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A legislative proposal in Florida that would have allowed casinos approved for operation through a corresponding Thoroughbred racing license to drop that racing license while continuing casino operations has failed.View the full article

Trying to understand your post. Did you mean to say 'disenchanted'.

BUILT (c, 4, Hard Spun–Sea Garden, by Curlin) twice hit the board last season on Louisiana's Road to the Kentucky Derby, second and third in the GIII Lecomte Stakes and GII Risen Star Stakes, respectively, before missing the money in two subsequent starts. Sent to the shelf in early May after disappointing in the GII Pat Day Mile, he resurfaced Dec. 18 at this venue to wrap his '25 season with a win against allowance company. Tried on the turf last out Feb. 14 to kick off his 4-year-old campaign, Built ran fourth in the Colonel Power Stakes, and his connections returned him to the dirt here for his second jump on the year. The betting public sent him away as the 8-5 favorite, and he gave them what they wanted, breaking well to press the pace from second through :21.58 and a half-mile in a brisk :43.97. On a narrow lead as they turned for home, Maximum Bourbon (Maximum Security) came calling for a final push nearing mid-stretch and the race was on as they locked horns into the final sixteenth. Turning that one away, Built kicked away to win by 1 1/2 lengths and lower the track record to 1:07.96–it had been the mark to beat for 24 years since Mountain General established it in late November 2002 when he posted 1:08.03 for the distance. Built is the first to the races for his dam, herself a half-sister to Canadian Graded winner Glenville Gardens (Street Cry {Ire}), but does have an unplaced 3-year-old half-brother named Sterling Sea (Union Rags). Sea Garden has a yearling Flameaway colt to her credit, and her 2026 Practical Joke foal was stillborn. In addition to the aforementioned half-brother, the dam is also a half-sibling to the mother of GSP Sonic Brees (Maclean's Music). This is the immediate female family of MGSW & MGISP Indian Vale (A.P. Indy).     3rd-Fair Grounds, $60,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 3-13, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:07.96, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. BUILT (c, 4, Hard Spun–Sea Garden, by Curlin) Sales history: $82,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $260,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 10-4-1-2, $321,304. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Robert Low & Lawana Low (KY); T-Wayne M. Catalano. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. The post Built Lowers Track Record at Fair Grounds on Return to Main Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Golden Tornado (McKinzie), sidelined since delivering a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance on debut at Saratoga last summer, is on the comeback trail. He's posted a pair of breezes for trainer Danny Gargan at Palm Meadows this winter, including a three-furlong move in :37.50 (24/43) Mar. 7. “He's a really nice horse, really nice,” Gargan said. “He's come back really good. He's beautiful.” Campaigned in partnership by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, breeder Gainesway Stable and Legendary Thoroughbreds, the $475,000 Keeneland September yearling and half-brother to stakes winner and fellow 'Rising Star' Verifire (Authentic) was gearing up for last fall's GI Champagne S. until Gargan had to hit the brakes. “He got a hairline crack in his shin,” Gargan said. “We brought him back and breezed him one time (after his debut) and he had a hairline in his shin. We gave him time off. We didn't put a screw in it, we just had to drill it. We decided to give him plenty of time.” Golden Tornado pressed and pounced on subsequent multiple stakes winner and 'Rising Star' Oscar's Hope (Twirling Candy) to win by 3 1/4 lengths at first asking going six furlongs at the Spa Aug. 9, good for an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Saturday's Jimmy Winkfield S. 6-5 morning-line favorite Igniter (Volatile) was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third that day. Future Pulpit S. dead-heat winner and Awad S. runner-up Glorious Boy (Independence Hall) was also a well-beaten sixth in the talented field of eight. “I never really thought he was gonna be able to get a mile and a quarter,” Gargan said. “That's not really what we were thinking, so there was no need to rush him back to be a Derby horse. He's gonna be a miler probably.” Golden Tornado could potentially target the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial going seven furlongs on Travers Day at Saratoga Aug. 29, per Gargan. “In my vision–he worked here on the seventh–he'll come back here (and work a half-mile) in a few days depending on weather,” Gargan said. “We're looking more towards getting a race into him maybe around Preakness time. Everything goes well, he could run around that time. There's a stake over there to start him back. If not, we'll find a 1x (allowance) and then we'll start the march towards those races this summer.” Gargan concluded, “I'm extremely high on the summer he's gonna have. We've done everything right taking our time and I think it's gonna pay off for us.” The post ‘I’m Extremely High on the Summer He’s Gonna Have’ – Highly Regarded Golden Tornado Gearing Up for Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

