What Britain really, really wants: Spice Girls connection part of a strong home challenge pressing for festival glory

As excitement builds ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, point-to-point fans, enthusiasts and participants look forward to the centrepiece of our season, the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase on Friday, which as always is the race following the Gold Cup.

Irish runners dominate the market, headed by Its On The Line, second last year before winning at Aintree and Punchestown, but there are also some quality contenders from the British point-to-point scene, including three who can boast two wins apiece in open points this season in Fairly Famous, Music Drive and Allmankind.

Gina Andrews, who both trains and rides Fairly Famous, said: “He has had a good preparation. We deliberately targeted open points because, as a dual hunter chase winner he gets burdened with huge penalties. He clearly likes the track and the drier the ground, the better.”

While Andrews has plenty of experience of the big race, Ellie Callwood will be having her first ride in it on Music Drive, whose trainer Kelly Morgan is hugely excited about next week.

“I have never been prouder of our small team for getting a runner to the Foxhunter,” she said. 

“Music Drive has been a dream since he arrived and we are thrilled to be going there with such a cracking horse. I'm also delighted to be giving Ellie her first ride in the race.”

Allmankind, a dual open winner under last season’s champion amateur Alex Chadwick, is trained by Jenny Owen, whose husband James said: “He will be one of the highest-rated horses in the race; he brings class to the table, but the trip is an unknown. 

"Tim Gredley wanted to go pointing with the aim of qualifying for this race, so we are delighted to be going there. The drying ground and the nice spring weather will help him.”

Friday will be a particularly big day for the Owens and Chadwick, who also team up with Burdett Road in the County Hurdle after the yard’s East India Dock runs in the Triumph.

Owen, who learned his trade in the grassroots sport as a jockey and trainer, added: “Alex will also ride Burdett Road to get the weight off his back. He has been a great flagship horse for us since we transitioned to the under-rules game. 

"Friday is actually Mr [Bill] Gredley’s birthday so it is a big day for us all. It's amazing to have these horses and brilliant that he will be there to watch them run.”

Allmankind: bidding to give owner Bill Gredley the perfect birthday present at Cheltenham next FridayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Paul Nicholls’ Shearer is another dual winner this season, albeit in hunter chases, while another notable contender includes What A Glance, a winner at the Cheltenham hunter chase evening and later at Stratford last May before disappointing last time out. He “always comes into himself in the spring” according to trainer Tom Britten, while another to note is Bardenstown Lad, a recent Fakenham winner who was formerly trained by Sarah Loughnane but has now transferred to her husband Dave.

There is even a contender with extremely famous connections – the Maxine Filby-trained Lift Me Up, who was an impressive winner of a hunter chase in January at Warwick. He is owned by former Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell and her husband Christian Horner, the CEO of Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, and was named after Halliwell’s famous song.

A first runner in the race for Filby, she explains: “We're really excited apart from the sleepless nights along the way! We are pleased to see the sunshine as he likes dry ground. It's the first time at the festival for the team so we are really looking forward to it.”

First rides for Maude and Dennis

There were a couple of familiar faces looking particularly nervous last weekend as trainer David Dennis and jockeys’ valet Chris Maude looked on as their daughters had their first rides.

Mary Maude, 17, pulled up Marton Abbey two out at Didmarton, but she had a brilliant ride and a wonderful experience.

“I think I was the calmest of everybody,” she said. “Unfortunately for Mum and Dad, I loved it and want to go again.”

Maude, who is studying psychology, Spanish and business at the Cotswold School, rides Marton Abbey daily and keeps him at home. She added: “I have had some brilliant help and advice from Will Biddick and Sam Twiston-Davies.”

Tilly Dennis, 16, finished fourth on Innisfree Lad at Larkhill. Her father David explained: “Tilly is working for Fergal O’Brien and he and Sally [Randell] have been very helpful. 

"We were lucky to be offered Innisfree Lad following his last run in November and he will be an excellent teacher for Tilly. 

"We were thrilled with the run on Sunday – the race conditions were right, but it was only over two and a half miles and he needs further.”

Weekend fixtures

Saturday
Friars Haugh, Borders, TD5 8LT. First Race 1pm
Howick, Gwent, NP16 6BL. 12pm
High Easter, Essex, CM1 4QL. 1pm.

Sunday
Charlton Horethorne, Somerset, DT9 4LJ. 12pm
Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, NN6 8SR. 1pm
Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham. LL13 0DA. 1pm

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