Cheltenham Festival: Darragh O’Keeffe on his potential rides

When Darragh O’Keeffe became Irish champion conditional jockey for the 2019/2020 season, his record winning total of 45 was one more than Jack Kennedy had achieved during the previous campaign.

O’Keeffe would undoubtedly take that result again this season in the Irish jockeys’ championship proper, as at the time of writing he sits three winners clear of a resurgent Kennedy who has returned from injury in seamless fashion, and his determination to keep on improving will surely be key.

"You blame yourself, social media adds criticism, but it’s self-criticism that hurts me the most," he says.

As stable jockey to Henry De Bromhead, O’Keeffe has been one of the main beneficiaries of Rachael Blackmore’s decision to retire in May, and it is one of her highest-profile winners that the jockey is most looking forward to riding in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

Blackmore gave Bob Olinger a textbook waiting ride when beating Teahupoo in last year’s renewal, and O’Keeffe is already looking forward to a repeat bid in March.

Speaking to host Lydia Hislop on the latest Road To Cheltenham programme, he explained: “He’s always had a turn of foot. I still think whatever the gallop they go he will have that extra gear.

“He has to be dropped in, he’s better off when you let him warm into it himself.”

Bob Olinger has only been seen once so far this season, when finishing second to the fellow Robcour-owned Teahupoo in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown, but O’Keeffe was far from disheartened with that effort.

He added: “I was happy with his run at Leopardstown; it was a strong race.”

Recent comments by Kennedy about utilising Teahupoo’s stamina more than in last year’s renewal don’t appear to have spooked O’Keeffe either. “I think Jack won't be slowing his mount down from the second last, but I’m happy to let them all go at it and hopefully I will be there to pick it up after the last.”

Clearly, the owners have a strong grip on the staying hurdling division, which could include Hiddenvalley Lake, though a return trip to Merseyside for the Liverpool Hurdle, a race he won last season, may be more of a focus for the talented nine-year-old.

“All being well he will go to the Boyne Hurdle at Navan,” O’Keeffe explained. “He seems in good form at home.

“He was very good on the day [when winning at Aintree] and he settled well and jumped well on a good gallop.

“He can lean on the bit but he’s getting better with racing. His form suggests that he’s best fresh.”

Another hurdler looking to make an impact after an absence is Workahead who hasn’t been seen since finishing last of 11 in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in March. A run in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Sunday should help shape the remainder of his campaign.

"He had a setback after Cheltenham but he’s in good order; I schooled him well last week.

“He’s a good horse and Sunday will tell everyone where they stand.”

Quilixios remains on course to try and avenge his unfortunate defeat in last season’s BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The Henry De Bromhead-trained chaser has been absent since falling at the final fence in

O’Keeffe said: “He’s swimming away and seems to be in good form. He had a setback after his fall but is in good order and all roads lead to the Champion Chase.” 

O’Keeffe believes the 2021 Triumph Hurdle might have added a second Cheltenham Festival success to his CV had he stayed on his feet last March. 

He said: “I was happy; he likes attacking his fences. My lad was taking me there; he jumped the third last well – he winged it. 

“I got a good jump at the second last and then I went for a flyer at the last but it just didn't happen.” 

The now-nine-year-old features prominently in the betting for the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday week but O’Keeffe believes that the horse’s best chance of a Champion Chase win could come first-time-out. 

On whether he would head to Leopardstown, O’Keeffe explained: “I’m not 100 per cent sure but I thought they might keep him fresh – his best chance might be going there without a run. He’s proven that he can do it first time out before. 

"His record fresh is good - last year we beat Marine Nationale – and hopefully he has a good chance, but it looks an open race.” 

Envoi Allen was again an impressive winner at Down Royal in the BetVictor Champion Chase in November and is on course to make his eighth consecutive appearance at the Festival when he lines up in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, after which he will be retired. 

O’Keeffe said: “He’s brilliant, I’ve ridden him twice and won two Grade Ones on him. 

“He travelled well [last time] and he has that presence about him - at the third last I was taking him back. 

“I rode him out yesterday [Wednesday] and even just warming up you’d think he was getting younger. He’s taking plenty of riding, and he looks in great form. There’s lots of confidence in him and it would be great if he could run well. 

“You never know until you try [the trip] and it’s worth the role of the dice.” 

