‘I’m going into it thinking he’s got a lovely chance’ – this week’s key Cheltenham Festival quotes

Maybe our guy rode the first balloon and hopefully this run will get him used to the English white fences. Although he was tutored about her at home, he didn’t seem as happy about it there as he was in March. Hopefully by March this year we’ll have all that ironed out.
Willie Mullins believes the white obstacles played a role in Energumene’s shock defeat in Saturday’s Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham

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I know for a fact that Alan King and Willie Mullins are not going to give me that kind of lead in a Champion Chase but my colleague has now won three at Cheltenham including a Grade 1 so I will be dreaming a dream.
Niall Houlihan dreams of Champion Chase glory on Editeur Du Gite after a superb ride at the front to defeat market leaders Energumene and Edwardstone in the Clarence House Chase

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Shishkin is not in the Champion Chase and the plan is to continue at Ascot Chase on February 18th. I hope then that we will go to Ryanair with him.
Despite some calls to add Shishkin, last season’s Champion Chase favorite, for this year’s race, his trainer Nicky Henderson reiterated that he plans to join his two-time Cheltenham Festival winner on the journey

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In my heart it means nothing and we’re still on our way to the Gold Cup. I really had to put him down for Haydock, and I did, and I know how to do it, but if you get here as good as Haydock, you’re not going to get out in time to pick up a Gold Cup. His Haydock run is overlooked because he finished fourth today and was underwhelming, but I know why that happened. I trusted him and thought I had done enough, but the evidence suggests that wasn’t the case.
Dan Skelton is undeterred after Betfair Chase winners Protectorate finished fourth in the Cotswold Chase for which he was sent off as a favourite

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Protectorate: Betfair Chase winners remain firmly on Gold Cup course after Cotswold Chase fourthCredit: John Grossick

We’re a bit nervous about the ground with him so we won’t be tempted to overtake him and we’ll just go straight to Cheltenham.
Gordon Elliott chooses Conflated not to defend his Irish Gold Cup crown and instead skips the Dublin Racing Festival to go straight to the Gold Cup

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I think the Gold Cup is an open race. I’m heartbroken that Bravemansgame was watching in their box on Saturday. I wouldn’t have wanted to drive it at this proving ground and I didn’t feel I had to let it run. Hopefully we’ll have him at his best in March on a nice spring course. He’s really good looking and I’m going with that and I think he has a nice chance.
Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls reflects on the Gold Cup image after the Cotswold Chase

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Last time I had no idea how he was going to progress as he came from the point-to-point field. This time I figured if we get him in the top three I won’t look stupid for the entries we made for the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett and I’m glad of that.
Syd Hosie to Rock My Way gave the owner trainer his first graded win in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on the day of the trials at Cheltenham

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By letting him run we should find out and I’d rather pop my balloon against a good horse in a Grade 1 than get beaten in a normal race, although perhaps some of the Irish will see what Rock My Way has done , and fear us. It also helps as a guide to the Cheltenham Festival and whether we choose the Ballymore or Albert Bartlett.
Weveallbeencaught co-owner Jimmy Wenman on the prospect of flying the flag for Britain at the Dublin Racing Festival

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It was absolute rubbish. He’s fine. He galloped on Saturday and is in a good shape and will work tomorrow. I’m very happy with where we are and we will now start his preparation for Cheltenham.
Henderson dismisses speculation on social media that Constitution Hill’s favorite, who has a chance of Champion Hurdle, has suffered a setback

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She is in the champion’s corral and needs to be supplemented for the mare’s corral, but eventually will be – that’s easily possible. No one is going to make up their minds right this minute and it could go either way.
Henderson keeps festival options open for Epatante after the 2020 hurdles champion heroine got back to winning ways in a Class 2 mares hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday

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She will feel more at home in a faster race. I’m not sure she’s smart enough at two miles as she moves up the class so I would imagine the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham will be her next port of call.
Mullins at Echoes In Rain after her she was cut from 10-1 to 6-1 by Paddy Power for the Mares’ Hurdle after winning at Sunday’s Limestone Lad Hurdle in Naas

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Princess Zoe: ready for Cheltenham Festival after hushed up on her hurdling debutCredit: Patrick McCann

I was surprised when Danny [Mullins] told me because she had gas early in the morning he thinks she didn’t come home. So the logical path seems to be the Mares’ Novice instead of the Albert Bartlett at the moment. She has adapted well to jumping. She was brave and I was very happy about that.
Tony Mullins after his Group 1 winning mare Princess Zoe was beaten to death in her hurdles debut on Monday at Punchestown

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We think she is a very intelligent mare. She wasn’t straight today so she could improve but it was a good run and we’re very happy. We’ll definitely be checking out Mares’ Novice Hurdle – she loves Cheltenham.
Fergal O’Brien is hoping to return to Cheltenham with Bonttay, who won two bumpers at the track last season after hitting the bull’s eye via hurdles in Exeter on Wednesday

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We originally bought him to run in the Triumph Hurdle but when we monetized him last year there were complications and he nearly died. We didn’t manage to get him out until Christmas. Looking at this, I imagine we’ll go for the Supreme over the Ballymore. He’s a very sharp horse.
Willie Mullins after Diverge showed up at Punchestown on Monday to further bolster his novice hurdle options at Cheltenham

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The track probably suited him and he definitely deserved his chance at Cheltenham at every race. I wouldn’t mind riding him anyway.
Jonjo O’Neill Jr. hopes to keep the ride in Joseph O’Brien’s comfort zone after guiding him to victory in the Grade 2 Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle

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He is ultra-consistent, always runs his race and recently ran really well in a hot handicap. He deserves a big race or Saturday win. I pinned him at the Coral Chase in Kempton earlier in the week and it’s certainly possible he’s going to Cheltenham too.
Milton Harris is eyeing a slant on the Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate with Jacamar after the eight-year-old’s confidence-inspiring win at Leicester on Wednesday

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Read these next:

‘It’s hard to believe he’s still 25-1’ – five Cheltenham clues from last week

“25-1 is too big” – Ante Post value for the Novice Hurdles at Cheltenham Festival

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