2024 round-up: Galopin Des Champs, I Am Maximus, City Of Troy and more

The usual hustle and bustle of New Year’s Day fixtures saw the Harry Redknapp-owned Shakem Up’arry prevail at Cheltenham, while in Ireland, Henry de Bromhead’s Jungle Boogie was a surprise winner in the Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore. Adverse weather conditions caused havoc with more than 15 meetings abandoned or postponed due to rain or frost within the first 19 days of the new year, with the Clarence House at Ascot abandoned – later rearranged to take place at Cheltenham – and Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting affected once more. In the middle of the month, there was a familiar face as Henrietta Knight returned to the training ranks following an 11-year break with two runners at Wincanton, although neither managed to get their nose in front. A Plus Tard, the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, retired at the age of 10, while Elixir De Nutz caused a stir with his shock victory over Jonbon in the rearranged Clarence House to provide jockey Freddie Gingell and trainer Joe Tizzard with a first Grade One win.

February kicked off with the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, where Il Etait Temps got the better of Marine Nationale and others in the Irish Arkle, Galopin Des Champs defended his Irish Gold Cup crown and State Man did the same in the Irish Champion Hurdle to give Willie Mullins another incredibly successful meeting. Caldwell Potter sold for a record €740,000 in the Caldwell Construction dispersal, joining a new stable in Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard. Shishkin returned to winning ways in the Denman Chase. The Mullins family lost their matriarch as Maureen Mullins died at the age of 94, and in the same month Jamie Moore’s career came to an end as he retired from the saddle. In early-season Flat action it was Military Order who won the Winter Derby and Spirit Dancer took the Neom Turf Cup for Sir Alex Ferguson in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Cup itself went the way of Senor Buscador. The Cheltenham Festival anticipation was interrupted by a below-par racecourse gallop by Constitution Hill, who scoped badly in the aftermath and raised questions about his form ahead of the meeting.

Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Mark Bradstock died aged 66 at the start of the month, and the late Maureen Mullins was honoured in the naming of the National Hunt Chase at the upcoming Festival. Constitution Hill was ultimately ruled out of his Champion Hurdle title defence bid, with Marine Nationale another high-profile absentee from the meeting. When the Festival came around State Man was the Champion Hurdle hero in Constitution Hill’s absence, adding to a tally of winners that brought Willie Mullins up to 100 Cheltenham Festival successes midway through the meeting. Protektorat took the the Ryanair Chase in a successful week for the Skelton team, as Teahupoo landed the Stayers’ Hurdle and Galopin Des Champs defended his Gold Cup crown. As the Flat season got under way at Doncaster it was Charyn who hinted at big things to come when winning the Doncaster Mile. Mr Professor took the Lincoln for Amo Racing. In Dubai Laurel River landed the big prize on World Cup night, with Facteur Cheval winning the Dubai Turf and Rebel’s Romance taking the Sheema Classic. There was sad news as John Quinn’s star sprint mare Highfield Princess died following an injury in her stable and worrying reports of a serious injury to the young jockey Stefano Cherchi.

Early in the month the tragic news broke that Stefano Cherchi had died aged just 23 due to the injuries sustained in his fall in Australia. Domestically, there was retirement news from both Aidan Coleman and also Eldar Eldarov, who had suffered an injury when at Meydan for the Dubai Gold Cup. The Grand National meeting arrived at Aintree, where I Am Maximus came to the fore in the world’s greatest steeplechase, prevailing by over seven lengths to edge Willie Mullins closer to the British champion trainer title. Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton did not go down without a fight, but Mullins’ raid on the Scottish Grand National ultimately sealed victory. Harry Cobden took the champion jockey award, but Nicky Henderson was hit by the death of Shishkin, who suffered a fractured leg in an accident at home.

