Cheltenham Festival 2015: The 5 best rides of the week

Last year's second Glens Melody went one better this year in the Mares' Hurdle. #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/dDPKq5eDQy

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 10, 2015

Peace And Co – Triumph Hurdle

Friday started with an incredible 1-2-3 in the Triumph Hurdle for Nicky Henderson when Peace And Co beat Top Notch and Hargam with an impressive turn of foot under a supremely confident Barry Geraghty. He was a bit keen early on but once he settled down, he travelled strongly through the race and with the rain softened ground, Geragthy was mindful to reserve his winning run until the final flight where Top Notch who has looked a stayer looked to have the upper hand for a brief moment but the kick was decisive enough to seal the victory. The training feat here of Nicky Henderson deserves to be highlighted as bringing along juveniles isn’t the easiest thing to do as they are essentially babies in the National Hunt sphere.

Henderson's three juvenile musketeers: PEACE AND CO (left) beats second TOP NOTCH (centre) and third HARGAM (right) pic.twitter.com/xWFbXqeKil

— Channel 4 Racing (@Channel4Racing) March 13, 2015

Faugheen – Champion Hurdle

Willie Mullins already had two on the board. Faugheen was many people’s banker of the week in a race hyped up for several months to be fought out by three horses which also included The New One and Jezki. Ruby Walsh was allowed to make his own running and control the race but still, a bad mistake two out could have ended his chances as you cannot make any errors but he instantly came back on the bridle and the turn of foot he showed against proven horses was sublime.

Total silence at Coral HQ as Faugheen crosses the line.

— Coral (@Coral) March 10, 2015

The effort of the winner was superb but the other placed horses deserve their accolades with Arctic Fire running the race of his life in second and Hurricane Fly yet again showing his longetivity with an unbelievable effort in third, yet another advert for the excellence of Willie Mullins.

Coneygree – Gold Cup

To think the week couldn’t get any more dramatic or have performances like Vautour and Faugheen being eclipsed. Well we were wrong. The performance of Coneygree was just sensational, almost Denmanesque the way the put his rivals to the sword with his slick, fast jumping and one by one, his competitors fell away. Former Gold Cup winners Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere were put into trouble some way out and the antepost favourite Silviniaco Conti didn’t seem to look happy today with him jumping out to the right. He was beaten by the third last but in the back of your mind, you were waiting for Coneygree to stop. But he didn’t.

This was Gold Cup winner Coneygree with an unbelievable leap at Newbury after 671 days off in late November. pic.twitter.com/Vjx1x0FsRj

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 14, 2015

For a novice to win the Gold Cup as well on only his fourth chase start is something that only dreams are made of. For the Bradstocks, a famous success for a small yard who work so hard with this being their second Festival success after King Harald in 2005. The runs of both Djakadam and Road To Riches made it a classic Gold Cup to remember and we only hope they all return next year against the likes of Don Poli and Vautour.