Tag Archive for: Henry De Bromhead

Air Of Entitlement swoops late for Mares’ glory

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Rachael Blackmore produced an inspired finish aboard Air Of Entitlement as she secured her first win at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Blackmore and trainer Henry de Bromhead had so far drawn a blank at this year’s showpiece meeting, with the Robcour-owned six-year-old sent off a 16-1 chance to change matters.

There was early drama and after a false start, Maughreen – one of Willie Mullins’ fancied runners – whipped round and was left by the pack at the second attempt to get the race underway.

It was left to outsider Brendas Asking to lead the field along from Ben Pauling’s Diva Luna, with Gavin Cromwell’s 85-40 favourite Sixandahalf always close by and tracking the pace.

Keith Donoghue looked to be sitting pretty aboard Sixandahalf as the runners turned to face the Cheltenham hill and although beating off the challenge of Diva Luna after the final flight, Blackmore was conjuring every ounce of effort from her mount as the line approached, delivering Air Of Entitlement in a power-packed drive to edge a half-length victory over the market leader.

Diva Luna held off Mullins’ Karoline Banbou for third, a further six lengths adrift.

De Bromhead said: “We knew we had the stamina and obviously the New course suits. We always worry about being too handy in this race and Rachael got it spot-on. I thought they went a really good gallop and she gave her some spin.

“She stayed on really well. I thought when we winged the last we had a chance and I knew Keith (Donoghue, riding Sixandahalf) was up there the whole way, which historically hasn’t worked.

“It’s a long way up that straight, I thought we had a chance after jumping the last and I’m delighted.”

Air Of Entitlement was having just her second start and De Bromhead added: “It’s funny but I always say I much prefer coming here fresh and happy than feeling like I need to give them runs for experience.

“She was in Colin Bowe’s as a point-to-pointer, so she’ll have jumped more fences than most of the fillies in that field. It’s always a concern, but I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t concerned about something!”

Blackmore, riding her 17th Festival winner, said: “It’s an incredible feeling. I read an interview recently with JP McManus when he said some people are born luckier than others and I definitely feel like I was born luckier for going round here anyway.

“I’ve been so lucky with the horses I’ve got to ride and this mare is another one. Henry brings his horses over here in such incredible form and she was just phenomenal there. She travelled through the race and jumped well and got her head in front at the right time.”

On having to wait until day three of the Festival for a winner, Blackmore said: “You can’t lose faith, we’re only halfway through the week. We’ve been a bit spoilt in the last few years as every Tuesday I’ve walked home with a winner under our belt. It wasn’t the case this year but I’m so grateful to get one today.

“I missed three months before Christmas and Cheltenham is the main thing to be back for. It was so difficult to watch all these horses you should have been riding, but I’m grateful the injury didn’t happen the other side of Christmas because this is the most important place to be for all us jockeys.”

Cromwell said of the runner-up: “She was a little unfortunate and probably could have done with a lead for a bit longer to be honest.

“She then jumped the last a little bit big and after that I suppose there was always a target on her back.

“She ran really well and jumped really well everywhere. She’s travelled the best and she does stay well but she was just in front for a long time.

“Punchestown is a possible, but to be honest I haven’t thought beyond today.”

Pauling had said repeatedly in recent weeks that he thought he had Diva Luna back in top shape and she backed him up by finishing third.

He said: “She’s run a blinder. It was probably a case of we knew we hadn’t had her right, but we were hoping we had and that could be a big step back in the right direction now.

“She will probably run again this season, we’ll see, she’s looked in great form recently but she’s run her heart out there.

“She did miss the last but it didn’t cost her the win, she would have just been a closer third so it was a good result.

“Aintree is possible but it comes quick enough this year.”



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Koktail looks tasty following Leopardstown triumph

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Henry de Bromhead is eyeing a trip to the Grand National meeting at Aintree with Koktail Divin following a comprehensive victory in the opening race at Leopardstown on Monday.

The French recruit had shown a decent level of ability in his first two starts in Ireland, with a narrow defeat at the hands of Kaid d’Authie at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting followed by a third-place finish behind the currently sidelined Kawaboomga at Fairyhouse.

Koktail Divin was an 8-11 favourite to make it third time lucky in the Leopardstown Members Maiden Hurdle and landed the odds with an impressive six-length verdict under Rachael Blackmore.

“I’m delighted with that. He had a lovely run at Christmas but I probably messed up when we were under the weather in January,” said De Bromhead.

“I dropped back in trip, wrongly – and as everyone knows, we weren’t flying at the time. It’s lovely to see him go and do that today.”

