Results Cheltenham Fri, 15th Mar, 2024

Majborough motors to Triumph Hurdle victory

He’s a bit angular (at the moment) like all the French horses, but when he comes in from a summer’s grass he’s some beast. Who knows how good he could be? Sometimes with Triumph Hurdle horses, their juvenile year can be their best year, but this fellow is so untypical of that. He’s a big, jumping horse and normally you’d be going novice chasing next season. It’s not easy going novice chasing with a horse that young, but we’ll see. She travelled well and I was able to hang on to her a bit, but Mark’s lad hit a flat spot and got going late on. My mare was good and tough and galloped all the way to the line. It was a solid run, but I suppose Majborough was the one to take out of the Leopardstown race. It was a long way up that hill and while it might have looked like I was hanging on to a bit, you are never home until you’re home in Cheltenham on the New course. You have to hold on to something, but Mark found a bit more.

Absurde performance one to celebrate for Mullins and Townend

I thought I’d have the pace of them all on his Flat form, but the ground was a big worry. Paul can’t have a warm bone in his body, he was so cold the whole way and delivered him at the right time. He just missed the last but everything else went right. I was very worried about the ground, that’s why I thought Risk Belle was the best of my squad, I’d more or less drawn a line through him. They went very slow and his Flat speed was a big factor at the end. When I saw where he was early on I thought it wasn’t the place to be, but they were doing 18-second furlongs so I thought he might have a chance. He had to find his way through and while he missed the last, it was one hell of a ride, it was the ride of the week for me. He’ll probably go to Punchestown and then back on the Flat I’d have thought. It might be hard to qualify for Melbourne – I’d like to go though.

Stellar Story denies The Jukebox Man in Bartlett thriller

To be honest we thought he was overpriced, we knew he’d love the ground and he’s as tough as old nails. He stayed very well and Sam was good and positive. We were probably a little bit fortunate that the second horse missed the last as we’ve collared him on the line, but it was brilliant. I knew he was getting there, I just didn’t think he was getting there in time. To tell you the honest truth, I wasn’t going to run him. I was going to run Croke Park in the race and he was lame on Wednesday morning, so I brought this horse over late. I was going to send him to Aintree for a three-mile hurdle, so it shows what I know. He was bought to be a big chaser, that’s what he is. He’s a lovely horse. Sam is a big part of the team and I’m delighted for him.

Galopin Des Champs unstoppable in Gold Cup march

I think he just put himself in the superstar category — to do what he did and the way he did it. The loose horse was there and Paul was just so positive on him. Hopefully we can come back next year to win a third one — he has the ability to do it and we just have to stay sound, I think. He’s doing everything right and is achieving more than I thought he could. It was great to win a Gold Cup last year and we were crossing our fingers this year that if we got him there safe and sound, he’d have every chance of winning and he’s just done that. But you can only dream about these kinds of things.

Sine Nomine seals famous Festival success for Needham