It has happened before that an all-Irish field of runners have lined up for a Grade One at the Cheltenham Festival but never has it looked so stark as in the run-up to Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novice Chase.
The race designed as a trial for future Gold Cup contenders has seven contenders, all with the “IRE” suffix next to their names. Four, including the hot favourite Ballyburn, are from Willie Mullins. Gordon Elliott has a pair of challengers. Henry De Bromhead makes it up with Gorgeous Tom.
It is a display of utter domination by Irish racing’s established “Big Three” yards and a hapless reflection of home inability to step up to the challenge.
The Jukebox Man’s unfortunate injury in January not only robbed the race of a meaningful cross-channel effort but sadly any effort at all.
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It echoes the 2022 Turners Chase – infamous for Galopin Des Champs’ final-fence fall – when four Irish horses had the race to themselves. Memorable as it was, it hardly worked out well. The Grade One is now Thursday’s Jack Richards Limited Handicap Chase.
A similar fate hardly awaits the Brown Advisory. The Turners was an intermediate contest with an intermediate future. Wednesday’s event is over a century old and has Arkle on its roll of honour.
But the line-up is another wake-up call, as if needed, that a “greenwash” such as this threatens the Anglo-Irish rivalry fundamental to Cheltenham’s success.
Even if the field could have been more conveniently assembled at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, the race itself contains enough intrigue to make it eminently watchable.
Much of it centres around Ballyburn. The horse that looked to have the world at his feet – from Champion Hurdle to Gold Cup – when beating a squad of stable companions here a year ago hasn’t entirely convinced this season.
His chasing debut was perfectly adequate. But he was demolished by Sir Gino at Christmas, when, once again, his jumping didn’t impress everyone. Back up over a longer trip he was much more convincing at the DRF and steps up to three miles for the first time.
Sir Gino might have been too quick, but this race often turns into a slog and it’s ironic how the old Turners event might have been a perfect fit for Ballyburn.
In contrast a proper three-mile test looks just the spot for his stable companion Dancing City. Only a third in the Albert Bartlett last season prevented a festival clean sweep over hurdles for the horse who won at the DRF, Aintree and Punchestown.
Irish horses also pack out the preceding Turners Novice Hurdle but at least there is a consequential cross-channel challenge headed by The New Lion.
JP McManus’s purchase is unbeaten in four starts and holds maximum regard from the Dan Skelton team.
Already a Grade One winner from Newbury’s Challow Hurdle, that race’s patchy record as a source of festival success has been pointed to as a negative for his chance, something that smacks more of a statistical juju rather than a coherent argument.
Mullins’s insistence on Final Demand dropping slightly in trip from his DRF victory a month ago could prove the most significant element. The way Final Demand picked up at Leopardstown put the lie to him being some dour stayer more suitable for Friday’s Albert Bartlett.
Mullins has a handful of contenders as he bids to stretch his Weatherbys Champion Bumper domination to 14 victories. Patrick Mullins has opted for the Navan winner Copacabana leaving Gameofinches to Paul Townend. Kalypso’chance is Elliott’s big hope.
How Willie Mullins has harvested this festival race like no other since riding Wither Or Which to victory himself almost 30 years ago is its defining feature. Copacabana and Gameofinches have only arrived on the scene in recent weeks and impressed as having huge potential. Gameofinches might the sable’s No 2 pick but could be value to end up in the No 1 spot.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country had to be cancelled a year ago and has been redesigned as a handicap. Despite that, topweight Gavin Cromwell’s Stumptown has been notably popular on the festival run-up. In receipt of 10lbs, his stable companion Vanillier could make it a close fight.
Cheltenham: 1.20 – Final Demand (Nap) 2.00 – Dancing City 2.40 – Sa Fureur 3.20 – Vanillier 4.00 – Jonbon 4.40 – The King Of Prs 5.20 – Gameofinches
Nap and Double- Final Demand & Gameofinches