Envoi Allen will step up to the extended three and a quarter mile trip for the first time, leaving his usual position in the Ryanair Chase vacant. His stablemate, Heart Wood, will once again contest that race. 

The eight-year-old chased home Fact To File in last year’s renewal and heads into this season’s race in rude health after an impressive win at Tramore this month. 

O’Keeffe, reflecting on last season’s runner-up effort, suggested that a change of tactics could be utilised this time around: “I thought from very early that I was going to be involved, though I could see how easily Mark [Walsh] was going on Fact To File. I knew I’d be placed. 

“I might ride him more like I did at Tramore. Last year I had to ride him with a bit of patience – we were delighted to be in the top three – but I can ride him more positively now he’s won over further. He jumps well.” 

The Robcour-owned chaser has sandwiched Grade Three wins at Punchestown and Tramore with a fourth-placed finish in the John Durkan Chase, but O’Keeffe believes that the horse’s effort in that strong race can be upgraded. 

He explained: “Besides the first two, he just never got into it in the John Durkan. But that was as good a race as I've ridden in, the pace they went. 

“He has form over just shy over three miles but I don’t know whether he fully gets the three miles. 

“Everyone is keen to try it [a staying trip] again at some point, but if you take Fact Or File out of the Ryanair it looks wide open. He gets the two and a half and stays that trip well.”

The yard’s novice chase team which is spearheaded by The Big Westerner.

The strapping mare has unfinished business with the Cheltenham Festival having looked one of the meeting’s unluckiest losers when beaten by Jasmin De Vaux in the Albert Bartlett Novices'’ Hurdle having met significant trouble in running.

O’Keeffe recalled: “She over-raced and we were worried about that which is why I dropped her in.

“It was actually Jack [Kennedy] who missed a hurdle and I jumped it well and got stuck. I was disappointed to be beaten but it was still a good run.”

This season has seen the seven-year-old tackle fences – she is prominent in the betting for the Brown Advisory which O’Keeffe favours - and she has taken to her new discipline well. “From the first day we schooled her she was quick and accurate, even though she’s a big mare she’s measured,” he explained. “She improved from first to second runs and was attacking her fences.

“She’s got loads of stamina and I think the whole experience of Cheltenham will stand her in good stead this year.

“She enjoys jumping and I don’t think she will over-race this year. She’s all stamina.”

Assuming The Big Westerner runs in the Brown Advisory rather than the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, she could be joined by stablemate Koktail Divin who built on his first two runs over fences when running away with a Leopardstown contest last month.

"He didn’t stay at Punchestown, the ground was heavy and I was at pains to try and take him back; I was worried I was going to jump into horses as he was jumping so well.

“I think just the two runs he had before last time brought him on – he felt like a better horse. If it had been three miles that day then I think he would still have won as impressively.”

Would that be enough to tempt O’Keeffe to ride him in preference to The Big Westerner? His answer suggested not.

“She’s always been the apple of my eye and getting the allowance she’d be dangerous in that race. I do think she wants a bit of cut in the ground, though.”

Another mare who has a prominent place in the jockey’s affections is July Flower, who won her first two starts over fences before bumping into Romeo Coolio at Leopardstown last month.

“We schooled her at Limerick and she was brilliant. At the second last she was longer than long and I couldn’t do anything except lie up her neck!

“I felt the trip and the ground caught her out at Leopardstown but she still ran well.

“If the ground was slow then the Arkle would suit but she will go straight to Cheltenham – the mares’ chase would be an option, she’s not that big.”

By contrast, one horse who hasn’t quite lived up to expectations over fences is the 2024 Supreme Novices’ winner Slade Steel, though O’Keeffe believes that there could be better to come when underfoot conditions are more suitable.

“For a horse who won the Supreme I was never happy with him at Navan, whether it was the fall [on his previous start at Punchestown] or not.

“Everything has just felt a bit slow and I didn’t get the same feel off him.

“I’m not sure where he will go – he could be one for the two-and-a-half-mile handicap.

“I definitely think he’s better than he could show at Navan. The ground was tough, maybe it was the combination of trip and ground.”

Whether the current leader of the Irish jockeys’ championship is correct about Slade Steel remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that his book of Cheltenham Festival rides looks as strong as ever. His first – and so far only - winner at the meeting was Maskada in the 2023 Grand Annual; it’s hard to see him leaving this year’s event without adding to that solitary success.