Cheltenham Festival
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24 May 11
13:30
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Date Joined:
05 Jan 10
24 May 2011
•Long Run’s rating of 182 the highest achieved in Britain or Ireland last season
•Big Buck’s the leading Hurdler
•Irish 1-2 in 2 Mile Chase category with Sizing Europe edging out Big Zeb
The Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run, owned by Robert Waley-Cohen, has reached the summit of Jump Racing at the tender age of just six years old. His rating of 182, achieved in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, sees him take over from fellow French import Kauto Star at the head of the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications in a feat which could mark the passing of the old guard and the dawn of a new era of Steeplechasing.
Topping the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications crowns a stunning season for the prodigiously talented Chaser, which also saw him steal Kauto Star’s King George VI Chase crown at Kempton, alongside that memorable Gold Cup success under his amateur rider, Sam Waley-Cohen. In addition, Long Run has become the second youngest horse to be rated over 180 in the twelve years of the Classifications, behind Master Minded in 2007/2008.
At the other end of the distance spectrum, Irish-trained horses won both Two Mile categories, with Willie Mullins’ Hurricane Fly coming out top of the Two Mile Hurdlers. He achieved a rating of 173 in seeing off a determined challenge from the previously unbeaten Peddler’s Cross, and in doing so become the first ever Champion Hurdle winner to taste success on his first start at Cheltenham. Moreover, he finally ended the hoodoo of Montjeu-sired horses at the festival. His rating of 173 marks him out as the second-highest rated Two Mile hurdler since Istabraq.
Sizing Europe recorded his second successive Cheltenham Festival victory with a 5 length triumph over fellow Irish trained Big Zeb, to achieve a rating of 177 in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This was enough to secure the Two Mile Chaser crown for Henry de Bromhead’s popular star, despite suffering a reverse against the same rival at the Punchestown Festival later in May.
British Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, so used to dominating the Three Mile-plus Chasing crown over previous seasons, this year had to settle for a monopoly on the Two-and-a-Half Mile categories.
His superstar hurdler Big Buck’s, recently voted Horse of the Year for a second consecutive season by the public, retains his Two-and-a-Half Mile-plus Hurdling crown. His rating of 174, achieved in each of his three Grade 1 victories in 2010/11, matches the rating achieved in each of the previous two seasons, and sees him end the season as the top-rated Hurdler. He also emulates the achievement of Baracouda in being champion staying Hurdler for the third consecutive time.
Meanwhile, Master Minded’s sensational Melling Chase success, after the disappointment of his Champion Chase defeat, leaves him comfortably seven pounds clear of his nearest rival in the Two-and-a-Half Mile Chaser category (Poquelin, also trained by Nicholls). This was his third Grade 1 success of the season.
The Novice Hurdler crown is shared between the Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson yards. It seemed that Al Ferof had sealed the accolade for Nicholls when his thrilling late ride under Ruby Walsh in the Supreme Novices earned him a rating of 154. However, this was matched by Spirit Son, beaten two lengths into second by Al Ferof at Cheltenham, as he routed the field by twelve lengths in the Mersey Novices Hurdle at Aintree.
The Phillip Hobbs-trained Wishfull Thinking completes the honours list. After a 4 length defeat by Noble Prince at Cheltenham, he stamped his influence on the Novice Chaser division with an authoritative victory at Aintree before his Handicap success at Punchestown which earned him a rating of 164. It is the first time since Gloria Victis in 1999-2000 that the top Novice Chaser has earned his rating from a handicap, and also the first time that the top Novice Chaser has appeared in the Two and a half Mile category.
Phil Smith, Head of Handicapping for the BHA, said:
“As is the case every season, the Jumps programme has thrown up no shortage of stories, drama and emotion in what has been yet another memorable year. Have we seen the emergence of a new star of the Chasing world in the form of Long Run? Was the Cheltenham Gold Cup one of the most thrilling in living memory? Has Big Buck’s stated his case to be considered the greatest staying hurdler of all time? Whatever your views, one thing that’s certain is that 2010/11 has once again produced a number of moments that will live long in the memory, and left us all eagerly anticipating the next.”
Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee Senior Steward William Flood said:
“The Anglo-Irish Classifications are a unique institution which it is a pleasure to be involved in. It is the friendly rivalry between British and Irish racing that adds a certain extra kudos to the rankings every year, but at the same time highlights the close links between the two nations and our shared love of Jump racing. This year we are delighted to see another strong Irish representation in the rankings, and long may this continue.”