Koktail Divin holds an entry in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at next week’s Cheltenham Festival, but will not be part of De Bromhead’s team travelling to the Cotswolds.

“We won’t do that, we made that decision the other day. It’s nice now that he’s won a lovely race, and he was impressive there,” the trainer added.

“We’ll have a look at Aintree, there are some nice races there for him.”

Barnahash Primrose returns to the Leopardstown winner's enclosure
Barnahash Primrose returns to the Leopardstown winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

Barnahash Primrose could also have her sights raised after pulling clear in the 1888 Restaurant Mares Maiden Hurdle.

The 4-1 shot was hampered and almost carried off the track after the pacesetting Glens Lullaby fell three flights from home, but Brian Hayes managed to keep the partnership intact.

Jack Kennedy looked set for a comeback winner after turning for home in front aboard 8-11 favourite Qualimita, but Barnahash Primrose was doing her best work at the finish and had eight and a half lengths in hand at the line.

Winning trainer Jonathan Sweeney said: “That was great. There were a lot of things went wrong for her in the race. At the start, she nearly went out through the wing. She’s an honest mare.

“Her mother (Barnahash Rose) won the Shannon Spray (Grade Three Mares Novice Hurdle) in Limerick but it may come a bit quick in 10 days’ time, we’ll see.

“Maybe she could go to Fairyhouse for the Grade One, would she be good enough? We’ll try to get to Limerick if we can but it might be coming a bit quick.”



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Tareze puts herself in Cheltenham picture with Navan victory

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Tareze may have earned herself a place on Henry de Bromhead’s Cheltenham Festival team sheet with an impressive victory in the Ryan’s Cleaning Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle at Navan.

A runaway winner at Clonmel in October, the six-year-old was last seen finishing second to the Willie Mullins-trained Hey Sunshine in a Listed event at Punchestown.

Tareze was a 15-8 shot for another Listed assignment in County Meath and after travelling strongly in the hands of Darragh O’Keeffe, she powered clear on the run-in to score by eight lengths from Blue Mosque, with 7-4 favourite Just For Love back in third.

“She’s improving all the time,” said de Bromhead’s representative Robbie Power.

“She’s a fine, big mare and I thought that was a very good performance. She travelled very sweetly behind the pace and, when Darragh gave her a squeeze, she picked up well.

“She jumped super – she is a very, very good jumper.

“She could go to Cheltenham or Fairyhouse, but I think Sally (Rowley-Williams, owner) would be quite keen to go to Cheltenham (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle). She’s probably entitled to go after that.”

Honesty Policy and Sam Ewing after winning at Navan
Honesty Policy and Sam Ewing after winning at Navan (Brian Lawless/PA)

Honesty Policy opened his account for Gordon Elliott in the Navan Ford & Opel Maiden Hurdle.

Second in a point-to-point and on his hurdling debut at Naas last month, the five-year-old was a 6-4 favourite to go one better and picked up well to score by eight lengths under Sam Ewing.

“He’s a nice horse. The further he goes, I’d say the better he will be,” said Elliott.

“He had a good run the last day in Naas and he followed up there today.

“We have no real plan, but I’d imagine he is going in the right direction. He will be a nice chaser down the road.”

The Willie Mullins-trained Copacabana entered the Champion Bumper reckoning after making a successful start to his career in the William Hill Keep Your Raceday Positive (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

A 9-4 favourite in the hands of Patrick Mullins, the son of Blue Bresil moved through the race strongly and was powerful at the finish as he passed the post with five lengths in hand.

Bet365 make Copacabana a 10-1 shot in their non-runner no bet market for the Champion Bumper, a race his trainer has won on a record 13 occasions.

Willie Mullins said: “I think we’ll have to buy the ticket now! He’s a lovely, big, chasing type and I was looking forward to bringing him up here on this track. I thought he would show himself off well and he did.

“There was so much talk about so many horses before the race. It looked a very deep race and I’m very pleased for his owners. It looks like we will have to book a ticket for them for March.

“He is a big unit and it has taken me plenty of time to get him right. Every time we asked him a question, he gave the right answers. We were getting very tight to qualifying for Cheltenham. He just answered that question nicely.

“He loved that type of ground. With his size and everything, I wouldn’t like to campaign him on good ground for a while yet. He looks a horse that would need a nice dig in it.”



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Indo returns to hurdles at Navan as Grand National preparation gathers pace

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Minella Indo will return to hurdles for the first time since 2019 as he continues his Grand National preparations at Navan on Sunday.

