Flooring Porter put in a stunning performance when making all under last minute super-sub jockey Danny Mullins to land the 3m Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle on day three of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. The rapidly improving six-year-old, who was sent off 12/1, ran his rivals ragged and turning for home was still pulling double. He then found plenty on the stiff uphill run-in to beat dual Cheltenham Festival winner Sire Du Berlais by 3 1/4 lengths, with 2019 winner Paisley Park finishing third.
It was a second winner at the Cheltenham Festival for trainer Gavin Cromwell following Espoir d’Allen in the 2019 Unibet Champion Hurdle and a first for jockey Mullins, who only came in for the ride following Jonathan Moore’s decision to stand himself down on the morning of the race. Flooring Porter is now the 6/1 favourite with the sponsors for next year’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle followed in the betting by Paisley Park at 12/1. Cromwell told the post-race press conference:
“That was a huge performance. Danny gave him a smashing ride. It’s very unfortunate for Johnny Moore that he couldn’t ride him. He had a bad fall on Sunday and he thought he was going to be ok, but he rode this horse out this morning and he made the decision that he wouldn’t do the horses justice today.
“Thankfully and rightfully so, he stood himself down, and he suggested Danny would be well suited to the horse. Johnny has ridden him all along and brought him all the way to here, and it is very unfortunate for him. It’s all down to Johnny’s instructions – he’s a quirky ride and he gave Danny plenty of instructions. Hats off to Johnny; so unselfish. I’m very grateful to him.”
Cromwell admitted it was a “fairytale” to win at the Cheltenham Festival again. He added: “He won a Grade B handicap in Navan back in early December. It wasn’t the plan to make the running with him, but he barged his way to the front and won very well on the day. He decided on his tactics, so we went along with that, and it has proved to be the way to ride him.
“He is owned by a syndicate from Galway. Ned Hogarty fronts it up and they’re a great bunch of lads. It’s an awful pity they can’t be here. Ned owns a carpet shop and one of the other guys owns a pub, hence the name Flooring Porter. We won a Champion Hurdle a couple of years ago and it was massive. I didn’t think I’d ever win a race in Cheltenham, and to come back and win a second one is fantastic.”
Allaho gave Rachael Blackmore her fourth Grade 1 winner at the meeting when landing the 2m 4f Ryanair Chase in spectacular fashion. The Willie Mullins trained seven-year-old jumped bodly at the head of affairs after taking up the running at the third and set a scorching pace which quickly had most of his 10 rivals under pressure. Allaho then quickly went clear when shaken-up after jumping the third last and despite being far from fluent at the final fence strolled home by 12 lengths from the running-on Fakir D’oudairies.
It was a simply breathtaking and powerful display and one which saw him installed as a rather generous looking 5/1 favourite to retain his crown in 2022. Blackmore, who had won the Unibet Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle on the opening day, before adding the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle with Bob Olinger and the Weatherbys Champion Bumper with Sir Gerhardd on day two, described her week as out of this world. The 31-year-old said:
“It’s incredible! I’m very grateful to be getting these opportunities. He put in a fair performance. He jumped and galloped everywhere. I never felt like I was out of my comfort zone anywhere. It was fantastic. I was happy to let my lad gallop and jump and it worked today. He was happy, travelling underneath me and comfortable in front. When they aren’t comfortable and you are forcing them, that’s when you are maybe going too quick. Every horse is different and I was just letting him gallop and jump at the speed he wanted and trying to get breathers into him in a few places. I got a great thrill riding him.”
Jockey Nico de Boinville insisted “never discount Nicky Henderson” after helping to deliver the trainer’s 70th career victory at the Cheltenham Festival when Chantry House won the Grade 1 2m 4f Marsh Novices’ Chase. All talk ahead of the race had been about Envoi Allen, a dual Festival winner who was unbeaten in 11 starts under rules. But the 4/9 favourite parted company with Jack Kennedy at the fourth fence, leaving Dan Skelton’s Shan Blue to press on at the head of affairs.
His jockey Harry Skelton quickly decided to take no prisoners and kicked for home a long way out. It was a bad tactical move which saw his mount a spent force two from home. Chantry House, 9/1, then took up the running and after a good jump at the last galloped on strongly to account for Fusil Raffles by three lengths. De Boinville told ITV Racing:
“He was third in the Supreme last year, all credit to the team at home for bringing him back. He slightly struggled in the soft ground round here in December and I’m just absolutely delighted. I hope Envoi Allen is alright. Never discount Nicky Henderson round here, or ever. It’s been a tough couple of months, but the horses seem to be returning to form. Trust in the Guv’nor!”
Giving an update on Envoi Allen, a disappointed Kennedy said: “He is fine, so that’s the main thing. He was very keen down over the first few fences and he was very brave over the first two. He went down and popped the third fence then and I thought he might be settling into it, but he went down and let fly at that one and fell. That’s hugely disappointing, but we live to fight another day.”