancer continues on box rest, but is in good spirits, and Hidden Beauty is hopefully coming to the end of her period of internment. She is due to see the vet in the next week or so, and will hopefully be given the green light to start her period of rehabilitation - those of you who saw Countryfile last week will have seen the superb facilities that are on offer at Jasons. and she will have full use of all of them She will be back next season!
Bash with Intrepide Sud
Over in Newmarket - the gorgeous sweet filly Reflexion Faite is doing all that is being asked of her. She is such a willing young lady - and she is still very much on track to make her debut in early May.
Depending on how this week goes - next weeks blitherings may be a little late, as I could have an early start on Sunday.
Always good to catch up as ever - thanks for popping by to hear what we have been up to - I hope you all had a good Cheltenham - I'm just glad I don't have to do it every week!!
Until next week!