If you are disenfranchised with the industry you are in, get out of it, unless of course you are earning a living out of it, which all becomes a bit ironical anyway lol Either that or do something to change it. Don't keep on spewing your guts all over social media.  That reflects on you as a person, not on the situation you are commenting on

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 17:00, PRIX EXBURY-G3, €73,200, 4yo/up, 10fT Field: First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Azimpour (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), C'Est Vrai (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), Uther (GB) (Camelot {GB}), South Bay (Fr) (New Bay {GB}). TDN Analysis: Last year's runner-up First Look makes his seasonal return coming back off a fifth in October's G1 Champion Stakes and lines up for the Andre Fabre stable responsible for a record 10 prior renewals. His chief threats are G1 Prix du Jockey Club fifth Azimpour, G1 Grand Prix de Paris fourth Uther and the multiple Group 1-placed Horizon Dore, with the latter arriving here fresh off a Listed win at Cagnes-sur-Mer last month. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 13:58, PRIX FRANCOIS MATHET-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 10 1/2fT Field: Mirik (Fr) (Kameko), Martagny (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), Saint Martin (Fr) (Time Test {GB}), Wadi (GB) (Earthlight {Ire}), Waybreaker (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Wetsand (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Astira (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Hisaaki Saito's G3 Prix de Conde victor Waybreaker sets the standard in this early sighter and will head postward coming back off a seventh in October's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Others with solid claims include dual-winning G3 Prix Thomas Bryon fifth Mirik and Saint-Cloud maiden scorer Wadi, while Cagnes-sur-Mer winners Martagny, Saint Martin and Astira are also worthy of consideration. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 14:33, PRIX OMNIUM II-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, c/g, 8fT Field: Khovikhov (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}), Gazi (Fr) (Persian King {Ire}), Safran Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), Cielo Di Roma (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Good Bye Manu (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}), Elastic (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Zambezi (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Gianluca Bietolini trainee Cielo De Roma is the lone black-type victor on display in this early Classic trial, but the Listed Prix Zeddaan winner finished last of 14 in the recent G3 Saudi Derby. Opportunity knocks for G3 Prix des Chenes second Elastic and the dual Listed-placed Zambezi, while dual winner Khovikhov rates a serious threat. Safran Dore's full-brother Horizon Dore represents the family in the G3 Prix Exbury later on the card. [Sean Cronin]. Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France, post time: 16:25, PRIX LA CAMARGO-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, f, 8fT Field: Black Solea (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Zalina (Fr) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Family Secret (GB) (Victor Ludorum {GB}), Vaticana (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), Marylene Du Serre (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Clea Chope (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}), Alarming (GB) (A'Ali {Ire}), Lady Tedsmore (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Arctic Bay (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Ceramic (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ozone (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). TDN Analysis: July's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles victrix Clea Chope closed an eight-race juvenile season with a sixth in October's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and holds the key to this. She renews rivalry with Marcel Boussac seventh Ozone, who was two