Now a 12-year-old, Minella Indo was a force in the novice staying hurdle division six years ago, winning Grade Ones at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals before going on to a sterling career over regulation fences.

Winner of the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Minella Indo has claimed victory just twice since, but he appeared reinvigorated by a switch to cross country fences and then the distinctive Grand National obstacles, finishing third behind I Am Maximus under a chunky weight.

Aintree remains the target for Henry de Bromhead’s charge and he will take in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Boyne Hurdle at Navan en route.

The trainer said: “He’s aiming for the Grand National and this might be a nice day out for him. He’s in good form.

“I think we’ll miss Cheltenham (Glenfarclas Chase) now it’s a handicap. It’s limited in fairness to them, but it’s quite close to Aintree this year and we’ve just said we’re going to focus on the National.

“I know the National is a handicap, but it’s obviously a different beast to the cross-country.”

Minella Indo is one of seven Boyne Hurdle contenders along with Farren Glory, Busselton, Maxxum, Meet And Greet, Thedevilscoachman and Riviere d’Etel.

De Bromhead also unveils an intriguing new recruit as Salt Bay lines up in the Navan Ford And Opel Maiden Hurdle.

The five-year-old was Group One placed on the Flat for Ralph Beckett and is as low as 20-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, although De Bromhead says that engagement is “a long way”.

He said: “It was great to get him and he’s been schooling well. Robbie (Power) had him for a month and got him jumping really well and enjoying it.

“We’ll see, it’s a long way for the Supreme Novices’, but it was easier to have him in than not.

“He seems nice and we’ve all seen him on the Flat – he’s a high-class horse. He jumps well at home, but obviously we have to tack all that together now and see where we end up.”



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De Bromhead ‘bit stressed’ with moderate run of form, but hoping to come good for Cheltenham

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Henry de Bromhead believes an upturn in stable form is just around the corner, as he begins to finalise running plans for next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

The County Waterford trainer enjoyed a fine start to the Irish National Hunt season proper, with 10 winners in October followed by 16 from 52 runners in November, equating to a 31 per cent strike-rate for the month.

However, nine winners across the busy December calendar was a step backwards and the turn of the year failed to stop the slide, with De Bromhead saddling only two winners in January.

Henry de Bromhead celebrates after Honeysuckle triumphed in the Champion Hurdle
Henry de Bromhead celebrates after Honeysuckle triumphed in the Champion Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

Special Cadeau’s surprise victory at Thurles on Thursday was a boost for the team, though, and De Bromhead – whose 23 Festival winners includes the Champion Hurdle twice, Champion Chase four times and the Gold Cup twice – will be keeping his fingers crossed the tide is beginning to turn.

Asked how he was feeling with the start of the Festival now little over four weeks away, he said: “A bit stressed, the horses have obviously been a little bit out of form and the last month has been frustrating, but you do get runs like that and times like that, hopefully not too frequently, but we’ve had them before.

“Obviously you’d prefer to see them running a bit better, but we feel we’re on top of it. You stick to your processes and how you do it, obviously tweak little things and hopefully now they’ll turn the corner in the next couple of weeks.

“We’re doing all our testing and there’s nothing very obvious, so I think it’s just a matter of getting through it and I feel we are. You can see the horses starting to come back into form at home.”

Rachael Blackmore and the Henry de Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard on the way to victory in the Gold Cup
Rachael Blackmore and the Henry de Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard on the way to victory in the Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

De Bromhead believes that his lack of recent success can in part be put down to the fact that several of his leading Festival hopes have not been seen in action since Christmas.

That number includes the exciting Supreme Novices’ Hurdle candidate Workahead, high-class mare July Flower – who is entered in both the Mares’ Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle – and stable veterans Envoi Allen and Jungle Boogie, who look set to do battle in the Ryanair Chase.

“Quite a lot of our horses we would put away after Christmas, so there’s a good few that are just back cantering now as we want them fresh and well in themselves,” he said.

“When you’re pulling some of your top horses out of competition for this month that’s going to make it harder as we very much set our sights on Cheltenham from Christmas, but there have still been some very disappointing runs.

“A few have run well and a few weren’t good enough, I don’t think it can all be stable form. Up until Christmas we’d had a great run.”



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2025 Irish Champion Hurdle Trends

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The Irish Champion Hurdle is a Grade One race run over 2m and held at Leopardstown racecourse each year in early February.

In recent years, top hurdlers like Istabraq, Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, and, more recently, Hurricane Fly, Honeysuckle and State Man have graced the roll of honour.

While it's a race that has always been a decent guide ahead of the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with State Man in 2024 the most recent horse win win both races in the same season.