The start of the month began with a shock as Notable Speech stunned short-priced favourite City Of Troy to land the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, with Willie Mullins finishing on a high as Kargese racked up his record-breaking 39th Grade One winner of the jumps season on the same day. Elmalka flew home to claim Roger Varian’s first 1000 Guineas as the 28-1 chance edged out French raider Ramatuelle and Porta Fortuna. Noel Meade paid tribute to his “favourite horse of all time” Harchibald, after the tremendously popular hurdler’s death at the age of 25, and Lucinda Russell announced the retirement of 2023 Grand National winner Corach Rambler in the middle of the month. Karl Burke won two Classics in the space of an hour after Darnation’s success in the German 1000 Guineas in Dusseldorf was followed by Fallen Angel’s victory in the Irish version. Dermot Weld’s Ezeliya came out on top in the Oaks at Epsom on the final day of May.

City Of Tory bounced back from his 2000 Guineas disappointment to a convincing victory in the Derby. Australian filly Asfoora landed the King Charles II Stakes at Royal Ascot, Charyn proved he was best miler in Europe with victory in the Queen Anne and Kyprios regained his Gold Cup crown as Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore took the top trainer and jockey awards respectively. Los Angeles ended the month by winning the Irish Derby at the Curragh.

Oaks winner Ezeliya was retired following a training setback, while a high-profile meeting at Haydock had to be partially abandoned due to unsafe ground on the home turn and City Of Troy won the Eclipse at Sandown. Veteran French jockey Gerald Mosse announced the end of his glittering 41-year stint in the saddle, while Newton Abbot’s card on July 15, which was to feature the optimistically-titled Well Done England Euro Champions 2024 Handicap Chase, was abandoned due to a waterlogged track. Ralph Beckett’s You Got To Me claimed the Irish Oaks. Owner JP McManus announced the death of three-time Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq at the age of 32. Goliath closed out July with a shock King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes success, beating Bluestocking as a 25-1 shot.

Opera Singer was the star of the show on the first of the month, winning what looked a competitive renewal of the Nassau Stakes under an inspired Ryan Moore. On the same card her Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate Jan Brueghel gave a hint at what was to come when winning the Gordon Stakes. Mick Appleby’s Big Evs was a popular winner of the King George Stakes, while fellow sprinter Bradsell travelled over to France for his first run in almost a year and returned with a win. Despite a strong challenge from the UK and Ireland, the Prix Maurice de Gheest stayed at home, won by Lazzat. Hayley Turner led the Ladies team in a successful defence of the Shergar Cup at Ascot. Jamie Osborne was the driving force behind Wales & The West winning the Racing League, in which his daughter Saffie was the leading rider for a third time. Roger Varian’s Charyn landed the Prix Jacques le Marois, as Charlie Appleby won the Arlington Million with Nations Pride. The Dante winner Economics was successful in France as his star continued to rise just before York’s Ebor meeting kicked off. The undoubted star of that was undoubtedly City Of Troy once more, in the Juddmonte International. Bradsell won the Nunthorpe as Vauban prevailed in the Lonsdale Cup and Content’s Yorkshire Oaks victory provided super-sire Galileo with his 100th individual Group One winner. Henry de Bromhead’s Magical Zoe won the Ebor.

Montassib stunned the Haydock crowd as he triumphed at odds of 25-1 for William Haggas in the Sprint Cup, with Tribalist shocking ParisLongchamp racegoers 24 hours later in making all to beat Charyn in the Moulin. Jan Brueghel graduated to Classic success on just his fourth career start as he won the St Leger for Aidan O’Brien and Sean Levey at Doncaster. Economics got the best of a thrilling three-way battle for the Irish Champion Stakes. Porta Fortuna secured a third successive Group One in the Matron Stakes and Kyprios again showed his star quality in the Irish St Leger. Bluestocking won the Prix Vermeille to mark herself as an Arc contender. Franny Norton ended his 36-year career in the saddle in the most fitting fashion, with a fairytale hat-trick of wins at his favourite track, Chester. Lake Victoria completed a quickfire Group One double, supplementing her Moyglare Stud Stakes win with victory in the Cheveley Park just under two weeks later. Shadow Of Light showed Godolphin could have a horse to reckon with next term by winning the Middle Park. Sir Michael Stoute announced he would retire from training at the end of the season. He will be forever associated with Shergar, the ill-fated 1981 Derby winner – but was responsible for so many other champions, with patience a key hallmark of his success, in a career that started in 1972.

