Replays are now available on the Racing Post app - and here are five must-watch races from the 2023 Cheltenham Festival

With race replays now available for subscribers on the Racing Post app as part of a Members' Club Ultimate subscription, award-winning writer Peter Thomas recalls five of the best from last season's Cheltenham Festival.

Constitution Hill survives a scare at the final flight in the Champion HurdleCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

Constitution Hill, Champion Hurdle

There's no head-bobbing finish, no fine line between joy and heartbreak, but this is still a must-see, one for the purist – a visual record of greatness in the making. Constitution Hill had prepared well, but his first Champion Hurdle was the proving ground he needed to stride on to and dominate, which is precisely what he does.

For much of the race the 4-11 favourite takes a lead, eager yet tractable, but three flights from home he leaps slickly to the front, after two out he quickens and leaves the others helpless in his wake, and then he stretches long and bold for the final hurdle and devours the incline as though he could do it all again.

State Man, best of the rest, is simply blown away, leaving us wondering how anything will be able to lay a glove on him in 2024. It's bordering on perfection.

Honeysuckle takes the last along with Love Envoi before winning the Mares' HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Honeysuckle, Mares' Hurdle

It's success born out of tragedy, but there's no element of morbidity here, just a priceless example of racing fans, festival fans, embracing a race that meant so much to so many.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead's young son Jack had been killed in a pony racing accident the previous September and the racing world felt his pain. The prolific and popular mare Honeysuckle was looking to bow out on the kind of high that had marked her glittering career, and Rachael Blackmore was in the saddle.

It was the race chosen by the public to define the 2023 festival and it lived up to the billing. The action on the track was awesome. Honeysuckle drew deep from her well of excellence and resilience, and the crowd responded in kind, until the old place filled to bursting with passion, empathy and a feeling that right had been done.

The Real Whacker (near) gets the better of Gerri Colombe in the Brown Advisory Novices' ChaseCredit: John Grossick

The Real Whacker, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

It sometimes seems as though the opportunity for the 'little man' to light up the festival has begun to pass us by, and when Irish emigre Patrick Neville sent his stable star down from North Yorkshire he found himself up against a field dominated by the big boys. Indeed, Willie Mullins fielded five and Gordon Elliott saddled the 5-4 favourite Gerri Colombe.

The Real Whacker, though, co-owned by Neville and his mates, clearly hadn't been told of the odds stacked against him, and the 8-1 shot was sent off in front by Sam Twiston-Davies, with a view to testing the mettle of all-comers.

If the others thought he might come back to them, they were wrong. He jumped like a stag, clinging grimly to his lead, forging two lengths clear at the last and seeing off the jolly by a short head in a no-excuses finish. The festival was lit up.

Mark Walsh celebrates after winning the Stayers' Hurdle aboard Sire Du BerlaisCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sire Du Berlais, Stayers' Hurdle

Owned by JP McManus, trained by Gordon Elliott and already twice a winner at the festival, but Sire Du Berlais was by now an 11-year-old, seemingly on the downgrade and thus ripe to become one of the week's unlikely heroes.

The pre-race chat was all about previous winners Paisley Park and Flooring Porter, along with warm favourite Teahupoo, but the finish was all about two of the 'forgotten' horses. The six challengers at the second-last flight were agonisingly whittled down to two, with the beloved 40-1 shot Dashel Drasher seeming set for victory as he cleared the last in front, only to be pounced upon by the two-time Pertemps Hurdle hero.

Mark Walsh pushed and shoved and found a willing partner in Sire Du Berlais, who proved as brave as he was unlikely and relived past glories in thrilling fashion. A real thriller and no excuses.

A jubilant Paul Townend celebrates after winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Galopin Des ChampsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Galopin Des Champs, Cheltenham Gold Cup

Whatever your personal preference, this is the race the festival is about. The exciting novices are the horses of the future, but the Gold Cup winner is already at the pinnacle.

So, we had Galopin Des Champs, a luckless loser when falling at the last with the 2022 Turners in the bag, foot-perfect since and fully expected, as 7-5 favourite, to deliver Ireland's seventh Gold Cup in eight runnings. What was required of him was a convincing win against a top-class field, and with all the main contenders lining up, the stage was set.

His jumping wasn't flawless, but he never looked in danger of falling, and while doubts had been raised about his stamina, the seven-year-old stayed on better than all of the 12 older horses ranged against him, daring 2024's potential rivals to 'come and have a go'.

It was what a Gold Cup should be.

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