Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival: Five trainers with the most wins
Cheltenham Festival is the best show of equine talent in the National Hunt sphere each year, and some trainers have become so successful there over the years that they have almost become synonymous with the four-day meeting.
Here we will look at the track record of Cheltenham Festival’s top five trainers, and their potential runners this year.
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Willie Mullins
The maestro of Closutton has trained an incredible 94 Cheltenham Festival winners so far in his career, including three Gold Cups, courtesy of Al Boum Photo and last year’s hero, Galopin Des Champs.
Mullins was last year’s Leading Trainer at the Festival, with six winners, some of which are expected to be back in the winners’ enclosure at this year’s renewal; El Fabiolo, Gaillard Du Mesnil, Impaire Et Passe, Energumene, Lossiemouth and Galopin Des Champs.
As always, Mullins will be sending a formidable legion of runners to Prestbury Park in March, which could include last year’s Champion Bumper runner-up, Tullyhill, 2022’s Champion Bumper winner, Facile Vega, Constitution Hill’s closest rival, State Man, and recent International Hurdle winner, Lossiemouth.
The odds of Mullins hitting a century of winners at the Festival this year look more likely with each week.
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Nicky Henderson
Thought of by many as Britain’s most talented trainer when preparing horses for the Cheltenham Festival, Nicky Henderson currently has a tally of 72 winners at the March meeting.
Among the most famous of these winners are Gold Cup winner Long Run, dual Champion Chase winner Sprinter Sacre and Altior, who also won the Champion Chase twice. Not forgetting the seemingly unbeatable Constitution Hill, who won last year’s Champion Hurdle in impressive style and is favourite to do the same again in March.
Accompanying the Champion Hurdler to this year’s meeting could be Supreme hopeful Jeriko Du Reponet, last year’s Arkle runner-up, Jonbon, in the Champion Chase, and Shishkin, who bounced back to form when winning the G2 Denman Chase at Newbury lately and looks primed for the Gold Cup.
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Paul Nicholls
The name Paul Nicholls is formidable anywhere there is National Hunt racing, due to the sheer size and power of his stable, and Cheltenham Festival is no exception. The Somerset-based trainer has racked up a total of 48 winners at the March meeting so far.
His winners at the Festival last year included the household names Stage Star and Stay Away Fay, but this year, the Ditcheat handler has a large potential team of runners entered to run over the four days.
Leading the charge is recent Challow Hurdle winner Captain Teague, who is entered for the Baring Bingham. Recent hat-trick winner Ginny’s Destiny could go in the Brown Advisory alongside Stay Away Fay, while Pic D’Orhy, Hitman and Stage Star could be destined for the Ryanair.
Bravemansgame, last year’s Gold Cup runner-up, is set to try his luck for a second time in this year’s renewal.
With stable jockey Harry Cobden leading the Jockeys’ Championship, Paul Nicholls looks a force to be reckoned with going into this season’s Festival.
Gordon Elliott
Another Irish trainer who takes a lot of beating at the Cheltenham Festival is Gordon Elliott, who has 34 winners to his name there.
Perhaps his most famous winner there is Tiger Roll, who heroically won no less than three Glenfarclas chases and two Grand Nationals in his career, despite being a small, Flat-bred horse.
Since Tiger Roll, Elliott has trained the likes of Envoi Allen, Sire Du Berlais, Delta Work and Samcro to Cheltenham Festival glory.
Having had a particularly successful season thus far, Elliott’s runners are to be taken seriously at Prestbury Park this March. He has made as many as 165 entries over the four days, so clearly means business.
Zanahiyr, Fils D’oudairies, Pied Piper and Irish Point could all run in the Champion Hurdle, while Conflated and Gerri Colombe could take on the Gold Cup.
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Henry de Bromhead
Henry de Bromhead has a very strong record when taking horses over the Irish Sea, already having a 25% strike rate on UK tracks this season.
With 21 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and over £4million of prize money won there in total, his best known winners there include Champion Chaser Put The Kettle On, the Champion and Mares’ Hurdle heroine Honeysuckle and Turners winner Bob Olinger.
49 entries to this year’s Festival, and de Bromhead should be primed to add a few more winners to his tally. Envoi Allen, previously trained by Gordon Elliott, looks set to return to the Ryanair Chase, while last year’s Grand Annual winner, Maskada, could run in the Champion Chase.
Together with stable jockey Rachael Blackmore, Henry de Bromhead is sure to have a host of chances at this year’s Festival.
