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Cheltenham Festival 2026

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Cheltenham Festival 2026

Days

Hrs

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Vincent Finegan

Latest Blogs from Vincent Finegan and "My Racing Story"

Mon 20th Aug 2018

Keep Cool & Carry On

Once a group of jockeys decided the track at Ballinrobe last Monday was unsafe, and no remedial measures would work, then the meeting was always going to be cancelled. That's as it should be. It's easy to be brave on the sidelines. No one can insist on jockeys riding in such circumstances. But they were circumstances that meant questions about the future of flat racing at the Co. Mayo track were only logical. The result is a summit of interested parties today where the most likely outcome will be to keep cool and carry on as before.

9.06AM

Thu 16th Aug 2018

Billy Lee

Over the last number of years I have built up a good association with Willie McCreery and it was nice to get another winner chalked up for him at Gowran Park last night.

9.40AM

Mon 13th Aug 2018

Owners Versus Punters

Racecourses have made great strides in recent times to improve the race day experience for owners — increasing the number of free entry tickets available, priority parking, exclusive owners’ lounges, free food and in some cases free drinks. All admirable as owners are seen as the life-blood of the industry.

9.14AM

Wed 8th Aug 2018

Mark Enright

I had no expectations going to Galway. I had no ride in the Galway Hurdle or the Galway Plate but I knew I’d have a few rides here and there but nothing really to be getting carried away with.

1.37PM

Mon 6th Aug 2018

Reserve system not fit for purpose

There was nothing tragic about Carlingford Lough's 2013 Galway Plate success. But that history repeated itself with the reserve system before last week's Plate is farcical. Patricks Park's failure to overhaul Clarcam meant it wasn't a near-exact replication of five years ago. However it was close enough to highlight once more how the reserve system isn't fit for purpose when it comes to high-profile races. And that there's been no move to change it in half a decade is yet another signal to the betting public of how far down Irish racing's priority list it is.

9.48AM

Mon 30th Jul 2018

Michael Moloney

This is a very exciting week for us all at Galway Races and these are the seven days that the entire year revolves around but we are very lucky that this event is building on the success year in, year out and an awful lot of stuff is the same.

11.07AM

Galway Races

Galway Sentiment Results

9.18AM

Thu 26th Jul 2018

Darragh O'Keeffe

I was absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to ride my first winner for Enda Bolger on William Du Berlais at Killarney last week and then to follow it up again on him at Tipperary was brilliant.

10.20AM

Mon 23rd Jul 2018

Swings & Roundabouts

The Maginot Line was France's grand plan to keep the Germans out. It was a logistical feat, running throughout the French-German border. It looked impregnable. It looked superb. The only problem was the line ended at Belgium. In 1940 the Germans simply swung around it and exploited the single albeit crucial chink in an otherwise impressive facade. The fear is that 'prior day notice' ultimately proves a vital chink in racing's proposed new defence plan against doping.

9.11AM

Thu 19th Jul 2018

Tom Madden

We are halfway through the season now and I am on course for a season's best total of winners so I’m delighted with the ways things are going at the moment.

10.11AM

Mon 16th Jul 2018

Avoiding A Self-Inflicted Wound

There's a sad synchronicity to how Philip Fenton will probably saddle a runner before there's agreement on a new Anti-Doping policy for Irish racing. It was January 2012 when Department of Agriculture officials found anabolic steroids at Fenton's yard. Since then the industry's reputation has been damaged, Fenton has served his three year disqualification, and there still isn't a reformed drugs system in place. Such a glacial pace reflects well on nobody. It's in that context that failure to sign off on the long-awaited proposed new policy will be scandalous.

9.18AM

Wed 11th Jul 2018

Oisin Murphy

Winning the Coral Eclipse on Roaring Lion last Saturday was a fantastic day and one I am very grateful for. I’ve always had full faith in the horse and I was just delighted to finally get a first Group 1 winner for Sheikh Fahad, so it was great.