Top Irish trainer Willie Mullins has won 8 of the last 14 runnings, including 12 months ago again with State Man, so anything he runs is always respected.

It’s also been a big race for punters in recent years with 14 of the last 15 Irish Champion Hurdle favourites winning! The only non-favourite to win was Supasundae in 2018 - when he beat the jolly Faugheen.

The favourites record was backed up again for the last two years with State Man winning and he's back for more, but won't be favourite this time. That will go to Lossiemouth - his stablemate.

Here at GeeGeez we are on hand with all the key stats ahead of the 2025 renewal – this year staged on Sunday 2nd February.

Recent Irish Champion Hurdle Winners

2024 - STATE MAN (2/5 fav)
2023 – STATE MAN (6/5 Fav)
2022 - HONEYSUCKLE (1/5 fav)
2021 - HONEYSUCKLE (10/11 fav)
2020 – HONEYSUCKLE (8/11 fav)
2019 – APPLE’S JADE (8/11 fav)
2018 – SUPASUNDAE (8/1)
2017 – PETIT MOUCHOIR (9/10 fav)
2016 – FAUGHEEN (3/10 fav)
2015 – HURRICANE FLY (11/10 fav)
2014 – HURRICANE FLY (4/7 fav)
2013 – HURRICANE FLY (1/6 fav)
2012 – HURRICANE FLY (4/5 fav)
2011 – HURRICANE FLY (4/9 fav)
2010 - SOLWHIT (5/6 fav)
2009 – BRAVE INCA (11/4)
2008 – SIZING EUROPE (10/3)
2007 – HARDY EUSTACE (9/1)
2006 – BRACE INCA (6/5 fav)
2005 – MACS JOY (11/8 fav)
2004 – FOREMAN (8/1)

Key Irish Champion Hurdle Trends

20/21 – Placed in the top three last time
18/21 – Raced within the last 2 months
18/21 – Had won at Leopardstown before
18/21 – Returned 10/3 or shorter in the betting
18/21 – Rated 158 or higher
17/21 – Winning distance – 1 length or more
17/21 – Won last time out
16/21 – Winning favourites
15/21 – Went onto finish in the top six of that season’s Champion Hurdle
13/21 – Raced within the last 5 weeks
13/21 – Raced at Leopardstown last time out
11/21 – Irish bred
8/21 – Trained by Willie Mullins (8 of last 14 runnings & 8 in total)
5/21 - Trained by Henry De Bromhead (4 of the last 8 runnings)
6/21 – Went onto win the Champion Hurdle
3 of the last 16 winners were second season hurdlers
The average winning SP in the last 22 runnings is 7/4

 

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Salt Bay could prove Supreme springer after De Bromhead switch

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Cheltenham Festival entrant Salt Bay could be about to sprinkle a bit of class onto the novice hurdling scene having switched to Ireland to join Henry de Bromhead.

A regular in quality middle-distance events when on the Flat with Ralph Beckett, the Valmont-owned five-year-old reached a peak rating of 109 and came close to toppling the likes of Hamish and Al Qareem in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury last April.

With a preference for cut in the ground, Salt Bay failed to replicate some of his earlier 2024 performances at the back-end of last season, with connections deciding to change tack and try hurdling in a bid to revive the gelding’s fortunes.

Sent to Robbie Power to be put through his paces over obstacles on arrival in Ireland, he has now settled into his new surroundings at De Bromhead’s Knockeen barracks ahead of his impending hurdling bow.

Salt Bay (left) in action on the Flat
Salt Bay (left) in action on the Flat (Nigel French/PA)

“We decided after the St Simon Stakes at Newbury we needed to change things up with him and he’s a horse with a lot of talent,” said Alex Elliott, Valmont’s racing advisor.

“He loves soft ground and had a bit of a stop-start campaign last year because of that and we thought jumping might rekindle a bit of a spark in him, as he’s capable of some big performances on his day.

“I have a long-standing relationship with Henry, having bought A Plus Tard and a few others, so we sent him over there and he did a month’s schooling with Robbie Power and proved very natural.

“He’s been at Henry’s since the beginning of the month and we’re looking to getting him started over hurdles in a couple of weeks’ time and we’ll see how it goes.”

Fresh from winning their maiden Classic last summer, when Beckett’s You Got To Me scooped the Irish Oaks, the ambitious owners could have their first runner at the Cheltenham Festival if Salt Bay proves up to the task over timber.

