The Greatest Show on Turf: Cheltenham Festival 2024 News
Cheltenham Festival 2024 was served a devastating blow on Monday when the reigning Champion Hurdler, Constitution Hill, was ruled out of this year’s race. The Nicky Henderson-trained horse recorded his eighth unbeaten career start when winning the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day when last seen in action.
Three days later, State Man went nine-from-ten at Leopardstown, setting up a fascinating rematch in this season’s two-mile centrepiece. Constitution Hill was long odds-on for their second meeting. Now, in the absence of the defending champion through sickness, the leading Cheltenham Festival bookmakers quote Willie Mullins’ State Man on 2/5.
Nicky Henderson pictured with Jonbon and Constitution Hill. Will his stable get a much-needed change of luck at Cheltenham 2024? ©GettyImages
The show must go on, and while the defending Champion Chase winner, Energumene, is another unable to defend a championship crown, in his case, the Champion Chase, Galopin Des Champ is even-money to become only the second horse – since Best Mate in 2004 – to win back-to-back Gold Cups.
But the Festival is not about just four championship contests. There are 28 races in total. Each will be fiercely contested and generate enormous betting turnover. Here, you can read the latest Cheltenham news and trainer views as the Festival countdown ticks down to days and hours.
Marine Nationale Hopes Sink With a Strain
Irish trainer Barry O’Connell waxed lyrical over his 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner and 2024 Arkle Chase contender, Marine Nationale, in Sunday’s Racing Post. Reflecting on defeat in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival, the former stockbroker said:
“All I can tell you is what I’ve seen with my own eyes, and he’s doing great. He’s the one to beat, and if we get any ground other than bottomless ground, I can’t see him being beaten!” The horse racing gods are fickle. On Monday evening, news broke that the long-time Arkle favourite had suffered a ‘suspensory strain’ and the 9/4 favourite would not run.
On paper, Marine Nationale’s defection means the Arkle is one of the most competitive races at the Festival. However, only one runner in the top eight of the betting, JPR One, is trained in the UK. Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty and Willie Mullins’ Il Etat Temps are now joint-favourites on 7/2.
Rain Dance for Moore and His Mud Loving Nassalam
The going will be critical to many horses’ chances and even their participation at Cheltenham’s Prestbury Park next weekend. The racecourse’s Clerk of the Course, Jon Pullin, described the track as ‘soft, heavy in places’ on Monday, citing a “very wet winter” and “plenty of moisture in the ground.”
A crystal ball may be needed to predict the going on day one of the festivities, with a few dry days forecast before unsettled conditions arrive at the weekend. Some UK bookmakers are betting on the official going description, and their crystal ball suggests ‘good to soft’ will be the official first race going description on Tuesday.
Its likelihood is quoted on 4/7 and 13/8 odds are available on a ‘soft’ description for the Festival’s opening race. It is then 10/1 a ‘heavy’ surface and 25/1 ‘good’. One person hoping for the 10/1 or 25/1 outcome is Nassalam’s trainer, Gary Moore.
The West Sussex-based veteran had originally planned to next race his 34-length Welsh Grand National winner in the Aintree National, but he is now considering a U-turn. “If the rain kept on coming and we had a week like the one we’ve just had, then he would go for the Gold Cup,” Moore recently said of Nassalam.
Mud-loving Nassalam is currently quoted on 50/1 for the Gold Cup. He can be backed on 16/1 in the ‘without favourite/Galopin Des Champ’ market. Only one previous Gold Cup winner – Norton’s Coin in 1990 – went off at odds bigger than 33/1. Thirty-five of the previous 99 Gold Cup winners started as favourites.
The Destiny of the Turners With Nicholls?
On Sunday, Paul Nicholls, who is chasing a fourth consecutive Champion Jumps trainer title in 2024, gave Sky Sports Racing an insight into his runners at next week’s Festival. In the item, he explained his policy is to only take horses to the Cheltenham Festival with a “realistic chance” and declared his handful of 2024 runners represent a “nice small but select team.”
Pressed on his best chance of a winner, Nicholls singled out Ginny’s Destiny. “Probably one of the most improved horses in training this year – arguably. He’s won his last three, all at Cheltenham,” declared the trainer when looking at the horse.
🗣️ “He’s a proper horse. He’s every bit as good as Stage Star.”
Turners next for Ginny’s Destiny @PFNicholls @CheltenhamRaces 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/t3EvtTvU6v
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 27, 2024
“Very good on trials day – on the new course that suits him quite well. Loves Cheltenham, made all in his last three jumped brilliantly, galloped all the way up the Cheltenham Hill. What I like about him is that he is a good, solid horse, jumps well, goes a good gallop, and he keeps galloping. I think he is still improving.”
Ginny’s Destiny has an entry in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase but is an intended runner in the Turners Novices’ Chase, where Cheltenham Festival betting sites have the Irish-bred former Tom Lacey-trained eight-year-old quoted on 3/1.
Jonbon’s Jockey Is Living on a Prayer
News emerged on Saturday that 2020 Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow is lame and set for another lengthy spell on the easy list. Unbeaten in a subsequent start over hurdles and three appearances over the bigger obstacles, the fragile horse has previously had long spells on the sidelines.
In February, he returned from a 791-day break to win a Grade-3 at Navan and put himself in the Champion Chase picture. Before Saturday’s news broke, he had been 8/1 to lift the prize. Fabiolo, unbeaten in chases and, like Ferny Hollow, trained by Willie Mullins, is now top-priced 1/2 (Unibet) to win the two-mile contest.
Two British-trained contenders, Jonbon and Edwardstone, follow in the betting. Jonbon’s rider, Nico de Boinville, believes the cards might fall right for his mount, who is a 3/1 shot to score at the Festival on his third attempt. “To be the best chaser in the country, you have to be a phenomenal jumper, and I don’t think El Fabiolo is a phenomenal jumper.”
De Boinville later added: “I think it’s going to be a really tactical race, and it all hinges around what Edwardstone will do. I honestly believe if he does the same [as when winning the Game Spirit Chase], he’ll be doing too much. What he was running against last time, he was able to get a breather and go again. We’ve done a lot of work on Jonbon, so hopefully, he can bounce back.”
Paul and Willie are Just Fine, but Nicky’s Stats Are Alarming
Ireland, specifically trainer Willie Mullins and his stable jockey, Paul Townend, appear set for a crackerjack Festival. bet365 quote 1/12 on Mullins being the Festival’s leading trainer. He is 6/4 to train ten or more winners over the four days and 4/6 to visit the winner’s circle more times than every successful English trainer combined!
Precisely one week ahead of the Festival, the leading stables are enjoying differing veins of form. During the past 14 days, Willie Mullins has been responsible for ten winners and four seconds from 23 runners. However, Gordon Elliot has had just six winners from the 51 runners he has sent out since February 21.
None of Henry De Bromhead’s last 15 runners have won, and, of those, 13 failed to reach the frame. His list of losers includes two odds-on shots. With 72 winners and a 16 percent strike rate since the season’s start, this abrupt loss of form must be a concern.
More alarming is the form of Nicky Henderson’s stables. Just one of his 15 runners since February 21 won, and only one other was placed. And while the Bomber Liston did complete the course when beaten 50 lengths at Newbury, nine other horses were pulled up.
Paul Nicholls could take his record to 50 Festival winners in 2024. His current score is 48. Cheltenham Festival bookmakers offer 6/4 on him training two or more winners at the Cotswolds venue next week. His supporters will be encouraged by his exemplary recent record. Nicholls has trained seven winners from his last 14 runners in a sequence starting on February 24.