1.06PM

Mon 9th Jul 2018

Jockeys Should Be Seen And Not Heard

The quality of English teaching in Munster is clearly good. So much is obvious from how articulate both Oisin Murphy and Donnacha O'Brien were at the stewards enquiry after Saturday's Eclipse. So take a bow Colaiste Mhuire and Rockwell: such fluency from your past pupils was impressive. But we shouldn't have had to hear it. It was entirely predictable what both would say. All it really showed once again is how jockeys should be seen and not heard at interference enquiries.

8.54AM

Wed 4th Jul 2018

Jerry Hannon

This years Galway Festival will be something of a dream come true for me as I take over as racecourse commentator from my inspiration, Dessie Scahill.

4.10PM

Mon 2nd Jul 2018

The End Of A Beginning

It's the scale of Latrobe's Irish Derby victory that's hard to process. There's the first time siblings have won Ireland's premier classic as trainer and jockey. Then there's Joseph adding to two wins as jockey with a first classic as a trainer. Not to mention Donnacha continuing to emulate his big brother's achievements in the saddle. There's even Latrobe leading home four horses trained by their father. Overall it was unique familial dominance of a major classic. Amidst all the Derby angles however maybe the most relevant is that Joseph O'Brien is 25 and his father still only 48.

9.05AM

Thu 28th Jun 2018

Michael Halford

There’s great excitement around our yard this week, the Irish Derby is such a huge race and we are really looking forward to having a runner in it.

9.55AM

Mon 25th Jun 2018

What's Another Year

It seems the Irish Derby's fate is to be slammed for being either uncompetitive or lacking star quality. As a species we're apparently genetically programmed to better recall the negative rather than the positive. But racing fans seems to contradict that. Most years the Irish Derby gets bemoaned in comparison to glories of the past. That's unfair. It's also important to keep in mind there's nothing wrong with the race. It's just events, dear boy, events.

9.09AM

Mon 18th Jun 2018

Johnny Murtagh

Things are going very well at the minute with seven winners already this month but that is what you want in this game. The really pleasing thing is that all the horses are running well and even those that are not winning are still running well so we are delighted.

9.20PM

Royal Ascot starts tomorrow

Factor For Morons

9.10AM

Wed 13th Jun 2018

Damian English

It’s been a great start to the year with six winners on the board from just 12 horses riding out so we can’t complain at all at the minute.

7.00PM

Mon 11th Jun 2018

England's Misfortune Is Ireland's Opportunity

The jargon industry thrives on turning the language of disaster into phrases such as 'challenge' and 'opportunity.' But contrary to most other sectors, and without wishing to accentuate the positive too much, there is a chance Britain's disastrous 'Brexit' policy could turn out to be a good thing for Irish racing. In fact without totally eliminating the negative, and depending on the bounce of the political ball, this 'Brexit' challenge really could be an opportunity for the sport and industry to improve.

9.01AM

Wed 6th Jun 2018

John McConnell

I will always remember one very good trainer saying “I’m an overnight success after 25 years” so things don’t happen overnight for most trainers so like everyone I’m striving to get to the next level.

9.16AM

Mon 4th Jun 2018

'Seconds Out' For Heavyweight Curragh Clash

Saxon Warrior doesn't look the great white hope anymore. The greats don't need excuses made for them. But if Saxon Warrior isn't what some of us more excitable types thought he might be there's still reason to believe he's up to getting revenge on Masar in the Irish Derby at the end of this month. Fingers crossed it happens because either way the real winner of a Ballydoyle-Godolphin superpower clash will be the Irish Derby itself.

8.51AM

Tue 29th May 2018

Colm O'Donoghue

It was around the Killarney July Festival last year that I left Ballydoyle after 21 years there and it was certainly a big move but it was a decision that I didn’t take lightly.

6.23PM

Mon 28th May 2018

It Doesn't Get Better Than The Derby

The Epsom Derby is a concentration of obscene wealth, elitism and hard-eyed calculation. It's as far from grassroots as it is possible for sport to get. It's also the greatest day of the racing year. Despite everything the romance of the whole thing enthrals. The Derby is racing's essence summed up in just over two and a half minutes. Prince or prole, you either get it or you don't: and if you don't get the Derby then your heart really isn't going to be racing this Saturday.