Henry de Bromhead will oversee Salt Bay's hurdling career
Henry de Bromhead will oversee Salt Bay’s hurdling career (Mike Egerton/PA)

He holds an entry for the meeting-opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but connections are also eyeing a dual-purpose campaign and the opportunity to take advantage of anticipated softer conditions in Ireland throughout the summer Flat season.

“We need to find out if he fancies it over jumps and hopefully he does and it might just be a little bit easier for him, with them going that step slower,” continued Elliott.

“His jumping seems to be good, Henry and his team seem to like him and Robbie Power loved him. We’d be feeling quite positive about his chances in this discipline.

“If it goes well, we can then move forward, but if it doesn’t, we can maybe keep him for the Flat with Henry and hopefully a change of scenery will help him. He’s more likely to get soft ground in Ireland during the Flat season, we think.

“There’s no better man for a dual-purpose horse than Henry at the minute and he’s had a lot of success mapping out that kind of campaign with Magical Zoe, who is another horse I bought.”

He added: “It’s going to be a bit of fun and Anthony Ramsden of Valmont is very much Flat orientated. But if you get a five-year-old like this, it’s just another string to the bow to be able to go jumping and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do.

“The summer is not far away and it has been a quiet winter for us, but we’re looking forward to the next year – and horses like Sandtrap, Push The Limit and I Am I Said are hopefully some exciting horses we have to run.”



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De Bromhead hoping Windsor Journey pays dividends

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Irish raider Journey With Me bids to get his season back on track in the Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor on Sunday.

An impressive Grade Two winner at Fairyhouse last spring, Henry de Bromhead’s charge rounded off his campaign by finishing seventh in the Punchestown Gold Cup and returned to the Kildare circuit for his reappearance in the John Durkan last month.

De Bromhead admits he was expecting better than a lacklustre sixth place finish behind the likes of Fact To File, Spillane’s Tower and Galopin Des Champs, but feels he does have a viable excuse and is optimistic of an improved showing on the third and final day of the Berkshire Winter Million meeting.

“He came back a bit sore from the John Durkan. I was disappointed with him on the day, but he got jumped into early on in the race and was sore when he came home for a few days afterwards. He just got struck into,” said the Waterford-based trainer.

“He’s been in great form since and we’re looking forward to getting him going again. Two and a half miles or two-miles-six looks a good distance for him at the moment.”

Dan Skelton is hoping his Ryanair Chase winner Protektorat will be better suited going around Windsor than right-handed at Huntingdon last time out.

He was well beaten by the reopposing Djelo in the Peterborough Chase.

Protektorat (right) beat Envoi Allen in the Ryanair
Protektorat (right) beat Envoi Allen in the Ryanair (Adam Davy/PA)

“Protektorat is in really good form, we were always going to come here,” said Skelton.

“He was second in the race last year at Lingfield. He’s had a couple of runs this season already, which is good because he likes to be out. We’ve trained him for this but how he handles Windsor, we will see.

“It wasn’t soft enough and he needed it at Cheltenham in the Paddy Power, then it was a disaster going right-handed at Huntingdon, which just didn’t work out. He’s a different horse going left-handed. If you look last year, his runs got better and better throughout the season.”

Paul Nicholls’ Grade One winner Pic D’Orhy is a notable late absentee, but Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor, Indiana Dream, having his first start for Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, Le Patron and the Seamus Mullins-trained Tommie Beau do take part in the seven-runner race.



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Funiculi Funicula makes an impression on debut for Mullins

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Funiculi Funicula looked a name to note in making a winning start for Willie Mullins in the Monroe Hurdle at Clonmel on Wednesday.

Runner-up on his only outing in France, the five-year-old went one better after 453 days off the track, with a 17-length victory from the front in the hands of Paul Townend, who was clearly impressed with the 4-7 favourite, who shortened markedly in the ante-post market on the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in the immediate aftermath.

“He’s a nice horse and on the form of the race in France he was entitled to do that,” he said.

“What he had been showing us at home was nice. I thought we went a good gallop for the ground and we were spread out the length of Clonmel.

“You are probably going quicker than you feel on him. Everything is very natural and very easy to him.

“We like him a lot and hopefully he has a bright future.”

Mullins and Townend were out of luck in the Munster Hurdle, as Beckett Rock profited from the jumping frailties of his two key rivals to claim top honours.

Five runners went to post for the two-mile-one-furlong contest, with the betting dominated by the Mullins-trained pair of Bunting and Got Glory at 5-6 and 2-1 respectively.

Bunting made much of the running before a mistake three from home saw Townend almost ejected from the saddle.

