Nice calm weather helped the 2015 Cheltenham Festival get off to a good start for the punters, with three favourites doing the business in the first four races on day one, although it wasn’t to last, because longer odds runners would upset the apple cart time and time again as the festival went on.
This did nothing to impact Willie Mullins’ stable though, as he claimed a record (at the that time) eight wins across the four days. Four of those wins came on the first day, and one of them was the Mares’ Hurdle, although not via the horse that everybody was expecting.
Annie Power was favourite to win the race, and was on course to do so until she took off too early at the final hurdle, falling upon landing and crashing out of the running. Glens Melody – also trained by Mullins) was able to nick the win off the back of Annie Power’s fall, and the bookies were saved an estimated £50 million in payouts.
Another of Mullins’ horses, Douvan, announced their arrival to the industry with a superb win in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, to open the festival, whilst the most unexpected win of the 4 day festival at Prestbury Park came in the form of Darna winning the Plat Handicap Chase at 33/1. The Kim Bailey trained bay gelding had apparently undergone a wind operation since his last run, but even so, beating a field of 23 as one of the least fancied horses on the course was quite something.
Despite Mullins’ success, it wasn’t enough to stop the British winning the Prestbury Cup (for the last time in a decade), with Paul Nicholls the most successful British trainer across the four days, with 3 wins.
Ruby Walsh took top jockey for the 9th time in his career, all on horses trained by Willie Mullins of course, while it was the final festival that A P McCoy would take part in, as he retired at the end of the season in April. He was able to win one more race at Prestbury Park though, the Ryanair Chase on a horse with an unpronounceable name, Uxizandre.
Here’s one final fact to top things off for you: an estimated 45,000 bread rolls were eaten at Cheltenham Festival 2015. Blimey.
10th March 2015 – Day One (Champion Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Douvan | 2/1 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:05 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Un De Sceaux | 4/6 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:40 | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | The Druids Nephew | 8/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Neil Mulholland
|
| 15:20 | The Champion Hurdle | Faugheen | 4/5 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 16:00 | Mares' Hurdle | Glens Melody | 6/1 |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 16:40 | National Hunt Chase | Cause of Causes | 8/1 |
J: Mr J J Codd
T: G Elliott
|
| 17:15 | Novices' Handicap Chase | Irish Cavalier | 11/1 |
J: P Townend
T: Rebecca Curtis
|
11th March 2015 – Day Two (Ladies’ Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Windsor Park | 9/2 |
J: Davy Russell
T: D K Weld
|
| 14:05 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | Don Poli | 13/8 F |
J: B J Cooper
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:40 | BetMGM Cup | Aux Ptits Soins | 9/1 |
J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 15:20 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Dodging Bullets | 9/2 |
J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | Cross Country Chase | Rivage D'Or | 16/1 |
J: Davy Russell
T: A J Martin
|
| 16:40 | Juvenile Novices' Hurdle | Qualando | 25/1 |
J: Nick Scholfield
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 17:15 | Champion Bumper | Moon Racer | 9/2 F |
J: Tom Scudamore
T: D Pipe
|
12th March 2015 – Day Three (St. Patrick’s Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Golden Miller Novices' Chase | Vautour | 6/4 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:05 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Call The Cops | 9/1 |
J: Andrew Tinkler
T: N J Henderson
|
| 14:40 | Ryanair Chase | Uxizandre | 16/1 |
J: A P McCoy
T: A King
|
| 15:20 | The Stayers' Hurdle | Cole Harden | 14/1 |
J: G Sheehan
T: W Greatrex
|
| 16:00 | Plate Handicap Chase | Darna | 33/1 |
J: David Bass
T: K Bailey
|
| 16:40 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | The Package | 9/1 |
J: Mr J J Codd
T: D Pipe
|
13th March 2015 – Day Four (Gold Cup Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Peace And Co | 2/1 F |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 14:05 | County Handicap Hurdle | Wicklow Brave | 25/1 |
J: P Townend
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:40 | Spa Novices' Hurdle | Martello Tower | 14/1 |
J: A P Heskin
T: Ms Margaret Mullins
|
| 15:20 | The Cheltenham Gold Cup | Coneygree | 7/1 |
J: N de Boinville
T: M Bradstock
|
| 16:00 | Foxhunter Challenge Cup | On The Fringe | 6/1 |
J: Ms N Carberry
T: E Bolger
|
| 16:40 | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle | Killultagh Vic | 7/1 |
J: L P Dempsey
T: W P Mullins
|
| 17:15 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Next Sensation | 16/1 |
J: Tom Scudamore
T: Michael Scudamore
|