8.43AM

Tue 22nd May 2018

Ryan Treacy

I was thrilled to get back among the winners at the weekend and get the ball rolling for the season. Dusty Sheehy, who gave me the ride on Grey Mountain Mist, Eric McNamara and Lesley Young have been good to me so it’s great to be able to repay them when I can.

8.48PM

Mon 21st May 2018

Cultivate The Committed

Walk into any betting shop and racing's greatest fundamental threat is in front of you - Portman Park. The impact of the British government's stake reduction on 'Fixed Odds Betting Terminals' has dominated racing coverage with regard to levy impact there and in terms of picture rights here. But it's a symptom of a deeper issue for the sport. Because Portman Park proves people really will bet on anything.

8.46AM

Wed 16th May 2018

Richard O'Brien

When I was growing up I always had a real fondness for racing and I tried my hand at riding but wasn’t very good at that and those closest to me felt it would be best if I did something else. They landed on dentistry so I went with it and qualified as a dentist!

5.07PM

Mon 14th May 2018

Health Warning

Given the way society's going it can't be long before gambling comes with a health warning. Akin to alcohol or sugar there will be societal acceptance that its fine in moderation but can be harmful. And inevitably that's going to provoke attitude changes. People still drink to excess and gorge themselves to obesity but no one pretends its trendy. That has had a major impact in perception terms. Racing's links to the betting industry could represent a similar image problem down the line.

8.08AM

Tue 8th May 2018

Mark O'Hare

Three bumper winners in three days is beyond any expectation I ever had, especially given that I was going to retire a few years ago, so it would be fair to say I’m loving racing at the moment.

9.37PM

Mon 7th May 2018

Is 'Warrior' A Crowning Glory?

Think about it. Aidan O'Brien has won 300 Group 1 races in almost 22 years. And it's treated almost casually, like part of a checklist ticked off: yeah it's a superb landmark figure but he does this stuff. It's Ballydoyle and Coolmore and probably the finest bloodstock empire ever assembled. There's never been anything like it because there's never been anything like it. As always with O'Brien the results are indivisible from the ammunition he gets to fire. But no one can ever argue with his aim.

9.15AM

Wed 2nd May 2018

Richie Galway

You couldn’t have made last week, it was too far-fetched to believe. From Tuesday’s mishap with Paul Townend to him going out the following day having a treble and then the two greatest female jockeys of all time bowing out with winners in professional races, there was just stories, highlights and incidents across the week that made it a festival that we will remember for a long, long time.

10.02PM

Mon 30th Apr 2018

Start Of An Era

There will come a time when gender is irrelevant when it comes to jockeys. People will look back and shake their heads at how dumb prejudices about female riders weren't just tolerated but widely accepted as fact. The story of that change is going to fascinate countless generations. And since Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh are fundamental to the tale it means their place in racing history is assured.

9.02AM

Wed 25th Apr 2018

John Gleeson

Having a winner at the Punchestown Festival was the realisation of lifetime’s ambition, that’s for sure. I had been making the journey a long time and ironically won the same race, the Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Steeplechase as a jockey many years ago, only to lose it in the stewards’ room. So it was very sweet to get there at last. And to do it with the young fella Billy riding was great because that’s what I got Just Wait And See for, for him to be riding.

12.33PM

Mon 23rd Apr 2018

Theatre Sport

There's only one story at Punchestown 2018. The prospect of watching Douvan, Samcro, Laurina & Co is great. Acclaiming Davy Russell as champion jockey again will be great too. But everything about the season finale fits into a narrative about Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott slugging it out to be champion trainer. Inevitably some will crib about too much being made of it. Ignore anyone with such a woeful lack of occasion. This is momentous stuff. Everyone's got a hunch, and should have too. Mine is Mullins is going to do it again.

9.13AM

Tue 17th Apr 2018

Keith Donoghue

Tiger Roll has made all the headlines this week and he has been an incredible horse for me as he’s given me the best day of my career and the second best day of my career.

10.30PM

Mon 16th Apr 2018

'Mulliott' Anyone?

As Tiger Roll and Pleasant Company flashed past the post in Saturday's epic Aintree Grand National finish the thought struck home that Irish racing has never seen a rivalry to compare to that of their trainers - Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins. Lots view their duopoly either positively or negatively. But the scale of their accomplishments is indisputable. Theirs is a rivalry to compare with anything in sport. Familiarity though means we forget to acknowledge how special it actually is.

