Cheltenham headlines belong to the winners but festival a reminder that there is honour in defeat
'To the victors, the spoils', as the saying goes. Naturally, last week's focus was chiefly on the winners and those who were expected to win but didn't.
Now, in the spirit of this column's title, it is time to acknowledge several Cheltenham Festival performances that deserve to be seen not in terms of defeat but as minor triumphs for the stables concerned.
In a week overwhelmingly dominated by the heavy artillery, Ross O'Sullivan saddled Eagles Reign to finish second to Joseph O'Brien's well-touted Lark In The Mornin in an Irish-dominated Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. O'Sullivan's only runner at the meeting was one of two 80-1 rank outsiders in the 22-runner field. He was maturely handled by Tom Harney, a 7lb claimer who has ridden 13 winners, five of them this season, the most recent on Eagles Reign at Punchestown in January.
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Published on 18 March 2024inAlan Sweetman
Last updated 14:00, 18 March 2024
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- Healthy variety in early stages of Flat season - and proof that lower-quality races belong on big racedays
- Much-missed Maureen Mullins one of long line of notable women who left indelible mark on Irish racing life
- Irish dominance poses no threat to Grand National's iconic status - Aintree has a bigger threat to contend with
- Punters and floating voters unlikely to be impressed by Dublin Racing Festival's underwhelming Grade 1 offering
- Irish racing used to benefit from plenty of friends in high places - now it's discovering it has none