lengths adrift when the pair met last time. Other dangers include G3 Prix Eclipse runner-up Ceramic, Listed Criterium de Lyon second Family Secret and Listed Prix Herod third Alarming. [Sean Cronin]. Monday, Chantilly, France, post time: 15:05, PRIX RONDE DE NUIT-Listed, €50,300, 3yo, 5 1/2fT Field: Ulymine (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}), Aurorian Clouds (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Afjan (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Exclamation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), Trinquette (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), Street Show (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), Baker Blue (GB) (Ardad {Ire}), Kailani (Fr) (Goken {Fr}), Michael The Great (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), Inju (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Birdcall (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Kimi Rey (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Jeudixx (Fr) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}). TDN Analysis: Unravelling interweaving black-type form is the task here with G3 Prix d'Arenberg victor Afjan once again crossing swords with Jeudixx and Kimi Rey. Jeudixx finished behind Afjan in the Arenberg and August's G3 Prix de Cabourg, while Kimi Rey was too good for both in July's Listed Prix Yacowlef. Magne Jordanger and Finn Blichfeldt's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte runner-up Street Show is the only other contender with black-type form and should not be discounted. Of the remainder, Aurorian Clouds, dual winner Michael The Great and unbeaten former Ollie Sangster trainee Birdcall make most appeal. [Sean Cronin]. Click here for the complete fields. The post Black-Type Analysis: First Look Aims To Go One Better In Exbury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Cheltenham chief executive Guy Lavender's confident prediction that crowds would be up at this year's festival was borne out after another big turnout on Gold Cup day March 13.View the full article

Less than 48 hours after Colonial Downs was coated in three inches of fresh snow, Saturday's Virginia Derby, the last 50-point prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will have competitors and visitors alike dreaming of warmer things to come on the first Saturday in May. Now in its second year, the newly-repositioned Virginia Derby (moved up from the track's traditional summer meet) drew a field of 10 after running with just seven entries in its inaugural edition won by the late D. Wayne Lukas's American Promise (Justify). Several trainers of note who shipped in last year are making the return trip to Virginia Saturday with runners from the barns of Bob Baffert and Brad Cox. 5-2 morning-line favorite and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Buetane (Tiz the Law) drew the rail for Baffert in his first attempt at 1 1/8 miles after hitting the board in the GI Hopeful Stakes, the GII San Vincente Stakes and, most recently, the GIII Southwest Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6. Maiden winner and OXO Equine homebred High Camp (Instagrand) steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday for trainer William Walden. His gutsy effort at Gulfstream Feb. 7, in which he came six wide to prevail by a length at seven furlongs, netted him an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. “The timing [of the VA Derby] made sense for us,” Walden said. “But more so the [step up to] going two turns, or finding out if he even wants to go two turns. I think this one-turn 1 1/8 miles, I've always seen horses that use that as a way to start going around two turns or to test distance limitations. He went from six [furlongs] to seven to stretching out and I figured this was the best way to do it.” Hall of Famer John Velazquez, aboard for the colt's first two starts, stays up here. “It's a respectable field,” Walden said of the runners assembled Saturday. “I don't think it's some of the bigger connection's 'A' horses but at the same time, I don't think it's a field to be snubbed at or dismissed by any reason. We're all here trying to accomplish the same thing. They're obviously horses who have been running well and training well, otherwise they wouldn't be here.” High Camp | Lauren King Having made his first two starts in Florida, Walden saw no issue with how High Camp had handled the ship to Virginia. “Nothing phases him,” Walden said. “He's super easy. Shipped great and he's trained great the Thursday and Friday. Went to the gate Friday, stood a little bit. He's acting like he never left his stall in Florida.” Cox sends out Confessional (Essential Quality) who will pick up a new jockey Saturday after losing Irad Ortiz Jr. to injury in a spill at Gulfstream Park on Thursday. After