THE highlight of the horseracing season, the Cheltenham Festival, is now just eight days away and tonight another important fixture in the calendar for all punters takes place.
The Sean Graham and The Irish News Cheltenham Preview Night has established itself as a ‘must-attend’ for punters, and this year’s renewal promises to be no different with a star-studded and opinionated panel assembled once more.
The preview night will be held in the Grand Ballroom at Belfast’s Europa Hotel, with Gary O’Brien, who is the voice of Irish racing on Attheraces, charged with keeping the chat flowing and also with keeping order in what can become a raucous atmosphere.
Intriguingly, O’Brien will be joined at the top table this time around by jockey Paddy Brennan, who is due to ride Cue Card in the Festival’s Blue Riband event, the Gold Cup, next Friday.
Brennan has teamed up with Colin Tizzard’s rejuvenated star to great effect this term, winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock and the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.
Should Cue Card complete the set and claim the Gold Cup, for which he is generally a 5/1 shot, his connections will pocket a £1m bonus for claiming the three biggest chases over the winter.
The all-conquering Willie Mullins yard will have something to say about that, however, and they will be represented at the Europa this evening by David Casey, who has made the transition from leading rider to assistant trainer to Mullins.
The Irish champion trainer has claimed almost all of National Hunt’s big prizes, but the Gold Cup has so far eluded him. Yet he will surely never have a better chance than this year, when he is scheduled to send out four runners with big chances.
The master of Closutton is likely to run last year’s runner-up Djakadam, as well as Don Poli, Valseur Lido and Vautour, who was pipped on the line by Cue Card in the King George, Therefore, Casey’s insight will be invaluable in terms of which of the quartet is best-suited to the demands of the big race, having gone agonisingly close to winning it himself with On His Own two years ago.
Gordon Elliott is also on tonight’s panel, and he too will have big designs on Gold Cup glory as he saddles Don Cossack, generally the 4/1 favourite at present.
Elliott is in the midst of his best ever campaign as a trainer, with well over 100 winners racked up already, and those in attendance this evening are sure to be hanging on his every word.
Of course, much more than the Gold Cup will be discussed, with all of the big races over the four days given plenty of attention, and Casey should be able to bring everyone up to date on whether Annie Power will go for the Champion Hurdle next Tuesday in the absence of illustrious stablemate Faugheen.
Racing journalist and professional punter Mark ‘The Couch’ Winstanley will no doubt provide plenty of banter as well as marking out the best route to making a profit over the four, sometimes arduous, days.
Also at the top table will be Glenavy native Neil Mulholland, who is making a real name for himself in training circles, and sent out The Druids Nephew to success at last year’s Festival.
Completing the line-up are Racing UK commentator Richard Hoiles, who is regarded as one of the most astute readers of the formbook around, and Brian and Ronan Graham from Sean Graham Bookmakers.
It promises to be both an entertaining and informative evening, and it is one Brian Graham is greatly looking forward to.
“We are delighted to announce that the Sean Graham Cheltenham Preview night will once again have the backing of The Irish News,” he said.
“The fact that Gordon Elliott, ‘The Couch’, Richard Hoiles, David Casey and Gary O’Brien have all agreed to attend again this year pays a huge compliment to not only the event, but the punters who attend also.
“Paddy Brennan’s opinion about whether or not Cue Card can stay the trip in the Gold Cup will be very interesting.”
Irish News sports editor Thomas Hawkins is also thrilled to be involved again.
“There is always a great buzz at the Cheltenham Preview Night,” he said.
“There’s no better place for advice for Cheltenham week.
“The Grahams bring together a top panel of racing experts every year and this is no exception.”
Tickets are still on sale in all Sean Graham shops and can be bought at the Europa this evening, costing £10 which includes a £5 matched bet.
Doors open at 7.15pm, with the action starting at 8pm.
