The Cheltenham Festival results on Tuesday 14th March saw the Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill win the day’s feature race – the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
Cheltenham Festival Results on Tuesday: Henderson Wins His Nineth Champion Hurdle
It was all about two horses on day one of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. Firstly – Constitution Hill as the Nicky Henderson star hurdler won the Champion Hurdle in great fashion. The win gave Henderson his ninth win in the ‘day one’ feature race and he looks like he could be mopping up a few more with this horse.
But despite his demolition-job, he shared the spoils on day one with Honeysuckle, who was winning her fourth Festival race. She took the Mares’ Hurdle in gutsy fashion – the second time she’s won this race having landed the pot back in 20202 too. Of course, she’s also a two-time Champion Hurdler, so her win today – which could be her last run – has cemented her in the Festival hall-of-fame.
See below the full list of Cheltenham results on day one.
Cheltenham Festival Results on Tuesday March 14 2023
1.30: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle ITV1
1st: Marine Nationale 9/2
2nd Facile Vega 9/4 fav
3rd Diverge 25/1
Winning jockey: Michael O’Sullivan
Winning trainer: Barry Connell
It was an Irish 1-2-3 in the 2023 Cheltenham Festival opener as the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale remained unbeaten to run down Facile Vega up the hill. In fact, it was an Irish whitewash as they trained the first 8 home! The win for Marine Nationale was his fifth in-a-row now and with this one his best yet, it’s anyone’s guess where he’ll end up – maybe in the 2024 Champion Hurdle?
2.10: Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase ITV1
1st: El Fabiolo 11/10 fav
2nd: Jonbon 2/1
3rd: Saint Roi 11/1
Winning jockey: Paul Townend
Winning trainer: W P Mullins
The 2023 Arkle Novices’ Chase was a cracker. A some point all the main fancies – Jonbon, El Fabiolo and Dysart Dynamo had a squeak. However, it was the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo that was add this race to his Irish Arkle success of last month. It was the 9th win in the race for Mullins. The Champion Chase or Ryanair Chase in 2024 could be where we see El Fabiolo at the next Festival.
2.50: Ultima Handicap Chase ITV1
1st: Corach Rambler (6/1 jfav)
2nd: Fastorslow (7/1)
3rd: Monbeg Genius (6/1 jfav)
4th: The Goffer (7/1)
Winning jockey: Derek Fox
Winning trainer: Lucinda Russell
It was a case of Deja vu here as the 2022 Ultima Handicap Chase winner – Corach Rambler – repeated the feat. The Lucinda Russell-trained 9 year-old was switched off at the back, but – like last year – came with a well-timed run up the inner to do in again. He’s added the to list of repeat winners in the race, with Un Temps Pour Tout winning the pot in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017.
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3.30: Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy ITV1
1st: Constitution Hill (4/11 fav)
2nd: State Man (7/2)
3rd: Zanahiyr (66/1)
Winning jockey: Nico de Boinville
Winning trainer: Nicky Henderson
Wow! Constitution Hill didn’t disappoint here as the Nicky Henderson runner powered home to win by 9 lengths – with the Irish Champion Hurdler – State Man – way back in silver. The win broke many records. It was the nineth Champion Hurdle for trainer Nicky Henderson. While having returned 4/11 became the shortest-priced Champion Hurdle winner ever. He was also the first Supreme winner (from 2022) to follow up in the Champion Hurdle the following year since Bula in 1971. A day of record breakers and at the age of just 6 you suspect there are more records to be smashed with Constitution Hill.
4.10: Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle ITV1
1st: Honeysuckle (9/4 jfav)
2nd: Love Envoi (11/1)
3rd: Queens Brook (16/1)
Winning jockey: Rachael Blackmore
Winning trainer: Henry De Bromhead
She did it! Honeysuckle won her fourth Cheltenham Festival race after battling to take the Mares’ Hurdle – a race she won back in 2020. In between these wins against the girl’s she mopped up two Champion Hurdles and with talk of retirement on the cards could have bowed out on the highest of the high. We probably won’t hear a bigger cheer all week from the Cheltenham crowd – we’ll just have to see if that was the last time we all see her on the track.
4.50: Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle RTV
1st: Jazzy Matty (18/1)
2nd: Byker (6/1)
3rd: Risk Belle (10/1)
4th: Sundial (18/1)
Winning jockey: Michael O’Sullivan
Winning trainer: Gordon Elliott
The poor record of Willie Mullins continued in this race as his hot favourite – Tekao – jumped badly and bombed out. However, Gordon Elliott was proving this was one of his best Festival races – winning it for a fourth time since 2013. This time it was Jazzy Matty that did the business under a power-paced ride from jockey Michael O’Sullivan. Byker, for trainer Charles Byrnes was only just beaten, back in second by a neck.
5.30: NH Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase RTV
1st: Gaillard Du Mesnil (10/11 fav)
2nd: Chemical Energy (8/1)
3rd: Mister Coffey (11/1)
Winning jockey: Patrick Mullins
Winning trainer: Willie Mullins
Gaillard Du Mesnil sent favourite backers home smiling with a win that didn’t look likely a few fences out. The Willie Mullins grey seemed to have a lot to do, but a crashing fall two out from Mahler Mission opened up the race. Patrick Mullins, who has been patient in riding this Irish National third, picked up the pieces to run down Chemical Energy and deny jockey Jamie Codd another win in the race he loves to target. A double on the day for Willie Mullins and takes his Festival tally to 90.
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