Bluestocking was supplemented for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and justified that €120,000 decision as she took the autumn showpiece at ParisLongchamp. Makarova and Friendly Soul also chalked up British triumphs, in the Abbaye and Opera respectively, while Camille Pissarro just edged out Brian Meehan’s Rashabar in the Lagardere. Charlie Appleby may not have enjoyed a season that met his own high standards, but he rounded off in style as Desert Flower won the Fillies’ Mile and Shadow Of Light doubled up in the Dewhurst. Controversy reigned in the Cesarewitch though as Alphonse Le Grande came home first but it appeared his rider Jamie Powell had contravened the whip rules, with the horse duly disqualified the following Tuesday by the Whip Review Committee – a decision connections opted to challenge. Champions Day at Ascot saw Kyprios complete a perfect season in the Long Distance Cup, Kalapana announced herself as Juddmonte’s successor to Bluestocking and QEII hero Charyn cemented his position as the year’s top miler. The Champion Stakes itself produced a 40-1 shock as Anmaat prevailed for Owen Burrows. Jessica Harrington bagged the final British Group One of the year when Hotazhell shaded Delacroix to win Doncaster’s Futurity Trophy.

Lake Victoria sealed her superstar status with a spectacular Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf success at Del Mar, overcoming a troubled run to fairly sprint to a third top-level strike, with fellow Aidan O’Brien runner Henri Matisse on the mark in the colts’ version. The Juvenile Turf Sprint produced a moment to remember for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane as Magnum Force emerged victorious. City Of Troy proved a flop on his final career start as he trailed home in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt, but Rebel’s Romance in the Turf and Starlust in the Turf Sprint ensured the British party did not go home empty handed. Envoi Allen grabbed the first Grade One honours of the British and Irish jumping seasons in Down Royal’s Champion Chase. Jimmy Quinn retired on the final day of the Flat season, although there was no final win for him as Lord Melbourne lifted the November Handicap. Alphonse Le Grande was reinstated as the Cesarewitch winner following a successful appeal against the Whip Review Committee’s initial decision. Jonbon sparkled in the Shloer Chase, as Cheltenham’s November meeting was highlighted by Il Ridoto’s win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup. The fixture was, however, marred by three fatalities on the final afternoon, although a subsequent British Horseracing Authority investigation found no link between the deaths. Constitution Hill disappointed in a racecourse gallop at Newbury, with trainer Nicky Henderson later revealing his superstar was lame and would miss his intended reappearance in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. Royale Pagaille and Grey Dawning produced an exciting finish to the Betfair Chase, with the first-named runner just too strong at Haydock. Sir Gino marked himself a possible Champion Hurdle candidate as he strolled to success in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle on a day when Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid was the star turn in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

Lossiemouth lived up to the hype and emerged as a serious Champion Hurdle contender when showing far too much speed for Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, denying Gordon Elliott’s charge a third win in the race. Elliott had better luck with Croke Park in the Drinmore. Paul Nicholls finally took the wraps off record-breaking purchase Caldwell Potter who made a lovely chasing debut at Carlisle, but poor Jack Kennedy underwent surgery for a fifth leg break. There was glory for Marco Botti in Hong Kong as Giavellotto won the Vase while home favourites Ka Ying Rising took the Sprint and Romantic Warrior a third Cup.  At Sandown L’Eau Du Sud emerged as the best two-mile novice chaser to date in winning the Henry VIII while Jonbon undoubtedly sets the standard for the older horses having excelled in the Tingle Creek. Storm Darragh caused Aintree’s Becher Chase meeting to be abandoned. Dual Champion Chase winner Energumene emerged from a long absence to win the Hilly Way Chase. All eyes on Boxing Day were on Constitution Hill as he squared off against Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park. In the end there was only one horse in it, as Constitution Hill showed he is still the undisputed king after a year on the sidelines. The King George went to Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge, ridden by Paul Townend, and there was a big winner for Harry Redknapp when his The Jukebox Man won the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.