Champion Hurdle
The 2015 Champion Hurdle featured an historic achievement by trainer Willie Mullins, who saddled Faugheen, Arctic Fire and Hurricane Fly to fill the first three places. Faugheen, ridden by Ruby Walsh, justified favouritism, at 4/5, keeping on well to beat Arctic Fire – the outsider of the Mullins’ trio at 20/1 – by 1½ lengths, with previous dual winner Hurricane Fly 5 lengths back in third.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
Defending champion Sire De Grugy, 2013
winner Sprinter Sacre and 2011 winner Sizing Europe all lined up for
the 2015 renewal, with Sprinter Sacre – who’d been beaten 3
lengths by Dodging Bullets in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on
his first run for over a year – sent off 9/4 favourite to make up
for lost time. However, it was Dodging Bullets who prevailed once
again, asserting close home to beat Somersby and Special Tiara by 1¼
lengths and 1¾ lengths. Sprinter Sacre was pulled up before the
final fence after a shortlived effort coming down the hill.
Stayers’ Hurdle
The Stayers’ Hurdle, run, for the
last time, as the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, featured 16 runners and
looked a wide open affair on paper, with bookmakers betting 5/1 the
field at the off. The race was won by Cole Harden, trained by Warren
Greatrex and ridden by Gavin Sheehan, who made all the running and
stayed on strongly up the hill to win by 3¼ lengths. The Paul
Nicholls-trained pair Saphir Du Rheu and Zarkandar finished second
and third, respectively.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 8-year-old Coneygree, having just
his fourth start over fences, made all the running and stayed on
gamely to beat Djakadam by 1½ lengths, with Road To Riches 2 lengths
further back in third. Trained by Mark Bradstock and ridden by Nico
De Boinville started joint second favourite, at 7/1, despite his
inexperience, to become the first novice since Captain Christy, in
1974, to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Favourite Silviniaco Conti was
beaten coming down the hill for the final time and trailed in seventh
of the 11 finishers, beaten 27 lengths.