The six-time champion jockey did well to keep the partnership intact and he remained firmly in contention rounding the home turn, but Henry de Bromhead’s 5-1 shot Beckett Rock was travelling better in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Danny Mullins was producing Got Glory with a major challenge when she crashed out at the second-last, leaving Beckett Rock and Bunting to battle it out, and the former was always doing enough on the run-in to win the argument by three-quarters of a length.

Beckett Rock was a 15-length winner on his hurdling debut at Gowran Park in November 2023, but was well beaten on his return from over a year off the track at Punchestown last month.

De Bromhead said: “It was nice to see him step forward from his first run. He got a bit lost the last day.

“He got hurt after he won on debut at Gowran and Michael (O’Flynn, owner) has been really patient with him and it’s nice to see his patience being rewarded.

“He toughed it out there. Obviously things fell his way a little bit, but we’ll take it.”



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De Bromhead double-handed in bid for Tramore hat-trick

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There could be a changing of the guard at Tramore as Henry de Bromhead saddles his stable stalwart Minella Indo and the exciting Monty’s Star in the O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase.

Both of the Knockeen handler’s runners are owned by Barry Maloney and Minella Indo needs no introduction having landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup during De Bromhead’s stellar 2020-21 season, before returning to finish second in the Prestbury Park blue riband 12 months later.

Although his powers at the highest level may be on the wane, he showed his class to finish third in the Grand National in the spring before proving the fire still burns when second to French Dynamite at Punchestown in the autumn.

Minella Indo is of course also a previous winner of this race (in 2023), but the real excitement is generated from Monty’s Star, who chased home Fact To File at the Cheltenham Festival before being edged out by Spillane’s Tower at Punchestown in the spring.

Cheltenham Festival 2024 – Style Wednesday – Cheltenham Racecourse
Monty’s Star (left) at Cheltenham in the spring (Mike Egerton/PA).

“They both seem in good form and we’re happy with them,” said De Bromhead, who is seeking his third-straight success in the Grade Three event.

“Obviously, Indo has won this before and Monty’s having his first run back. We’re looking forward to it.

“Monty’s Star has been good this autumn, he seems to be heading there in good form and I’m happy with him.”

Monty’s Star will be partnered by De Bromhead’s number one Rachael Blackmore for his eagerly-awaited return, with the Grand National-winning jockey relishing the reunion, as connections dream of the gelding becoming their next Gold Cup contender.

Monty's Star with Rachael Blackmore at Cheltenham
Monty’s Star with Rachael Blackmore at Cheltenham (Adam Morgan/PA)

“I can’t wait to get back on Monty’s Star,” Blackmore told Betfair.

“He was a really exciting staying novice chaser last season, he finished second behind Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham and he finished second behind Spillane’s Tower in the Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown.

“Those two horses finished first and second in the John Durkan Chase last month, and Fact To File finished second to Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Saturday, so that form is obviously looking rock solid.

“This is going to be his first run since April, but he has been going well at home, and we’re really looking forward to him this season. The race fits in well for him, so hopefully he can run a big race.”

Trainer Willie Mullins has four in the Tramore feature
Trainer Willie Mullins has four in the Tramore feature (Brian Lawless/PA)

Another handler with a fine record in this contest is Willie Mullins, who sent his dual Gold Cup champion Al Boum Photo out to win the race in four successive seasons between 2019 and 2022.

The British and Irish jumps champion trainer is responsible for half of the eight-strong field this time and will saddle Classic Getaway, Appreciate It, Capodanno and Embassy Gardens.

Former Closutton inmate Bronn will represent Thomas Gibney, with Gordon Elliott’s Minella Crooner completing the field.



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Blackmore back among the winners as Flower blooms

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July Flower provided Rachael Blackmore with her first winner since returning from injury in the Beat The Bank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey was sidelined for three months after suffering a neck injury in a fall at Downpatrick in September.

Blackmore returned to action at Naas two weeks ago and had since had 16 rides without success.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained July Flower was a 15-2 shot to get her back in the winner’s enclosure at Grade Three level and rounded the home turn in third place behind the strong-travelling Kala Conti.

Blackmore’s mount took over going around the dolled-off final flight and while Kala Conti tried her best to stay in the race, July Flower kicked clear late on to register a four-length verdict.

“It is just lovely to get one again, it’s brilliant. Everyone wants to be riding winners at a festival like this and it’s great to get it done,” said Blackmore.

“I feel like I was off for a long time – I was off for a long time. It’s brilliant to get back doing what you want to be doing.”