running second behind GII Holy Bull Stakes winner Nearly (Not This Time) at Gulfstream Jan. 2, he faltered home to finish seventh in his first start without blinkers in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Feb. 7 and will regain the headgear in Virginia. “I'm putting blinkers back on to hopefully give him a little more confidence and go forward,” Cox said. “Maybe if he does get in some tight spots, he'll be thinking about going forward instead of looking at other horses. He didn't run as well as we expected. He broke from the inside, and I thought he was getting a good trip, but found a little trouble going into the stretch when I felt like it was really time to go forward. He's always trained well, and he's continuing to train well, so we're giving him another swing.” As the only graded stakes winner in the field, Riley Mott's Incredibolt (Bolt d'Oro) capped his juvenile campaign with a strong finish to take down the GIII Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs in late October. Shipped for Florida for the Holy Bull, he was a non-factor sixth Jan. 31. “We're going to try to redeem ourselves on Saturday,” Mott said. “We'll sure need to after that race at Gulfstream (Holy Bull). I think it was mostly just a matter of him disliking the track surface. Whether that had to do with it being deeper on the inside, I'm not sure, but he certainly didn't get a hold of it at any point.” Incredibolt drew outside Saturday and keeps regular pilor Jaime Torres aboard. “I'm optimistic (Incredibolt) will like Colonial's surface,” Mott continued. “It's a tighter surface, so he should be able to get more traction over it (than Gulfstream). The timing of it was right, and we've done OK shipping to Colonial. I think this spot might just fit the horse.” Todd Pletcher saddles two side by side longshots with 12-1 morning-line shot Grittiness (Curlin) still seeking his first win having run a distant second in the Withers Feb. 6. and 15-1 shot Epic Desire (Uncle Mo) also exiting the Sam F. Davis Feb. 7. The field rounds out with Work (American Pharoah) for Chief Stipe O'Neill, the undefeated Lockstocknpharoah (American Pharoah) who has won twice at Turfway Park for Thomas Drury Jr., Ocelli (Connect) for Whit Beckman and Clocker Special (Not This Time) who drew outside in his stakes debut for Rodolphe Brisset. One race earlier in the second running of the Virginia Oaks, the runaway Busanda Stakes winner Dazzling Dame (Girvin) drew the rail for Brittany Russell as she looks to pick up 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Dazzling Dame | Joe Labozzetta “I think we have to just keep testing her, right?” Russell said of her entry. “She works like she's a good filly. She's races like she's a good filly. I think Saturday will tell us a lot.” Dazzling Dame's only blemish on an otherwise perfect record is a fourth in last year's GIII Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill in September. “She's obviously done well with plenty of time between races,” Russell said. “She's a horse that gets a lot out of what she does in the morning. She's a big filly. There's a lot in that frame to hold together, so the time between (the Busanda and the Virginia Oaks) was always appealing.” Morning-line race favorite Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) ships in from the west for Bob Baffert having most recently taken down the Sunland Park Oaks at one mile in her 3-year-old debut Feb. 15. A Grade I winner as 2-year-old in the Del Mar Debutante, she finished her year sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Sandwiched between that pair, Brad Cox saddles Hit Parade (Street Sense) for Gary and Mary West. The Untapable Stakes winner at Fair Grounds late last year, she debuted fifth in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Feb. 6. Similarly to Cox's Virginia Derby runner, Hit Parade will also be seeking a new rider. “I liked the trip she got (in the Martha Washington),” Cox said. “I liked the position she was in when they straightened up, but then she just didn't really offer much running down the lane or finish up as well as I thought. That was a little bit of a head scratcher. She'll be facing a good group (on Saturday). We'll see if she stacks up.” Todd Pletcher also has a pair of entries in the Virginia Oaks with Suncoast Stakes third Kadabra (Good Magic) earning a 6-1 morning-line bid inside of 10-1 shot Baffle (Violence) who is still looking for her first win. Longshot Somemunny to Love (Munnings) rounds out the field for Flint Stites, having just broken her maiden in state-bred company at Parx Feb. 11. Santa Anita Hits The Grass One of two graded stakes race Saturday, the GIII San Simeon Stakes at Santa Anita lets the turf sprinters loose going 5 1/2 furlongs on the downhill course. A field of six will line up led by Sumter (War Front) on the rail for Richard Mandella. The gelded 7-year-old last won in October but has put up two 90+ Beyer Speed Figures in his last two starts including a second in the GII Joe Hernandez Stakes to finish out 2025. Mandella also saddles GSW Seal Team (GB) (War Front) who comes off a 10-month layoff dating back to a narrow sixth in last May's GI Shoemaker Mile. Chilean-invader Gran Oriente (Chi) (Classic Empire) earned a narrow win over course and distance in optional claiming company Jan. 23 in his third start for Marcelo Polanco. It was his first win since earning a Group 1 win in South America last May. Phil D'Amato sends out Sorrento Sky (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) who looks to go two better after running third in this same race last year. Sunday, turf routers get the spotlight with a field of 10 lining up in the GIII Santa Ana Stakes going 1 1/4 miles. C R K Stable's Paradise Lake (Uncle Mo) captured the GIII Robert J. Frankel Stakes Jan. 8 and will face several familiar foes here including Public Assembly (More Than Ready), Starry Night (Justify) who came up a nose short in that same race Jan. 8, and Mrs. Astor (Lookin At Lucky) who won the GIII Red Carpet Stakes two back at Del Mar. Oaklawn Sprinters Go In The Whitmore The GIII Whitmore Stakes at Oaklawn Park offers the weekend's only graded stakes action on the dirt with a field of seven going six furlongs. Tejano Twist (Practical Joke) comes off a strong win in optional claiming company over course and distance March 1 for Chris Hartman and ran third in this same race last year. Hartman also saddles inside-drawn Wendelssohn (Mendelssohn) who comes in off a third over course and distance in the King Cotton Stakes Feb. 8. He'll face the aptly-named Tough Catch (Complexity), a 4-year-old for Dallas Stewart who flashed his speed in gate-to-wire fashion on a muddy local track in allowance ranks Feb. 15 after briefly trying his hand on the Road to the Kentucky Derby last year. Usual foe Ryvit (Competitive Edge) was a winner over Tejano Twist in his last start at Oaklawn Jan. 2 and has been third in a pair of starts at Sunland Park since for Steve Asmussen. The post Derby Points On The Line Saturday At Colonial Downs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rich Ricci, an owner synonymous with Cheltenham Festival success for the best part of two decades, finally has his hands on the prize that he coveted above all others after Gaelic Warrior (Maxios) produced a coming-of-age performance under Paul Townend to win Friday's Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. The race had a tragic postscript, however, when another Festival mainstay in Envoi Allen (Muhtathir), making his eighth appearance at the meeting, sadly collapsed and died after finishing ninth on what was intended to be the final start of his illustrious career before retirement. A three-time winner at this showpiece event for Cheveley Park Stud, horses like Envoi Allen simply don't come along very often, even for owners whose investment runs as deep as that of Rich and Susannah Ricci. And when one does come along, there always exists that fine line between triumph and disaster that must be trodden when National Hunt racing is your passion, with the Riccis having experienced their fair share of both over the years before arriving at this week of all weeks. Already with a third Champion Hurdle success on the board thanks to Tuesday's poster girl, Lossiemouth (Great Pretender), Ricci was in dreamland after watching – or listening to, rather – Gaelic Warrior dominate what had looked a competitive Gold Cup field, ultimately beating Jango Baie (Tiger Groom) by a widening eight lengths, with another two back to the defending champion, Inothewayurthinkin (Walk In The Park), in third. “I've been trying to win this race for 21 years,” said the ebullient American afterwards. “It's brilliant, magic. It was a great ride by Paul – I haven't seen the race, but I've heard it was! It's been a great week, incredible. Great racing, great winners and a good race today. I'm pleased for the horse. We try to buy Gold Cup winners, but we've never managed it before today.” He continued, “We've reached the mountain, but I love the game. It's kept me involved all these years, the passion of the people. They take me as they find me. I'm not the easiest man. I'm an American, I'm loud, obnoxious, this that and the other, but the people have been good to me. Long may it last.” It was back in 2008 that Ricci first tasted success at the Festival, in the early days of an alliance with Willie Mullins that has since given the sport household names such as Vautour, Faugheen, Annie Power and Douvan. Now, Gaelic Warrior has well and truly confirmed that he belongs in that exalted company, if he hadn't already as the winner of the 2024 Arkle on