Our awards for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival including trainer, jockey, ride, race and performance of the week

By Ben Linfoot

Horse Racing

Sat March 16, 2024 · 9M ago

We dish out some more trophies after reflecting on the 2024 Cheltenham Festival including trainer, jockey and race of the week.

Trainer of the Week – Willie Mullins 🏆

Pound for pound, you could make the case for Dan Skelton who had a brilliant week, winning four races from his 11 runners including his first Festival Grade 1s courtesy of Grey Dawning and Protektorat and that audacious handicap double with Langer Dan and Unexpected Party. But it has to be Willie Mullins, another Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer trophy in hand, this time with nine winners, including the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle heroes, plus a few highly promising novices in Ballyburn and Fact To File. He reminded Skelton he can train a County Hurdle winner as well and then Galopin Des Champs was just superb in the Gold Cup, putting the icing on the Willie Mullins 2024 Cheltenham Festival cake.

Jockey of the Week – Harry Skelton 🏆

Harry Skelton has received some stick from punters over the years, plenty of times at the Cheltenham Festival, too, with Nube Negra in the Champion Chase springing to mind, but this week felt like some redemption for him. He remarkably won four races from just seven rides and while brother Dan prepared his team in fantastic shape, plenty of plaudits go to the jockey who particularly shone on Grade 1-winning duo Grey Dawning and Protektorat, who both scored in a whirlwind 90 minutes for Team Skelton on day three. Two slipstream rides as he tracked a strong pace in both contests, he made his challenge at just the right time on both horses on a day that will be tough to beat when he hangs up his whip at the end of his career. Paul Townend had six winners, but four of those were odds-on favourites, so Skelton looks a worthy winner of this gong.

Performance of the week – Galopin Des Champs 🏆

Ballyburn was brilliant amongst the novices and State Man and Teahupoo did their thing nicely in the top tier hurdles events, but the clear standout performance of the week was the fabulous Galopin Des Champs in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. He’d had a different campaign to last year, taking in an extra Grade 1, and he had a new batch of opponents to deal with, but he oozed class in the Gold Cup, the result never really looking in doubt as he jumped with alacrity on his way to a decisive three-and-a-half length victory from Gerri Colombe. Thoughts already turn to next year now and his bid to join Arkle and Best Mate as a triple Gold Cup winner, the likes of Fact To File, Il Est Francais and Grey Dawning potential young pretenders in 12 months' time.

Race of the week – The Gold Cup 🏆

For all the Cheltenham Festival’s problems – and there are many, the relatively dull first two days not forgotten despite a strong end to the week – the Gold Cup remains the pinnacle of the sport after 100 years and it always seems to deliver. Galopin Des Champs is a high-class dual winner of the famous trophy now and the whole industry can get excited about him going for the hat-trick next year. He oozed class in this year’s edition, beating Grade 1 winners in Gerri Colombe, L’Homme Presse and Bravemansgame, with a Grand National winner muscling his way into third up the hill. The Turners was a very good race this year and wins the race of the week betting without the Gold Cup, but Galopin and his supporting cast get the number one vote after another compelling renewal.

Ride of the Week – Paul Townend on Absurde 🏆

Before racing on Friday this gong looked up for grabs. Some good rides to pick from, but nothing standout. Then along came Paul Townend and Absurde in the County Hurdle and all bets were off. This was an outstanding ride, a page from a textbook on how to ride the New course hurdles track. Held up at the back of the field, Townend waited, and waited, taking his time on the long run to two from home. A mistake there didn’t halt his momentum, Absurde making good headway as Townend navigated his way through the packed field on the approach to the last. Again he wasn’t fluent at the final hurdle, but his Flat speed kicked in as he picked up L’Eau Du Sud and went clear, a ride of patience and poise helping him to make the most of his talent in one of the toughest handicaps of the week.

National Hunt Stallion of the Week - Flemensfirth 🏆

Flemensfirth might’ve died last year as a 31-year-old but his progeny continues to excel and he had three winners this week thanks to Ballyburn, Grey Dawning and Shakem Up’Arry. With both Ballyburn and Grey Dawning oozing quality in their Grade 1 novice events they look very bright prospects for the future, indeed, they could be future Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup contenders, a fine advertisement for a jumps stallion. Of the National Hunt sires that are alive and well, Saint Des Saints equalled Flemensfirth’s haul of three thanks to Monmiral, Protektorat and Sine Nomine.

Paul Townend celebrates Gold Cup glory

Eyecatcher of the Week – Meetingofthewaters (3rd, Ultima) 🏆

Matt Brocklebank has picked out five eyecatchers from the week in this piece and it’s hard to argue with his noting down of Meetingofthewaters after his third place in the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one. He was keen early on and didn’t jump well throughout, but he made smooth headway to get into contention before he was outpaced by the front two at a key point in the contest. The fact he rallied so well underlined his Grand National claims and he’s now firmly on the radar for Aintree.

Moment of the Week – The Mullins 100 🏆

The Willie Mullins domination of jumps racing continues apace after his nine winners from 75 runners this week, the only real down point for him being El Fabiolo’s shock defeat in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. When sent off at 2/9 for that race he looked all set to become Mullins’ 100th Cheltenham Festival winner, but the staggering achievement was saved for Jasmin De Vaux in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper 90 minutes later. It was fitting that the feat happened with son Patrick doing the steering, in the silks of El Fabiolo’s owners, the century notched up 29 years after his debut Cheltenham winner Tourist Attraction.

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