F EATURE JANUARY 2022
in 2010 and subsequent Grand National hero Neptune Collonges in 2012. In the 2019-2020 season, Santini came close to becoming the fourth horse to follow up victory in the Cotswold Chase by landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same season. Ultimately, the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding missed out by just a neck as Al Boum Photo won the sport’s most prestigious prize for a second year running. The principal hurdle race on Festival Trials Day is the Grade Two galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle. Staged under its present conditions and over three miles since 2005, it has developed into a leading trial for the Grade One Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle over the same distance at The Festival. Some of the great hurdlers have been victorious, with Inglis Drever scoring in 2008, before going on to take his third Stayers’ Hurdle in 2008, and Big Buck’s using the Cleeve Hurdle to warm
Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1998. The 1986 renewal famously saw Dawn Run part ways with her jockey Tony Mullins on what was her first chase start in Britain, only to be remounted and finish the course. The great mare would return to Cheltenham in March for a memorable Cheltenham Gold Cup victory under Jonjo O’Neill, creating history by becoming the first – and, to date, only – horse to win both the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup. In more recent times, Frodon’s success in 2019 was followed up by victory in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at The Festival just under two months later, with Bryony Frost in the saddle on both occasions. One of the most popular horses still in training, Frodon’s trainer Paul Nicholls is the most successful handler in the history of the Cotswold Chase, with five winners so far. In addition to his two victories with See More Business and Frodon, the 12-times champion Jump trainer was also successful with Taranis
up for his victories in the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2009 and 2012 – the first and last of his record four successes in the contest at The Festival. Thistlecrack won both contests impressively in 2016, while Paisley Park is the most recent horse to complete the Cleeve Hurdle/Stayers’ Hurdle double. Owned by Andrew Gemmell, trained by Emma Lavelle and ridden by Aidan Coleman, the son of Oscar was hugely impressive taking the Cleeve Hurdle by 12 lengths in 2019 and followed up just under two months later at The Festival. Festival Trials Day also features informative Grade Two trials for the JCB Triumph Hurdle and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival, plus competitive handicap action. As its name suggests, a visit to Cheltenham in late January is the perfect way to prepare for Jump racing’s ‘Olympics’ a few weeks later, not to mention the fact that it’s a hugely popular day, with entertainment on and off the track.
“A VISIT TO CHELTENHAM IN LATE JANUARY IS THE PERFECT WAY TO PREPARE FOR JUMP RACING’S ‘OLYMPICS’ ”
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