The days are getting longer, but the countdown to Cheltenham is shorter by the hour. In our fifth look at the trainers trying to bring home the winners at the Festival, Joe Napier provides the lowdown on Henry De Bromhead, the history maker from 2021.
A History
When Special Tiara caused an upset in the 2017 Queen Mother Champion Chase, lowering the colours of hot favourite Douvan in the process, the man following him into the winners’ enclosure was celebrating a second success in the race. Henry De Bromhead has since won it again with Put The Kettle On, but it may surprise many that that success, as recently as it was, was just a fourth win at the Cheltenham Festival for Special Tiara’s trainer.
Indeed, his first three wins had been provided by the same owners courtesy of two horses. Sizing Europe won the Arkle and Queen Mother in successive years, while Sizing Australia won the 2011 Cross Country Chase (then a handicap), when the Potts family were strong backers of the yard. However, their removal of horses from De Bromhead’s care, unwise as that may seem now, did leave the yard in a barren spell from a top level perspective. Special Tiara’s victory was six years on from the last time his handler tasted success at Cheltenham.
Now, victories are a standing order, with one a prerequisite and two or more a requirement. At every Cheltenham Festival since 2019, De Bromhead has secured multiple winners through the week, with a career high six in 2021 leaving him short only on runners-up to Willie Mullins for that season’s top trainer title at the meeting.
His Festival tally now stands at 21, 14th on the list of most successful trainers of all time. If he can eke out three winners this season, he will leap-frog storied names such as Vincent O’Brien and Bob Turnell to stand on the cusp of the top ten. Given how far away that would have seemed as recently as six years ago, it has been quite a rise for the yard from Knockeen.
Fences or Hurdles?
Though undoubtedly De Bromhead’s most famous Cheltenham Festival winner Honeysuckle excelled in securing four Grade 1s over hurdles, it is his chasers that have brought home the greater quantity of prizes. 13 of his winners have won over fences, with the remaining eight over hurdles; he is yet to win the Champion Bumper. His quality of horse has enabled him to win over fences and hurdles with two different horses in that time too in Minella Indo and Bob Olinger.
Best Races
A remarkable seven of his 13 winners over fences have been in the championship contests. Three Champion Chases, two Ryanair Chases and two Gold Cups have been pocketed since 2011, with six of those coming in the last seven seasons. Those with serious chances in a big race are invariably prepared perfectly for the occasion.
The Champion Chase is the only race he has won more than twice, while Captain Guinness provided a 12/1 second in the race a year ago too. His charges are always worth looking at for value in the 2m championship. Similarly, if you include the Champion Hurdle, then nine of the 21 Festival winners De Bromhead has had have come in four of the biggest five races at the meeting.
Six of De Bromhead’s 21 winners have been secured by mares. Honeysuckle is responsible, of course, for four of those, but when the yard have a capable mare, they are good at sending them out for glory, with Telmesomethinggirl and Maskada having added to that list, and Magical Zoe having finished second in the Mares’ Novices’ a year ago.
Worst Races
Three wins each gave come in novice Grade 1 chases and handicaps, though two from the latter category are in defunct Festival races: A Plus Tard won the novices’ handicap in 2019 which is no longer run at Cheltenham, while Sizing Australia’s Cross Country Chase win came when that race was likewise run as a handicap.
Maskada was therefore the first winner in current Festival handicaps, over either fences or hurdles, when winning the Grand Annual. As evidenced by their relative success in championship contests, the De Bromhead team do not hide any marks for handicap success, but go all guns blazing for victory at the top level.
While it may not be this year, it is also worth analysing throughout the season how successful De Bromhead’s novice hurdlers appear to be. Three such contests were secured for the yard in 2021 alone, so when the crop is talented they tend to pay dividends.
Who to Follow This Year
Although the yard are not blessed with favourites in championship races this season, 42% of Henry De Bromhead’s Cheltenham Festival heroes have won one of the big five races at the meeting. The Champion Chase has seen the most prolific level of success and consistency, and Captain Guinness ran well in the race a year ago. He could well outrun his odds again this year, while Envoi Allen and Jungle Boogie will fly the flag in the Ryanair and Gold Cup, the former with a notable chance of going back-to-back in his respective contest.
De Bromhead’s mares almost always step up to the plate too. Up against a minefield of Mullins favourites in the Mares’ Hurdle, do not underestimate Magical Zoe or the unexposed Lantry Lady. Former Festival winner Telmesomethinggirl cannot be ruled out either.
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