Reflecting on her injury, she added: “It was a bone in my neck up high, so it was quite serious. Ordinarily if you’re feeling good and you can do certain movements doctors are happy to go with you, but they were obviously being very cautious when it is your neck.

“Stupidly I kept setting myself an unachievable target over the three months and the doctors kept saying I had to sit out my time. Being back for Christmas is important, so at least I got back for that.”

July Flower and Rachael Blackmore in action at Leopardstown
July Flower and Rachael Blackmore in action at Leopardstown (Damien Eagers/PA)

Of July Flower, De Bromhead added: “She jumped great and Rachael was brilliant on her.

“I’m delighted for Duncan (Angove, owner) who was happy to buy her during the summer and obviously she’s a valuable broodmare as well.

“We had her when she was a younger mare and we liked her then, so when she came back on the market we were delighted to get her.

“We bought her to win the Mares’ Hurdle (at Cheltenham) so the dream is alive and we’ll probably head straight there now.”



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Jungle Boogie gets the Christmas party jumping at Ascot

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Jungle Boogie provided Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe with their first winner at Ascot in the Howden Graduation Chase at Ascot.

The talented but extremely fragile 10-year-old made every yard of the running in what turned into quite an eventful affair.

Only four went to post, with just Iroko trained in the UK, while the others travelled over from Ireland.

Unfortunately for those who backed Iroko, they knew their fate early on, as upon jumping the first fence he collided with the errant Fil Dor in mid-air, giving Jonjo O’Neill jnr no chance.

Jungle Boogie took the field along but the pace was only sedate and clearly too slow for James Du Berlais, who was keen in the hands of Daryl Jacob and making mistakes.

The leader had travelled very well in the Gold Cup when last seen but failed to see out the trip at Cheltenham, and on the second circuit he began to jump more and more out to his left.

Formerly trained by Willie Mullins, he was unbeaten in a bumper, a maiden hurdle and a beginners chase, but having had only three runs in almost as many years for the Closutton handler, he then had over two years off before joining De Bromhead.

He has been sound since, though, and is clearly a talented performer, running out an easy eight-length winner.

O’Keeffe said: “He’s a very classy horse, I got to ride him last year on New Year’s Day in Tramore and he was very good.

Howden Christmas Racing Weekend – Ascot Races – Saturday December 21st
Jungle Boogie ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe clears the last (Nigel French/PA).

“He ran some race in the Gold Cup and probably didn’t stay the extended trip, but I thought coming here today that he seemed to be in good form.

“Iroko went early, he normally does jump a bit left anyway, but when the loose horse was there, he was having a bit of a look – but thankfully he got the job done.

“We had a chat before and said we’d go a nice gallop on him, he likes bossing things. When I opened him up to the second last, he really took off. He’s a very smart horse.

“He’s a horse that likes to get on with things, he’s 10 now but he’s got very little miles on the clock, so hopefully they’ll get a good clear run with him now and he’ll be able to go on to other big races.”



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Tramore earmarked as starting point for Gold Cup hope Monty’s Star

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Monty’s Star is set to make his seasonal reappearance at Tramore on New Year’s Day as trainer Henry de Bromhead plots a path to the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The seven-year-old won a beginners’ chase at Punchestown last year before heading to the Cheltenham Festival for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

He found only odds-on favourite Fact To File too good that day as he was beaten three and three-quarter lengths into second by Willie Mullins’ charge, who is the current ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham showpiece in March.

Monty’s Star was again second to another live Gold Cup contender in Spillane’s Tower in the Grade One Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown when last seen.

De Bromhead will now point him at the Grade Three O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Year’s Day Chase the County Waterford circuit, as he puts together a schedule in preparation for Prestbury Park.

“We’re aiming Monty’s Star for the race,” De Bromhead said.

“He had a good season last season and we’ve decided to go for the Gold Cup with him, obviously his form is rock-solid.

“He’s going to aim to start there and possibly Minella Indo, we’ll see nearer the time.”

Monty’s Star also holds an entry in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown as De Bromhead keeps his options open, but he hopes he has take a step forward from last season.

Speaking to journalist Dave Keena, De Bromhead added: “Very much so, he was beaten in two Grade Ones. Fact To File beat him at Cheltenham and then Jimmy Mangan’s horse, Spillane’s Tower, beat him in Punchestown so his form is bang there.

“We’re hoping he’s improved and he seems well.”



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Quilixios primed for Tingle Creek and ‘pretty adaptable’ ground-wise

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Thirteen years on from the success of the hugely popular Sizing Europe, Quilixios will bid to provide Henry de Bromhead with a second victory in the Betfair Tingle Creek on Saturday.

