The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is already upon us.
28 races across four days – Prestbury Park will play host to the crẽme de la crẽme of the equine world between Tuesday and Friday, and a host of local representatives will be hoping to play their part in what promises to be an enthralling spectacle from start to finish.
Waterford is no stranger to Cheltenham success – from the great memories of Montelado right up to the most recent celebrations of Captain Guinness, the Déise has been synonymous with scenes of jubilation at jump racing’s premier festival.
Five local entries will take their place this afternoon, with hopes of a local winner pinned heavily upon the Henry de Bromhead-trained Workahead in the opening Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
de Bromhead landed the Supreme last year courtesy of Slade Steel, and he holds one of the aces for certain in the form of Workahead – who was most impressive when thumping his rivals at Leopardstown on December 26th, scoring with seven lengths in hand on the Barry Connell-trained William Munny, who has since gone on to win a Listed race by 15 lengths.
Market favouritism is heavily weighted toward the Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes who could well go off at even odds given his stunning Grade 1 win at the Dublin Racing Festival, where he was 13 lengths ahead of his nearest rival.
Workahead will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore, whilst Sky Lord also takes his place for team Knockeen and will be ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe. He was the winner of a maiden hurdle at Cork before Christmas, and was just four lengths behind Salvador Mundi in a Grade 2 outing, so could well be capable of outrunning his high odds.
The Ultima has not been a happy hunting ground whatsoever for the Irish in recent years, but de Bromhead and Blackmore team up once again in a bid to reverse that trend – The Short Go has attracted some market interest, having finished second over course and distance back in November. 6lbs higher this time out, he may well be capable of being involved at the finish.
Dungarvan jockey Sean Houlihan will also take his place aboard the Sheila Lewis-trained Straw Fan Jack, a horse who ran excellently well to finish 3rd in the Plate last year, and is not without hope.
Elsewhere, local eyes will also be fixed upon July Flower who takes her place in the Mares’ Hurdle. The late addition of Lossiemouth has certainly done little to aid her cause, but she comes into the race off the back of an impressive Grade 3 win where she comfortably fended off the talented Kala Conti, so rule her out at your peril.
The bookmakers will be hoping the short priced favourites, Kopek Des Bordes, Majborough, Lossiemouth and Constitution Hill won’t all strike on day one – and their hopes will largely be pinned on Gordon Elliott’s star mare Brighterdaysahead defying Constitution Hill in the featured Champion Hurdle.
It promises to be a fascinating opening day, and we can hardly wait to witness it play out in front of a raucous crowd.
LOCAL RUNNERS:
Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1:20) – Workahead (6/1) – trained by Henry de Bromhead; Sky Lord (66/1) – trained by Henry de Bromhead.
Ultima Handicap Chase (2:40) – The Short Go (11/1) – trained by Henry de Bromhead; Straw Fan Jack (50/1) – ridden by Sean Houlihan.
Mares’ Hurdle (3:20) – July Flower (10/1) – trained by Henry de Bromhead.
