Eleven Irish runners declared for Cheltenham Hunter Chase

Image © Healy Racing

A capacity field of 24 runners has been declared for this year’s St. James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase, which sees a quartet of Irish-trained horses at the top of the market for the centrepiece of the hunter chase season.

Former Cheltenham Festival winner Angels Dawn bids for her second victory at Prestbury Park, and having long held the position at the summit of the ante-post markets for the race, she was joined as the joint-favourite by Willitgoahead following the publication of the final field.

The seven-year-old has a new owner and trainer having been bought by Noel and Valerie Moran in the days ahead of the race to join new trainer Gordon Elliott. He had been under the care of Sean Doyle when impressively winning a hunter chase in Thurles, his fourth win this season from five outings.

Although having left Doyle’s care, his stable jockey Jamie Scallan retains the ride.

It’s On The Line has filled the runners-up spot in the last two renewals of the race, although he did go on to win at both the Aintree and Punchestown Festivals following his three-quarter length defeat in last year’s edition.

Emmet Mullins’ eight-year-old has over 29 lengths to find with Ryehill following their meeting at Naas last month, and he will continue his excellent partnership with Lee Shanahan who will have his first ride at the Cheltenham Festival.

Rocky’s Howya was unlucky not to finish second in the 2023 edition of the race when stopped in his tracks by a loose horse, and the former champion point-to-pointer returned to winning ways at Cragmore in January following an absence which kept him off the track throughout all of last season.

Declan Queally, the son and namesake of the nine-year-old’s trainer, will be aboard, whilst Rob James has come in for the ride aboard Wonderwall.

The nine-year-old is Sam Curling’s second runner in the race, and with Derek O’Connor, who was aboard for his two wins at Loughrea and Damma House, unsurprisingly siding with Its On The Line, it is the reigning joint-champion point-to-point rider who will be aboard.

There are a pair of father and son combinations, Adrian and Don Browne combine with West Of Carrig, whilst Charlie and Tom Mullins will be represented by the former Munster National winner Ontheropes.

Carnfunnock has won each of his last two starts at Tyrella and Kirkistown, and Stephen Connor remains in the plate aboard Stuart Crawford’s charge.

Whilst the final Irish runners are both outsiders. Barry O’Neill rides the former Cheltenham Festival-placed Plan Of Attack for Henry de Bromhead, whilst Darragh Allen has been booked by Eleanor Broderick to ride her Fairyhouse winner Lisleigh Lad.

Galway rider Eoin Mahon will also feature in the race after he secured the ride aboard David Loughnane’s Fakenham winner Bardenstown Lad.