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happy with the horse, how he behaved, that he settled behind Klassical Dream, which was something we weren’t sure he would do. I came home that evening thinking we’ll turn that form around in Cheltenham. 17 MARCH 2022 FLOORING PORTER, STAYERS’ HURDLE JUMPED WELL, MADE ALL, PUSHED OUT, UNCHALLENGED So what were your thoughts when the Cheltenham Festival came around for him? I thought he was the best horse in the race and if he behaved himself he’d win. I was surprised he wasn’t favourite on the day, but maybe people thought he wouldn’t behave after Punchestown, Leopardstown and Navan, which were all disappointments since he had won in Cheltenham. But he went down to the start very relaxed, even though it was his first year in Cheltenham with crowds. But even in the mornings, he was very chilled out. And everything pretty much went to
plan the whole way – very few races go so smooth. He did have a little duck after the last. The previous year he ducked right, this year he ducked left. That was the only curveball on the day. And the celebrations were colourful afterwards! That was as wild as I’d ever seen. Do you know when you’re young and watching Cheltenham and you see people winning there, to think I was going to be the one who was being carried around on someone’s shoulders in the winner’s enclosure there after winning a Championship race… Even looking back now it was a bit surreal, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I’m looking forward to trying to notch up the hat-trick [he winks and smiles]. The alarm on his phone goes, signalling it’s time he was on the road to the Curragh. I close my laptop and turn off the recorder. Up he pops and heads for the door, towards this season’s highs and lows, twists and turns. Buckled up and holding on tight. He can’t wait for it.
And so you went on to Christmas, but the start was quite controversial. I would have said you also lined him up differently than normal at Christmas? Yes, because in Navan he went down to the start quite wound-up, so the next day myself and Gavin had a chat and said we’d go down last, take him down as slowly as we can, keep him relaxed. Everyone was lined up, so I just slotted in, walked forward fine, perfectly relaxed. And then a horse pre-empted the start and the starter let the race go, which was a real… balls for me, because I’m on a favourite that’s a front-runner and the second favourite is after getting ten lengths out of the gate. And that wasn’t your fault but it wasn’t ideal. How was the aftermath? I remember coming in and just being furious about what had happened. It was something that was out of my control, but at the same time, I felt in some way I shouldn’t have let it happen. I remember just pure disappointment – and being angry. It was a race that should have been won, but at the same time I was very
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