Cheltenham Festival: Double delight for Kildare as Saratoga wins Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival has delivered a magnificent double win for Kildare, as 10/1 Saratoga emerged victorious in the two-mile McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

The Lilies behind the triumph are Curragh trainer Padraig Roche and Clane jockey Mark Walsh.

“(Saratoga) travelled great and jumped well, and Mark said he stayed well," Roche said after the win.

"They went a good gallop too, which helps. He’d run well against a good mare (at Naas) and we thought he’d improve, which he did.

“We came here by near enough the same route when we won this with Brazil, who is his half-brother, and after Christmas we thought we might have a chance. So we’ve had it in mind for a while.

“Getting the horses is half the battle and luckily Frank (Berry) and JP agreed to buy him. We are delighted to have him. He’s very straightforward.

“We would only have 12 or 13 jumpers and five or six for the Flat - that’s all we have. Today was what mattered. We’ll find out if he’s a bit better than a handicapper down the road.” 

It is the second time Roche has won at Cheltenham, while Walsh the victory is Walsh's 15th at the famous festival, and the pair, who have been close friends for years teamed up to win the same race with Brazil in 2022.

“I got a great start, I got out where I wanted to be and was sitting third or fourth and they went a good gallop and he jumped great," Clane jockey Walsh said.

"Sam Twiston-Davies actually said to me, going down to the fifth-last hurdle, a few of these horses in front of us aren’t going to be good enough to lead us, so going to the second-last hurdle I pulled out. Going to the last I sent him on again.

“You’d be hoping that this horse is good enough for Graded races. He gave me a very good feel.

“I was very disappointed with Mighty Park in the first race - he jumped and travelled great; when I asked him to pick up the pace he just struggled and couldn’t quicken enough. He’s probably going to be a stayer in time. It was only his second racecourse run so it was a big ask for him. We gave it a shot, anyway.” 

It was Cheltenham win number 85 for JP McManus, the festival's most successful ever trainer, on the day he celebrated his 75th birthday.

“Every winner at Cheltenham is very, very special," McManus said. "That one I go back a long way with Padraig’s father, Christy. 

"I owned the horse’s [half] brother a couple of years ago, Brazil. They were praying that the ground would be fast, as he bounces off it. They were worried the ground might be a bit too soft for him a couple of weeks ago, but every day it was drying out. We are very happy with the horse.

“We’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve had some great days here. Everybody leans towards coming to Cheltenham and it means so much to so many. I’m delighted that one has won for Padraig.”