The full list of Award winners was as follows:
CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLER
= Al Ferof / Spirit Son 154
CHAMPION NOVICE CHASER
Wishfull Thinking 164
CHAMPION TWO-MILE HURDLER
Hurricane Fly 173
CHAMPION TWO-MILE CHASER
Sizing Europe 177
CHAMPION TWO-AND-A-HALF MILE + HURDLER
Big Buck’s 174
CHAMPION TWO-AND-A-HALF MILE CHASER
Master Minded 178
CHAMPION THREE-MILE + CHASER
Long Run 182
BRITISH CHAMPION CONDITIONAL
Sam Twiston-Davies
BRITISH CHAMPION JOCKEY
Tony McCoy
BRITISH CHAMPION TRAINER
Paul Nicholls
BRITISH CHAMPION OWNER
Trevor Hemmings
•Long Run’s rating of 182 the highest achieved in Britain or Ireland last season
•Big Buck’s the leading Hurdler
•Irish 1-2 in 2 Mile Chase category with Sizing Europe edging out Big Zeb
The Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run, owned by Robert Waley-Cohen, has reached the summit of Jump Racing at the tender age of just six years old. His rating of 182, achieved in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, sees him take over from fellow French import Kauto Star at the head of the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications in a feat which could mark the passing of the old guard and the dawn of a new era of Steeplechasing.
Topping the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications crowns a stunning season for the prodigiously talented Chaser, which also saw him steal Kauto Star’s King George VI Chase crown at Kempton, alongside that memorable Gold Cup success under his amateur rider, Sam Waley-Cohen. In addition, Long Run has become the second youngest horse to be rated over 180 in the twelve years of the Classifications, behind Master Minded in 2007/2008.
At the other end of the distance spectrum, Irish-trained horses won both Two Mile categories, with Willie Mullins’ Hurricane Fly coming out top of the Two Mile Hurdlers. He achieved a rating of 173 in seeing off a determined challenge from the previously unbeaten Peddler’s Cross, and in doing so become the first ever Champion Hurdle winner to taste success on his first start at Cheltenham. Moreover, he finally ended the hoodoo of Montjeu-sired horses at the festival. His rating of 173 marks him out as the second-highest rated Two Mile hurdler since Istabraq.
Sizing Europe recorded his second successive Cheltenham Festival victory with a 5 length triumph over fellow Irish trained Big Zeb, to achieve a rating of 177 in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This was enough to secure the Two Mile Chaser crown for Henry de Bromhead’s popular star, despite suffering a reverse against the same rival at the Punchestown Festival later in May.
British Champion trainer Paul Nicholls, so used to dominating the Three Mile-plus Chasing crown over previous seasons, this year had to settle for a monopoly on the Two-and-a-Half Mile categories.
His superstar hurdler Big Buck’s, recently voted Horse of the Year for a second consecutive season by the public, retains his Two-and-a-Half Mile-plus Hurdling crown. His rating of 174, achieved in each of his three Grade 1 victories in 2010/11, matches the rating achieved in each of the previous two seasons, and sees him end the season as the top-rated Hurdler. He also emulates the achievement of Baracouda in being champion staying Hurdler for the third consecutive time.
Meanwhile, Master Minded’s sensational Melling Chase success, after the disappointment of his Champion Chase defeat, leaves him comfortably seven pounds clear of his nearest rival in the Two-and-a-Half Mile Chaser category (Poquelin, also trained by Nicholls). This was his third Grade 1 success of the season.
The Novice Hurdler crown is shared between the Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson yards. It seemed that Al Ferof had sealed the accolade for Nicholls when his thrilling late ride under Ruby Walsh in the Supreme Novices earned him a rating of 154. However, this was matched by Spirit Son, beaten two lengths into second by Al Ferof at Cheltenham, as he routed the field by twelve lengths in the Mersey Novices Hurdle at Aintree.
The Phillip Hobbs-trained Wishfull Thinking completes the honours list. After a 4 length defeat by Noble Prince at Cheltenham, he stamped his influence on the Novice Chaser division with an authoritative victory at Aintree before his Handicap success at Punchestown which earned him a rating of 164. It is the first time since Gloria Victis in 1999-2000 that the top Novice Chaser has earned his rating from a handicap, and also the first time that the top Novice Chaser has appeared in the Two and a half Mile category.