this hallowed turf, as well as four more top-level races at other venues. We knew he was good, no question, but perhaps not so quite good as this ultimate test revealed him to be, with his headstrong tendencies sometimes having held him back on the big occasion in years past. Not this time. “It's incredible, I genuinely just can't believe it,” said Townend, having moved one ahead of Pat Taaffe as the most successful jockey in the history of the Gold Cup with five wins. “He pulled a little bit early on but, to be honest, he was well behaved for Gaelic Warrior! “I got into the position that I'd gone over a hundred times in my head. Usually things don't go like that for you. Once I got a couple [of horses] in front of me he relaxed pretty well. He jumped really well and, going into the third last, I just thought, 'Don't fall off him and get home.' I wasn't going to slow him down any more, but he was jumping well and I wasn't going to kick him into them, either. He was extraordinary.” Equally extraordinary are the new heights that Mullins continues to scale at Cheltenham with every passing year. For the eighth consecutive year he was crowned leading trainer at the Festival, with a final day treble taking his tally for the week to eight. Four of those winners, including Champion Hurdle scorer Lossiemouth and Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Il Etait Temps (Jukebox Jury), were ridden by Townend as he took leading jockey honours. Next year, Mullins will have his opportunity to move one clear of Tom Dreaper, with whom he is now tied as the Gold Cup's most prolific trainer. Together, Mullins and Townend first struck gold with Al Boum Photo in both 2019 and 2020, then with Galopin Des Champs when he matched his stablemate's achievement with back-to-back victories of his own in 2023 and 2024. Both men were dealt a hammer blow last week when Galopin Des Champs was ruled out of his hat-trick bid due to a late setback, with retirement now potentially on the cards, but it's testament to the strength in depth at Closutton that a horse of the calibre of Gaelic Warrior was waiting in the wings. After Friday's tour de force, surely few would bet against him becoming the stable's third dual winner of the Gold Cup in the space of nine years. “This guy has to be up there with every one of my other Gold Cup winners, just because of the manner of his victory,” said Mullins. “It was an extraordinary performance and I'm delighted for the Riccis. Rich has been such a supporter of Closutton from the very start, so to do something like this for him is fantastic. “I'm delighted for Paul, too. He was so cool on him. Could you imagine what was going through his head going to the last fence? I can only tell you what was going through mine, but we won't talk about that now! We've had so many last-fence mishaps here. “The way he [Gaelic Warrior] did it was spectacular, very dominant. He can be keen, but Paul got everything right and the horse put in a tremendous round of jumping. When you pair that with his ability, it's fantastic for owner and jockey.” The eight-year-old Gaelic Warrior, who began his career in France with Hector de Lageneste and Guillaume Macaire, was bred by the Niarchos family out of the Hernando mare Game Of Legs, a half-sister to the Listed winner and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano second Three Bodies (Domedriver). Game Of Legs is also the dam of Wednesday's Champion Bumper also-ran Our Trigger, a full-brother to Gaelic Warrior who had looked a good prospect when making a winning debut at Gowran Park back in January. Gaelic Warrior, who first sold for €9,000 at the BBAG September Yearling Sale, before his private sale to Ricci as a three-year-old, is the standout performer to date by Maxios, who stands under the Coolmore National Hunt banner at Castlehyde Stud. His other notable runners include Quilixios, a Cheltenham Festival winner himself when landing the 2021 Triumph Hurdle. Five Triumphs in a row for Closutton machine It was the 2026 edition of the JCB Triumph Hurdle which delivered Mullins his first of three winners on Friday, making it five wins on the bounce for the trainer in the meeting's championship event for four-year-olds. Even in the absence of another leading light in Narciso Has (Doctor Dino), the race's ante-post favourite for much of the winter, Mullins saddled no less than nine runners, with several of them still holding every chance when the race came to the boil early in the straight. Whilst the best of the British contingent, Maestro Conti (Prince Gibraltar) and Minella Study (Study Of Man), did their utmost to keep the Closutton battalions at bay, 50/1 shot Apolon De Charnie (Chanducoq) was the one to slip through their defences in the hands of Mullins' son, Patrick, ultimately getting the verdict by a length and a half for