In the last decade, Henry De Bromhead has established himself as one of the best National Hunt trainers across Ireland and the UK, and will travel to this year’s Cheltenham Festival with a team of strong contenders across the four days and we have gone through his big chances.
Last year the handler became the first trainer to land theChampion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup at the same festival and he will be hoping to do so again.
8yo bay gelding
Form: 3/212-12
Target: Gold Cup
Winner of the novice handicap at the Festival in 2019 and has since developed into a top-class staying chaser, having won both the Savills Chase last season and the Betfair Chase this campaign. A length and quarter runner-up to stablemate Minella Indo in last season’s Gold Cup, but can boast a more solid overall recent record than his rival, and after only being caught late by Galvin in this season’s Savills last time, he merits his position as Gold Cup favourite.
7yo bay gelding
Form: 2111-11
Target: Turners Novices' Chase
Outstanding novice hurdler last season, his breathtaking Ballymore win one of the highlights of the 2021 Festival.Impressive in winning both starts over fences, subsequent Grade 1 winner Master McShee behind in his beginners’ chase before taking another step forward to win a good renewal of the Grade 3 Killiney Novice Chase at Punchestown last time. As good a prospect as there is in racing at the minute, and he should take all the beating again.
7yo bay gelding
Form: F3U-133
Target: Champion ChaseThird in the Arkle last season and began this campaign winning the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase at Naas. Filled the third-placed position in both the Tingle Creek and the Dublin Chase back up in Grade 1 company on his next two outings. Smart chaser but clearly a level below the very best and probably only has minor place claims in a Champion Chase of such depth.
7yo bay gelding
Form: 47-231
Target: Grand Annual/Arkle
Smart hurdler who has looked on the way to matching that form over fences this season, chasing Ferny Hollow home in a beginners’ chase before finishing third to that rival in a Grade 1 over Christmas. Had a simple task to get off the mark at Gowran last time and was promoted to near the head of the market for the Grand Annual following that. It will be intriguing to see how the handicapper assesses him for that race, though he would also merit his place in the line-up for an open looking renewal of the Arkle if connections fancied a tilt at the Grade 1 prize.
8yo bay gelding
Form: 1FP-161
Target: Ryanair
Went into last season’s Festival as the most exciting chaser in a generation, unbeaten in eleven starts including Cheltenham wins in the Champion Bumper and Ballymore, though fell early in the Marsh and hasn’t really looked the same horse since. Scraped home in a weak Grade 1 last time, but the Ryanair should be up his street and it isn’t too hard to envisage him coming back to near his best.
6yo bay mare
Form: 111211
Target: Mares Chase
Utterly prolific in the summer and gained the first Graded win of her career when scoring in the Grade 3 Like A Butterfly Chase at Tipperary on her penultimate outing and followed-up in remarkable fashion in a match against My Drogo at Cheltenham in November, slithering on landing when that rival fell with Rachael Blackmore performing miracles to stay in the saddle. Since kept fresh on the sidelines after a busy start to the campaign, she's a fascinating contender for Mares Chase honours.
8yo bay mare
Form: 1111-11
Target: Champion Hurdle
The undisputed best hurdler of her generation, unbeaten in 14 starts with a CV that features 10 Grade 1s, including three Hatton’s Graces, three Irish Champion Hurdles, a Mares Hurdle and last season’s Champion Hurdle here at Cheltenham. Untroubled in winning both starts this campaign and it will surely be the shock of the week if she loses her crown at Cheltenham. For many, she is a stone-cold certainty.
6yo chestnut gelding
Form: 1-11
Target: Ballymore
Looked a fine prospect when bolting up in a Gowran bumper last March (the same race connections started Bob Olinger in) and has proven so over hurdles, arguably winning the strongest maiden hurdle of the season at Leopardstown over Christmas, with the likes of Minella Crooner and Kilcruit in behind. Only workmanlike when landing the odds at Naas last time but he surely has more to come and merits his position near the head of the Ballymore betting.
9yo bay gelding
Form: F41-3P2
Target: Gold Cup
Boasts a fine Cheltenham Festival record, winning the Albert Bartlett as a novice hurdler in 2019 before only being overhauled late in dramatic fashion by Champ in the 2020 RSA. Claimed the biggest prize of them all, though, when defeating stablemate A Plus Tard in last season’s Gold Cup, looking absolutely tailor-made to that race’s demands in doing so. Yet to be anywhere his best so far this season, though was better when runner-up in the Irish Gold Cup last time and is surely being brought to peak at the right time in defence of his crown.
8yo bay mare
Form: 1314-45
Target: QMCC/Mares Chase
Tough mare who boasts a fine Cheltenham record, having been 4-4 at the track at the end of last season, with Festival wins in both the 2020 Arkle and last season’s Champion Chase. Has looked badly laboured both starts this campaign, though, including at Cheltenham in the Shloer Chase, and surely any of her backers are solely hoping the Festival factor will spark her back to form, with the option of only facing her gender in the Mares’ Chase certainly an easier option than a title defence in the Champion Chase.
6yo bay gelding
Form: 21-211
Target: Albert Bartlett
Bumper winner last season for Sam Curling and has done well since joining the much more prominent De Bromhead outfit, winning at Cork on his second attempt over hurdles. Untroubled by the step up in grade when winning a Clonmel Grade 3 in February, and already looking a thorough stayer, is a solid contender to run well in the Albert Bartlett.
7yo bay mare
Form: 1315-53
Target: Mares Hurdle
Ended Willie Mullins’ stranglehold on the Dawn Run last season when becoming the first horse from outside of Closutton to win the race since its inception, and did so in rather taking fashion, powering clear from her opposition after the last. Being brought along steadily this campaign, emerging as the best horse at the weights when third to Royal Kahala in a competitive Leopardstown Grade 3 over Christmas. Justifiably heads the betting in a open-looking Mares Hurdle given her previous Festival form.
