Sizing John looks right fit for rare Gold Cup repeat

No sooner does the Cheltenham Festival end than prices and speculation about the destination of the big prizes at the following year's meeting appear. Backing ante-post a year in advance is an extremely risky business and as a general rule is not to be recommended, but there are exceptions.

Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John is the one from the big three races who stands out as being best positioned to defend his title successfully in 2018. His performance at the festival was faultless. His jumping was excellent and he showed that not only does he have the stamina for three and a quarter miles, he also has the extra gear required for the later stages of the race.

It is difficult to see any of his beaten rivals turning the tables in a year's time if he has a trouble-free preparation and arrives in the same sort of form. You can argue that some of the others didn't stay the trip or were unable to quicken in the same manner as Jessica Harrington's seven-year-old and there is no obvious reason why that situation should be any different next year.

Winning back-to-back Gold Cups doesn't happen very often, such are the setbacks that happen to horses and the difficulties of getting back to Cheltenham in top form. Since the Arkle era, only L'Escargot and Best Mate have managed to achieve the feat.

Absolutely nothing can be taken for granted but Sizing John is in a good position just now. Punchestown beckons and after that a long summer holiday during which connections will be entitled to dream about what next season might bring.

Might Bite might not be straightforward but the RSA Chase winner is highly talented and Yorkhill, who faced an examination of his jumping in the JLT Novices' Chase and passed with flying colours, are two of this season's new crop of chasers who could emerge as serious Gold Cup contenders. But we might not yet have seen the best of Sizing John and that is an exciting prospect.

Winning beats all the moaning

Irish-trained horses winning seven handicaps at the festival puts into perspective the folly of moaning about how Irish horses are treated by the British handicappers. It happens every year before Cheltenham and not for the first time the results told a different story.

Take Presenting Percy, the Pertemps Hurdle winner, as an example. Raised 10lb for his win at Fairyhouse by the Irish handicapper, he got another 6lb for the Cheltenham event, which he won quite comfortably despite the protests about how he was handicapped.

Handicapping is all about opinion and everyone is entitled to take a view. But trainers and owners would be doing themselves a favour by holding their own counsel on such matters. You don't have to run if you think your horse is badly treated.

Presenting Percy's connections decided to run despite their concerns about the weight he was allotted and the result showed he was far from being harshly treated.

Festival three to follow

The 19 Irish-trained winners at the festival have all received due recognition for their achievements. Now for a few who performed well in defeat. There was no shortage of them but here are three worthy of mention who ran a lot better than their odds suggested they would.

Scoir Mear was a real eyecatcher in the Coral Cup, finishing strongly for fifth after meeting trouble in running more than once. The Tom Mullins-trained seven-year-old is surely one to watch for next time.

There was plenty to like about the performance of Ex Patriot in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. Rachael Blackmore's mount arrived with every chance between the last two hurdles before finishing fourth.

Balnaslow, formerly trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott and now with Graham McKeever, ran a blinder from the front in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase, making most of the running and finishing a close fifth.

Balnaslow (left) on his way to a fine Foxhunter fifth behind Pacha Du Polder (right)

Fond farewell to Finbarr

The death last weekend of Finbarr Slattery at the age of 92 removed from the Irish racing scene one of its most popular characters. A former secretary/manager of Killarney racecourse, Finbarr was a larger-than-life man of many words, spoken and written, a true racing enthusiast who also had a huge interest in politics.

For many years he cycled the streets of Killarney and was one of the best-known figures in Ireland's tourism capital. He took great pride in organising Lester Piggott's visit to Killarney in 1991 when the legendary jockey won on three of his mounts.

He took more photos than any professional photographer working at Killarney meetings ever did and wherever you met him the camera was produced. A photo was essential. He will be much missed by his family and all who knew him.