8.36AM

Tue 10th Apr 2018

Emma Connolly

I started riding horses when I was 11 and I just couldn’t see myself ever doing anything else. I’m in Noel Meade’s nine years now and have been lucky to be associated with some brilliant horses over the years and have got some great memories.

9.41AM

Mon 9th Apr 2018

Best National Outcome For Racing

The Aintree Grand National retains enough of a lottery element to encourage followers of each of the 40 runners this Saturday that they can win. From a more altruistic point of view though one outcome would surely be the greatest result for racing generally. It's surely only a matter of time before the winner of racing's most high-profile event is ridden by a woman. But sooner's better than later and now would be perfect.

9.12AM

Tue 3rd Apr 2018

J J Slevin

Winning the Irish Grand National probably hasn’t really sunk in yet, I got home last night and looked at the replay with my mother and father and I went to bed then as I’d to be up to go to work in Joseph O’Brien’s this morning so I’d say I’ll watch it a few times again this evening!

7.50PM

Mon 2nd Apr 2018

Waiting For Perfection

The day after Sea The Stars won the Arc he was paraded in front of a media throng at John Oxx's yard. An unaware news reporter asked me what we were looking at: I told him it was the nearest thing to perfection either of us would ever get. He looked at me like I was high. But the finest horse of a generation was the exception proving the rule that waiting for perfection in racing involves waiting forever.

9.27AM

Mon 26th Mar 2018

Denis Hogan

Pulling up after winning the Grade 2 Charleville Mares Chase on Youcantcallherthat last week I knew that it was the biggest winner of my riding career but it was only afterwards that it dawned on me that it was also the biggest winner of my training career.

8.42PM

The Brendan Duke trained Pride Of Pimlico wins the opening race of the new flat season

Safe Cross Code

8.55AM

Tue 20th Mar 2018

Jack Kennedy

Last week was pretty unreal if I’m honest. Anyone would be happy with one winner at Cheltenham so to have four was just a dream come true to be honest.

9.27PM

Mon 19th Mar 2018

Trust & Reputation

The British Horseracing Authority is technically entitled to drug test horses entered to run in Britain, just as the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board - formerly the Turf Club - is entitled to do the same vice versa. A good argument can be made for such tests being routine. There can hardly be too much out-of-competition testing. But no one it seems can remember Irish authorities ever going into yards in Britain. So it was a pointed call by the BHA to take it upon themselves to inspect the festival runners of Irish racing's two biggest trainers the week before Cheltenham.

9.16AM

Tue 13th Mar 2018

Philip Reynolds

I’m just delighted to be going to Cheltenham with a couple of very nice horses, Presenting Percy and Mall Dini, trained by a very good friend Pat Kelly, and both are the head of their respective markets although in a sense I would probably prefer if they were outsiders as there wouldn’t be as much hype about them!

9.42AM

Mon 12th Mar 2018

Brits Need To Bite Back

Last year Irish trained horses won a record 19 Cheltenham festival races. There's 6-1 floating around about Irish trained horses beating that haul this time. No doubt more ridiculous bets than that will be made over the coming four days. But short-term gratification about this unprecedented period of Irish dominance needs to be tempered by longer term considerations. The health of National Hunt racing's greatest showpiece event really needs the Brits to bite back this week.

8.37AM

Mon 5th Mar 2018

Ross O'Sullivan

They were saying that was the worst snow since 1982, the year I was born, and I hope it is another 35 years before we have anything like it again. If you talk to anyone in racing they’ll tell you how hard the last week was but everyone was in the same boat.

10.28PM

Last Year's Prestbury Cup result

'Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa'

9.43AM

Tue 27th Feb 2018

Willie Mullins

My first visit to the Cheltenham Festival was in 1978 which, funnily enough, was the year of the snow. We woke up on Gold Cup day and the whole place was white and the races were called off. We are now hoping there won’t be a repeat 40 years on but the Cheltenham weather people say it is not going to be like that.

9.13AM

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