Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 18 March 2025

Last week’s events at Cheltenham perfectly illustrated the unpredictable nature of this fascinating game.

Nobody could have foreseen the sequence of incidents that unfolded in the Champion Hurdle, while the defeat of five odds-on favourites ensured that the layers finished the week with the upper hand.

From a personal perspective not much damage was done, having approached the meeting with a fairly open mind. I did not have any bankers, but I did have a feeling that there could be a surprise in the Champion Hurdle and ended up with the winner without making her a selection or a serious bet.

Looking at that race, the odds against none of the front three in the market making the frame should have been off the scale. Anyone who nominated the 25/1 winner, to beat the 66/1 runner up and the 150/1 third, is entitled to feel hard done by with the Trifecta return of £4,432.90. That is, of course, a pool bet so it would be interesting to know how many people had it. There does not appear to have been a Tricast, which I believe would have paid more.

Apart from the departure of Constitution Hill and State Man, the surprise was that Brighterdaysahead was unable to capitalise on their misfortune. I had suggested beforehand that if her supporters were basing their judgement chiefly on her one run at Leopardstown over Christmas, then her detractors were entitled to call upon her sole defeat at this meeting last year. It does appear, though, that she was not at her best and something may unfold.

Looking to the Gold Cup, I did anticipate that Galopin Des Champs might be unsuited to the ground, which was probably more good than good to soft by the fourth day, but my selection Ahoy Senor fell having jumped right at many of the earlier fences.

Banbridge disappointed here, beaten before stamina would have become an issue. His rider JJ Slevin said he was never jumping fluently but he had won twice before around here, as a hurdler in the Martin Pipe and in his novice season over fences.

Looking elsewhere I am wondering if Caldwell Potter has the potential and stamina to become a Gold Cup contender.

It’s not easy to make all around here, especially at this meeting, but the seven-year-old put in an impressive display of jumping and has been raised 9lbs to a mark of 155. That leaves him 20lbs adrift of Galopin Des Champs, but Paul Nicholls may give him a try over three miles at Aintree and the result there will set the agenda for next season.

The other horse that I want to bring to your attention is Johnnywho, about whom I have written extensively in the past two seasons.

I think he would have won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir if Derek O’Connor had kicked on earlier. The eight-year-old is a galloping stayer but he was ridden as if he had a turn of foot, fighting back after being headed. His chance wasn’t helped by his losing two front shoes.

I don’t know what the McManus team will have in mind for Johnnywho but this was a long-term plot that should not have gone astray.

There are other things that I will refer to in the weeks to come, but one thing that everyone will agree is that last week’s festival was the most unpredictable and dramatic in living memory. For all the analysis, academic application and scrutiny, the game ultimately had the last laugh.

Bye for now

Why wait a week? Receive Marten’s free horse racing publication Weekly Roundup the day it is written in full for free every Monday evening by clicking here & signing up for our free Newsletter

© Copyright in all Marten Julian Publications is strictly reserved by the publishers. No material therein may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from Marten Julian.