Sizing Europe was the reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase hero when justifying favouritism at Sandown in 2013, and while Quilixios has not yet managed to scale those heights over fences, he could hardly have been more impressive on his reappearance at Naas last month.

The 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner missed the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign through injury and results were mixed after his return last season, with wins at Limerick and Naas followed by disappointing efforts in the Arkle at Cheltenham and a Grade One at Aintree.

However, he showed his true colours when leading Marine Nationale a merry dance in the Grade Three Barberstown Castle Chase in early November, teeing him up perfectly for this weekend’s feature event.

“He seems in great form and we’re looking forward to going over,” De Bromhead said on Tuesday.

“He’s got good form on everything. I was probably a little bit concerned about the better ground at Naas the other day, but he seemed to handle that really well, and he won a good race at Naas back in January on very testing ground, so I think he’s pretty adaptable.

“I was very happy with the performance (last month). I thought he jumped great and galloped to the line well and I was delighted with him – it was great to see him back.

“He had a bit of a mixed season last year, so we wanted to see where we were. He answered all our questions really well, we hope he’ll improve for the run as well and the Tingle Creek was an obvious race to have a go at.”

Henry de Bromhead with Quilixios after winning at Naas
Henry de Bromhead with Quilixios after winning at Naas (Gary Carson/PA)

Quilixios is the 11-2 second-favourite for the Tingle Creek with Betfair, who make Nicky Henderson’s defending champion Jonbon their 1-2 market leader.

De Bromhead added: “Jonbon is obviously very good and he’s going to be very hard to beat, but at least we’ll know where we stand for the rest of the season.

“I have a fondness for any of these Grade Ones, but the Tingle Creek is a famous race and we’d love to win it again.”

Quilixios is set to be joined on the trip from Ireland by the Joseph O’Brien-trained 20-1 shot Solness.

A winner over fences and hurdles already this season, the six-year-old was last seen pushing Found A Fifty close in the Fortria Chase at Navan and O’Brien is hoping for another bold showing at Sandown.

“He’s a tough horse. He’s been very consistent, he had a good run at Navan last time and I think he has a realistic chance to collect some prize money,” he said.

“He’s pretty durable, he’s won over hurdles and over fences this year. We’ll continue to mix and match it wherever he can collect some money throughout the season.

“He jumped very well last time. He was a shade unlucky, there was a bit of argy-bargy over the last and he arguably would have got even closer without that, but he was beaten a neck by a very good horse. It sets him up well for here.

“He’s very straightforward but he likes to be ridden positively. He’ll stick to two miles, we tried him over further at Clonmel and it just stretched him out a bit. A fast-run two miles with an emphasis on jumping suits him well and that’s what he might get at the weekend.

“He ran well in a Grade Two last time, it’s going to be a small field and he’s earned a crack at it.”



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Rachael Blackmore closing in on riding return

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Henry de Bromhead hopes to see Rachael Blackmore return to the saddle in the “next few weeks”.

The record-breaking Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning rider has been sidelined since suffering a neck injury in a fall at Downpatrick in late September.

In her absence, Darragh O’Keeffe has come in for the majority of the rides aboard De Bromhead’s horses, enjoying big-race success with the likes of Envoi Allen at Down Royal and Quilixios at Naas, as well as steering this weekend’s Coral Gold Cup contender Senior Chief to a lucrative victory at Cheltenham.

The trainer has now issued a positive update on his stable jockey’s recovery, with a return to saddle expected before Christmas.

“She (Blackmore) was here the other day, it was great to see her, she looked great and seemed in really good form,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“She’s obviously a bit frustrated, but it was great to see her down here. I think she is aiming for mid to end of December, I’m not quite sure yet – there’s no firm plans.

“She’s working really hard to get back and as far as she’s concerned she could have come back about a month ago! But quite rightly, she’s taken the advice of all the doctors and hopefully she’ll be back in the next few weeks.”

De Bromhead also confirmed the King George VI Chase as the likely next port of call for Envoi Allen.

The 10-year-old proved the fire still burns bright when regaining his crown in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase earlier this month and now looks set for a second shot at Kempton’s Boxing Day showpiece, having disappointed as a leading contender two years ago.

De Bromhead said: “He was brilliant (at Down Royal), he’s got some attitude and the way he keeps coming back is amazing.

“He’s been in great form since and we’re leaning strongly towards the King George. We haven’t firmed anything up as yet, but we weren’t right when he went two years ago – he didn’t run his race at all – and we’d love to have another crack at it. He’s definitely got the profile for it.”



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