owner Edward Ware. “Every time I looked at him on the TV, I could see him going well,” Mullins said of the winner. “He was going well all of the time, while my other ones were meeting trouble. Proactif was coming with a run, Mon Creuset was coming with a run. I thought, 'We have chances here,' coming to the second last. But Patrick managed to get his head through.” In 2025, Mullins won the Triumph with an even bigger outsider in 100/1 chance Poniros (Golden Horn), who was having his first run over hurdles of any description, with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) subsequently bringing in a rule which prevented horses with his background from taking part. No matter. Instead, Mullins won it with a horse still having his first run over hurdles in Britain or Ireland, with his only previous experience in this sphere coming when trained in France by Yannick Fouin. He was acquired privately after finishing second, six lengths behind his now-stablemate Proactif (Masked Marvel), on his hurdling bow at Auteuil in September. “Patrick said to me beforehand that he'd definitely be competitive, and maybe in the first six, which we'd have been delighted with, obviously,” Ware said of his unknown quantity going into the race. “To do that, though, is outstanding. I'm chuffed to pieces. “My point of view was, Willie wouldn't run the horse unless he thought he had some ability. Therefore, that's great, isn't it? Anything he did today was fantastic. I'm not going to say a bonus, because this is a huge race, obviously, but it's just fantastic to be here and to have a winner is crazy.” Honours even at the top of the sires' table Victory for Apolon De Charnie capped a productive week for the Haras de Cercy-based siblings Chanducoq and Cokoriko, with the latter having already supplied a Grade 1 winner this week when the Mullins-trained Kitzbuhel won the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase on Wednesday. At the top of the sires' table, honours were even between Jukebox Jury and Westerner, both having been represented by three winners at the first Festival since they sadly passed away within a few weeks of each other last year. On Friday, Jukebox Jury added to the victories earlier in the week of Holloway Queen (National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase) and Il Etait Temps when Johnny's Jury caused a 20/1 upset in the G1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle for jockey Gavin Sheehan and trainer Jamie Snowden. Westerner, however, managed to snatch a last-gasp tie when Air Of Entitlement won the concluding Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle to provide a bit of a tonic for the Henry de Bromhead stable after the loss of Envoi Allen. That was the third handicap hurdle of the week to go to a son or daughter of Westerner, who was also responsible for Thursday's Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle scorer Supremely West and another of Friday's winners in Wilful. The latter ran away with the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle to make it two on the week for the father-and-son training partnership of Jonjo and AJ O'Neill, on the day that O'Neill Snr celebrated the 40-year anniversary of his Gold Cup triumph aboard the great Dawn Run. “Cheltenham is Cheltenham and to have runners here is fantastic, but to have two winners this year is great,” said Jonjo, whose stable had ended a five-year drought at the meeting on Tuesday when Johnnywho (Califet) won the Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase. “It's fantastic and these are the days you dream about – it's magic. You hope they happen and you build yourself up to it, but when they do they are very special with AJ on board now.” 'A Gaelic warrior if ever there was one' There will probably never be another Dawn Run but, between Lossiemouth, Wodhooh (Le Havre) and Dinoblue (Doctor Dino), the 2026 Festival did give us three mares whose consistent brilliance is something to be cherished, the kind of thing that has us all flocking back to this hollowed turf, year after year. After winning Friday's Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase for a second time for Mullins and owner JP McManus, Dinoblue now has a record of 12 wins from 24 starts under Rules, with Lossiemouth (14) and Mares' Hurdle scorer Wodhooh (10) also into double digits in terms of career wins. Between them, they have won eight times at the Festival, endearing themselves to the crowds that have packed into Prestbury Park along the way. It's what this great game is all about, and exactly why the loss of Envoi Allen hurts so much. He will be sorely missed, a Gaelic warrior if ever there was one. The post “Extraordinary” Gaelic Warrior Wins Cheltenham Gold Cup Marred by Loss of Envoi Allen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article