It was once again another memorable day for the Irish, particularly Willie Mullins and Paul Townend, on Day One of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
As was expected, it was the Mullins show - with State Man pencilling his name among the pantheon of racing greats, comfortably winning the Champion Hurdle at his own will under the guidance of Paul Townend.
Lossiemouth bookended a widely-backed double with a resounding success in the Mares' Hurdle, while Gaelic Warrior also dispelled his doubters with a commanding display in the Arkle.
Chianti Classico made sure the British continued their winning streak in the Ultima Handicap Chase.
However, for Waterford racing fans - it will be a memorable day for one reason above all - Slade Steel.
Here's the story of day one:
Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Slade Steel (7/2)
Slade Steel has won the Supreme Novices Hurdle, the opening race of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained and Robcour-owned star battled back gamely in the home straight to see off Mystical Power in testing conditions at Prestbury Park.
💪 Slade Steel delivers in the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle@HenrydeBromhead | @rachaelblackmor | @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/sgOimJrhCb
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
It’s a 22nd Cheltenham Festival for Henry de Bromhead, and Slade Steel was ridden to victory by stable jockey Rachael Blackmore.
Blackmore said: “I didn’t want to be in front jumping the last but he took me there. He battled back so well after the last.
“I love this place and it’s amazing to be coming here and riding these kind of horses. Henry does a brilliant job in getting his horses ready for this meeting."
De Bromhead said: “It was a brilliant performance and Rachael gave him a super ride. Fair play to the Robcour team – they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and felt we needed to avoid him. That’s what we did and it worked out really well for us.
“I feel he’ll be better on better ground but this softer ground helped him over two miles.”
Arkle Challenge Trophy - Gaelic Warrior (2/1)
Gaelic Warrior bounced back from defeat at the Dublin Racing Festival to land his maiden Cheltenham Festival victory with a striking success in the Arkle.
Runner-up at the last two festivals, the six-year-old thrived in a first-time hood and easily powered home in front of Found A Fifty by eight-and-a-half lengths to get team Mullins off the mark.
🚀 WHAT A PERFORMANCE!
Third time lucky at the Cheltenham Festival for Gaelic Warrior who bolts up in the Arkle for Mullins & Townend pic.twitter.com/6ImZmt3gcI
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
Townend said: "That's actually as good a ride I've gotten off him in a race. He's jumped a lot straighter and his stamina came into play. We know he stays.
"I pointed him the right way and he did the rest. It's a pressure week and the monkey is off the back now."
Mullins said: "You could see the difference the hood made to him. He wasn't entitled to jump right and Paul could ride a race on him. I was asking myself when he was coming down the hill what on earth were we doing in longer races last year."
Ultima Handicap Chase - Chianti Classico (6/1)
David Bass and Kim Bailey combined to land the Ultima with four and a half lengths in hand, having mowed down the strong-travelling longshot Twig in the home straight.
It was a second Ultima success for Bailey, having first won the 1999 edition - and he was delighted with his horse, who produced an exemplary round of jumping throughout.
🍷 Ping!
Some round of jumping from Chianti Classico pic.twitter.com/RBxD3QulmK
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
"He's done that like a terrier," exclaimed Bailey. "He's hard as nails.
"I spent the first half of the race wanting to see whether Trelawne was okay and then I looked back and saw Chianti Classico make a mistake and I thought 'Oh no, David's getting too brave.' But he jumped for fun, he was cantering down the hill, wasn't he?
"David's been confident the whole way through. He was right! He was adamant from day one. He adores this horse."
Champion Hurdle - State Man (2/5)
The banker of the meeting for many - State Man lived up to the billing with a performance that displayed class, confidence and the true nature of a champion.
He quickened smartly in the home straight to get the better of runner-up Irish Point, and make it a resounding nine Grade 1 successes.
🟡⚫️ State Man - all class in the Champion Hurdle
🏇 14 runs
🥇 11 wins
🏆 G1 Champion Hurdle
🏆🏆 G1 Irish Champion Hurdle
🏆🏆 G1 Matheson Hurdle
🏆🏆 G1 Morgiana Hurdle
👑 Nine G1 victories
✅ Dual #CheltenhamFestival hero pic.twitter.com/JZreOKEaPh— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
"He's a simple horse to ride," said Townend, winning the Champion Hurdle for the first time. "On the ground I probably could have waited a bit longer but I never doubted his stamina either. He's an old favourite of mine and deserved a big day like this.
"He's a champion back home. Constitution Hill was too good for him here last year and he deserved his day in the sun."
Mares' Hurdle - Lossiemouth (8/13)
Lossiemouth was a straightforward winner of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
The top-class five-year-old grey trained by Mullins and ridden by Townend ,never had any reason for concern at any stage riding the 8-13 favourite in a field of 11.
Townend was a picture of patience, allowing others to make the running before cruising through to sweep up the hill to an unchallenged success from the de Bromhead-trained Telmesomethinggirl. His other runners Hispanic Moon and Lantry Lady came home in third and fourth respectively.
🚀 Lossiemouth - Mares' Hurdle heroine & in some style
🏇 Eight runs
🥇 Seven wins
🏆 G1 Mares' Hurdle
🏆 G1 Triumph Hurdle
🏆 G1 Punchestown 4-Y-O Hurdle
⭐️ Superstar pic.twitter.com/jbfpRgL94J— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
Mullins said: “She was great – she’s a Champion Hurdle mare, we all think. Once again, Paul was very cool on her and she can improve another year on, when she’s a bit older. Running like that, in that ground, she’s got everything.
“We made the right decision not to go for the Champion Hurdle this year. She didn’t get a grueller like if she’d been in the Champion Hurdle, she’s only five and getting a grueller in the Champion Hurdle is not what you want.”
Boodles Juvenile Hurdle - Lark In The Mornin (9/1)
Joseph O'Brien and JJ Slevin got their week off to the perfect start with victory in the Boodles, coming courtesy of the strong-travelling Lark In The Mornin.
Once he swept up on the outside late on, the race was at his mercy and a solid round of jumping saw him fend off Eagle's Reign and Ndaawi to land Festival honours.
🚀 Lark In The Mornin wins the Boodles for JJ Slevin & @JosephOBrien2
They won the race in 2019 & they do it again at @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/P3DvDbC9JW
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
National Hunt Chase - Corbetts Cross (15/8)
Emmet Mullins got in on the action to deny his uncle a four-timer, as the Derek O'Connor-ridden Corbetts Cross was arguably the most impressive winner of the day.
He thundered clear with a powerful jump at the last, leaving Embassy Gardens in his wake on the run-in to score with a ton in hand - ensuring that there would be another winner in the famed JP McManus colours.
🟢🟡 Corbetts Cross dazzles in the National Hunt Chase
74 winners for owner JP McManus at the Cheltenham Festival pic.twitter.com/YquxksjwC9
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2024
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