Slade Steel shows his mettle to rule supreme at Cheltenham

Slade Steel

was an impressive winner of the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle as the 2024 Festival got under way.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, the 7-2 chance travelled in the middle of the field and stalked the leaders before mounting a challenge on the turn for home.

Then he began to pick off the horses ahead of him and jumped into the lead before accelerating again up the hill when strongly challenged by Mystical Power, taking top honours by a length and a half.

“I’m delighted with him, Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team – they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and we need to just avoid him, so that’s what we did and it’s worked out really well for us,” said De Bromhead.

"I'm delighted with him, Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team - they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and we need to just avoid him, so that's what we did and it's worked out really well for us," said De Bromhead.

Blackmore - who in 2021 became the first woman to be crowned top rider at the Festival - said: "It's unbelievable, I obviously love this place and it's just amazing to be coming here, riding these brilliant horses. Henry trains them every year to come here and the way he does it is incredible.

“I was always travelling. I didn’t really want to be in front jumping the last, but he kind of took me there and battled back so well after the last.

“It’s what every jockey wants to happen - to win the first race, to get that done. Getting to win the first race on the Tuesday is just massive. I’ve been so lucky here the last couple of years on the Tuesday, and I can’t believe my luck is continuing.

“I knew I had a really good chance coming into the race. He’s a really, really tough horse with a massive future. He battled back really well after the line, and I think he won with a little bit [in hand] as well. It was a really good performance. He’s progressing all the time. He stuck his head down and battled back really well to the line. They’re two very good horses, the first and second.

“I was confident about him over two miles, especially after riding him in Leopardstown the last day. Prior to that, I maybe wouldn’t have been as confident, but he jumped much sharper that day, he travelled really well beside Ballyburn; he did things that suggested he would be 100% in a two-mile race, and with the ground going the way it was, that was a help as well.

“He tanked me down between the first and second [hurdles], but then he was really relaxed for the rest of the race. He’s a dream ride, really - he’s very straightforward.

“I could feel him picking up, I was headed but I never thought I wasn’t going to battle [after the final flight]. I knew after two strides that I was going to get there. A lot can change between the last and the line here, so you don’t want to get there too quick.”

Mystical Power's trainer Wille Mullins said: "He looked like he had come to win the race, but the winner just outstayed him. I'd say the winner was probably idling when he hit the front.

"It's exciting that he was able to run so well on that ground, he will be much better on a better surface, we think. He's come a hell of a long way since he made his debut in Ballinrobe."

Mullins was also responsible for unplaced 11-4 favourite Tullyhill and added: "Tullyhill was disappointing. Paul (Townend) wasn't happy with him from halfway, even going down to the start he wasn't the usual Tullyhill.

"Asian Master ran a great race and he gave young Thomas Costello a great spin and he gave him every chance to win, I was very happy with him and Supersundae also ran well.

"You'd obviously like to get number one on the board sooner rather than later, but it's great for Henry and great for Robcour."