Cheltenham 2026

[Ian_Davies]

we might still be hearing about long after the excitement of the Davies trifecta dies down.

Literally impossible - there are three great religions on the planet: Christianity, Islam and Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse Trifectaism - Slimism is admittedly on the up, but it's still got a fair way to go on the miracle front to usurp the feeding of the five thousand five hundred and sixty six (to and by one).

 

[pawras]

Literally impossible - there are three great religions on the planet: Christianity, Islam and Your Favourite Uncle Smart Arse Trifectaism - Slimism is admittedly on the up, but it's still got a fair way to go on the miracle front to usurp the feeding of the five thousand five hundred and sixty six (to and by one).

In a few years when he's in some workhouse level old people's home, he's too tight to pay for a good one, getting his arse wiped by some evil version of hattie jacques, with hands like she's spent 50 yrs digging coal, he'll still be saying , "do you want to hear about the time I had a 5000/1 trifecta....."

 

[Ian_Davies]

"do you want to hear about the time I had a 5000/1 trifecta....."

5,566/1 - get it right, ffs!

 

[granger]

Gold cup winner 2026

Champion Chase winner 2026

Inowhaturthinking was in the same race that day

 

[JamesRB]

enjoyable year. 3 standout performances for me. Lossiemouth, Il Etait Temps but nobody better than Gaelic Warrior. that was a massive performance and he's some horse (that somehow didn't win the fred winter off of 129 when i was on )

it would still appear to be Willie Mullins racing world and everybody else is living in it.

 

[jinnyj]

Both Skelton and Patrick Mullins got bans for careless riding in the first.....and interfering with my horses!!

 

[Double J]

Would Patrick have won on Gaelic today had he had the ride?

Think I could have won on him tbh.

 

[jinnyj]

No I don't think he would have done. PT may have made it look easy, but it most definitely wouldn't have been. He can switch on very easily (John Durkan for example) and to keep that bubbling energy with a lid on, is an exceptionally skilful thing to be able to do. I think very, very few jockeys would have been able to do that.

 

[Double J]

No I don't think he would have done. PT may have made it look easy, but it most definitely wouldn't have been. He can switch on very easily (John Durkan for example) and to keep that bubbling energy with a lid on, is an exceptionally skilful thing to be able to do. I think very, very few jockeys would have been able to do that.

Fair point actually, didn’t even realise about the switching off till you mentioned it, how good he did it.

Top class Townend (even after some questionable rides today) but gets the big ones spot on.

Had Ballyburn not got hindered behind Kabral yesterday, he’d have won Champ Hurdle, Chase, Stayers, and Gold Cup in the same meeting.

Think he’s ridden 160+ Grade 1 winners now, only 50 off Ruby, and clear second (he’ll surpass that by a lot)
And closing in on Rubys 59 Cheltenham wins. He’s 14 off that

Helps when you’re riding for Willie like, but you don’t have that job if ya shit, unless you’re his son.

 

[edgt]

Remember Glen's Melody was his first Closutton winner at the Festival, a few years after Arthur Moore's Fred Winter winner What A Charm.
The boy has done good and come a long way from winning an Apprentice handicap on our Espartano , owned one time by Harry Denman Findley.
Espartano was finally banned for refusing to race thrice in a row; he was sent flapping and a youngster named Jack Kennedy got him up and running.
Six degrees of separation; I could write a book....

 

[edgt]

Gold cup winner 2026

Champion Chase winner 2026

Inowhaturthinking was in the same race that day
View attachment 25004

To think Arkle and Flyingbolt never met on a racecourse yet wet windy Limerick was the scene of this memorable menage a deux.

 

[granger]

Remember Glen's Melody was his first Closutton winner at the Festival, a few years after Arthur Moore's Fred Winter winner What A Charm.
The boy has done good and come a long way from winning an Apprentice handicap on our Espartano , owned one time by Harry Denman Findley.
Espartano was finally banned for refusing to race thrice in a row; he was sent flapping and a youngster named Jack Kennedy got him up and running.
Six degrees of separation; I could write a book....

Write the book

 

[edgt]

Willie Mullins' Festival winners have been ridden by 24 or 25 different jockeys.
Obviously when you have up to nine runners in a race (eleven last year) you get to spread the love around.
Others will be hoping they water less so he will leave more at home in future.

 

[jinnyj]

Fair point actually, didn’t even realise about the switching off till you mentioned it, how good he did it.

Top class Townend (even after some questionable rides today) but gets the big ones spot on.

Had Ballyburn not got hindered behind Kabral yesterday, he’d have won Champ Hurdle, Chase, Stayers, and Gold Cup in the same meeting.

Think he’s ridden 160+ Grade 1 winners now, only 50 off Ruby, and clear second (he’ll surpass that by a lot)
And closing in on Rubys 59 Cheltenham wins. He’s 14 off that

Helps when you’re riding for Willie like, but you don’t have that job if ya shit, unless you’re his son.

I think PT was gutted that Ballyburn was hampered and likewise Selma de Vary today. That could have been a clean sweep!