Phil Smith, Head of Handicapping for the BHA, said:
“As is the case every season, the Jumps programme has thrown up no shortage of stories, drama and emotion in what has been yet another memorable year. Have we seen the emergence of a new star of the Chasing world in the form of Long Run? Was the Cheltenham Gold Cup one of the most thrilling in living memory? Has Big Buck’s stated his case to be considered the greatest staying hurdler of all time? Whatever your views, one thing that’s certain is that 2010/11 has once again produced a number of moments that will live long in the memory, and left us all eagerly anticipating the next.”
Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee Senior Steward William Flood said:
“The Anglo-Irish Classifications are a unique institution which it is a pleasure to be involved in. It is the friendly rivalry between British and Irish racing that adds a certain extra kudos to the rankings every year, but at the same time highlights the close links between the two nations and our shared love of Jump racing. This year we are delighted to see another strong Irish representation in the rankings, and long may this continue.”
The full list of Award winners was as follows:
CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLER
= Al Ferof / Spirit Son 154
CHAMPION NOVICE CHASER
Wishfull Thinking 164
CHAMPION TWO-MILE HURDLER
Hurricane Fly 173
CHAMPION TWO-MILE CHASER
Sizing Europe 177
CHAMPION TWO-AND-A-HALF MILE + HURDLER
Big Buck’s 174
CHAMPION TWO-AND-A-HALF MILE CHASER
Master Minded 178
CHAMPION THREE-MILE + CHASER
Long Run 182
BRITISH CHAMPION CONDITIONAL
Sam Twiston-Davies
BRITISH CHAMPION JOCKEY
Tony McCoy
BRITISH CHAMPION TRAINER
Paul Nicholls
BRITISH CHAMPION OWNER
Trevor Hemmings
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Replies: 12
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am i correct in thinking that sizing europe has topped 3 different catorgories
top rated hurdler top rated 2m nov chaser now top 2m chaser i may be wrong mind? |
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think yr right
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would make sense,he has been the best at those.Hard to see him getting beat next March,although were Captain Chris to oppose him it would be interesting.
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v ground dependant tho v talented.
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not that hard to see him getting beat zeb nailed him in ireland
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I agree Howdi. A champion always looks hard to beat after he's won.
Only Big Bucks and Hurricane Fly would be hard to beat in my book. Long Run beat 2 past it chasers, and Sizing Beat a not fluently jumping Big Zeb. Flat out and Captain Chris will pose a strong challenge |
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SE was very good though,and one of the best 2m displays at Chelt that i have seen,pretty much perfect.Repeats that he will be v hard to beat.
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I don't think he can or will repeat it. Like most cheltenham champions they peak at the right time and struggle to reach those levels again.
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May be right mate,may not be,but right now he is to me the worthy fav,and the one i would most like to be on come NRNB.
This race has produced a few multiple winners to be fair CV. |
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sizing does seem to thrive at the festival, would have probably won the champion hurdle that year but for going wrong and he jumps so well, big zeb 11 next year and capt chris poss stepping up in distance so easy to see him retaining the cahmpion chase if getting there imo
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I wonder what can beat SE.
Early days, and no full assessment attempted here, and I agree with CVB, champions always look unbeatable in the aftermath. CC will IMO be stepped up, he looks a stayer (I know you need to stay to win the QMCC) and it kind of amazes me he won (outstaying FR) the arkle. His Arkle was a little reminiscent of Flaship Uberalles' QMCC win - a dour, grinding effort. Stepping him up in trip may straighten his jumping out. Big Zeb is good, but i do not think he's dual QMCC material. Be interesting to see who Barry rides. MM will (surely now) be aimed at the RyanAir or GC. If FR runs freely again, I just think he could set it up for SE who wants that stiff 2 the QMCC usually provides (FR repeating his Arkle run would obviously also again help the staying CC, but at this stage I think they'll have gone up in trip by that stage). Wishful looks a stayer to me and i do not think there is any way they'll drop back in trip with him. Maybe Noble Prince will step back? Riverside, assuming he returns the horse he was, looks to want 2.5. |
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i agree with a champion looking like a good thing to repeat their success the following season. and as a rule the champion is the first horse i look to try and get beat. its a very hard to win a championship at the festival and a whole lot harder to try and defend your title.
but what i will say about Henry De Bromhead is that he is definitely a target trainer. the last 2 season come cheltenham sizing europe has been produced to the minute. in the paddock he looked amazing. fit to drop. forget about getting beat in ireland the next time his target was/is cheltenham. |