Ireland prepares strong raiding party for Cheltenham

Irish-trained horses have enjoyed unprecedented success at the Cheltenham Festival in recent seasons.
They accounted for a record 19 of the 28 races in 2017.

The tally was an impressive 17 winners in 2018 with 14 winners in 2019 resulting in a tie for the Prestbury Cup with their British-trained rivals.

The Cup was introduced in 2014 with Great Britain coming out on top for the first two years. The disqualification of Cross Country Chase winner Any Currency in 2016 secured a first Irish victory and they have not relinquished their grip on the trophy since.

Ireland odds-on to retain Prestbury Cup

So what are the prospects for Irish success at the Cheltenham Festival 2020? The bookmakers are confident that the Prestbury Cup will be staying in the Emerald Isle (4-7) while Great Britain can be backed at 15-8 and it is 6-1 the tie. It is 7-1 against Ireland being responsible for 19 or more winners at the Cheltenham Festival meeting this year.

Ireland’s recent record in the race to be leading trainer at the meeting is even more impressive. The last British trainer to top the table was Nicky Henderson with a record seven winners in 2012.

His tally was surpassed by Willie Mullins who trained 8 winners in 2015, a figure matched by Gordon Elliott in 2018. The two have dominated the trainer standings for the past six seasons.

You can find an in-depth guide and free Cheltenham Festival Tips 2020 on the long-established Online Betting Guide website.

Originally set up in 2002 as a guide to the best betting sites, OLBG is now a thriving community with a betting forum, tipster competitions and all the information you need to find those Cheltenham winners.

Irish duo dominate Mares’ Hurdle betting

If there is one race at the meeting that Ireland can be confident of winning it is surely the Mares’ Hurdle on the opening day. This race was monopolised by Ireland and almost exclusively by Willie Mullins from 2009 to 2018. Quevega recorded six successive victories and only the last flight fall of Benie Des Dieux allowed British-trained Roksana to end the Irish domination.

Benie Des Dieux is expected to return in March where opposition could include Honeysuckle, the winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle. Honeysuckle was bought by Peter Moloney for €110,000 after winning a Dromahane point-to-point in 2018 and has won her first seven races under rules.

Both mares are also under consideration for the featured Champion Hurdle on the same day. The tragic loss of 2019 winner Espoir D’Allen has left the race wide open. Both mares have shown their best form over two and a half miles but Mullins successfully dropped Annie Power back in distance to win the Champion Hurdle in 2016.

Envoi Allen on course for Ballymore Hurdle

Another horse to emerge from the point-to-point field is Envoi Allen, hot favourite for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on day 2. He won by 10 lengths at Ballinaboola in February 2018, attracting the interest of Cheveley Park Stud. He rewarded a £400,000 investment by taking the Champion Bumper in 2019 and it will take a very good horse to lower his colours.

Gordon Elliott would probably settle for one winner at the festival this year if it could be Tiger Roll in the Cross Country Chase. The gelding has won this race for the past two seasons on his way to winning the Aintree Grand National.

He now stands on the threshold of greatness, bidding to equal the three victories of Red Rum. Injury has delayed his return but Elliott has recently given his stable star the green light for Cheltenham.
Mullins seeks second Gold Cup win

Another horse with a huge following is 2015 Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen, a leading contender in Thursday’s March Novices’ Chase. He has bounced back into the limelight with three novice chase victories this season. His most recent success in the Grade 1 Flogas Chase at Leopardstown entitles him to a favourite’s chance at Cheltenham.

The climax of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup on Friday 13th March. Al Boum Photo ended the long wait for Willie Mullins to land the elusive blue riband event, twenty years after he saddled Florida Pearl as a beaten favourite.

Mullins had finished runner-up six times before Al Boum Photo and Paul Townend stormed to victory. His main rivals this year include Elliott’s Delta Work and stable companion Kemboy, first and second in the Irish Gold Cup.

It promises to be another thrilling week of racing as the best horses from Great Britain and Ireland clash on Cheltenham’s hallowed turf.

By Harvey Mayson