From Brazil to Saratoga via the Cotswalds

Four years ago, this week, Curragh based trainer, Padraig Roche, had one of the greatest successes of his short training career when his horse, Brazil, owned by JP McManus and ridden by Clane’s Mark Walsh, won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham at 10/1. Brazil, originally from the Aidan O’Brien Yard at Ballydoyle, beat the hot favourite Gaelic Warrior, to claim a famous first Cheltenham success for Roche, son of the famous Christy, the former three-time Irish Derby winner who also had success in the Epsom Derby and Epsom Oaks.

Now the trio of Roche, Walsh and McManus hope to repeat that success with Saratoga, a half-brother to Brazil, in the same race, now called the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, on the opening day of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

“We got him late last year, he came out of Ballydoyle,” Padraig told The Kildare Nationalist from the track on Monday morning. 

“We gelded him straight away and that took a bit of time. We then ran him in Punchestown. He has been running well so hopefully there is a bit of improvement,” he added. The horse also had outings in Naas in January and February this year finishing third and second respectively under Mark Walsh.

Roche is thrilled with the support he receives from owner, JP McManus. 

“We’re only a small Yard with barely 20 horses so for JP to give us a horse like Saratoga shows his support and he has supported us from Day 1 and it would be great to repay him with a winner,” he told us.

The horse travelled over to Cheltenham on Sunday and wasn’t seriously affected by the ferry issues at Holyhead as Padraig Roche explained. 

“He got here yesterday, travelled over well and ate and drank up well this morning which is something you like to see. He got delayed a bit but he wasn’t too bad. We were diverted to Liverpool but there wasn’t a bad trip down so it didn’t seem to inconvenience him anyhow,” he explained.

Speaking of preparations for Tuesday’s race Padraig Roche said, “He wouldn't be doing much on Monday. A bit of light exercise and he’ll go for a walk and a pick of grass around four o’clock. He’ll have his dinner then and hopefully he’ll be alright to race on Tuesday,” he said. 

“On Tuesday morning we will just stretch his legs, no major exercise. All that was done at home. It’s about keeping him happy and keeping him eating and drinking, give him his breakfast and he’ll be ready to go hopefully,” he continued.

Monasterevin jockey, Aidan Kelly did all the schooling on Saratoga and Katie Young looks after him so she and Padraig Roche travelled over to Cheltenham with Tuesday’s hopeful. He is happy with the expected going for the two-and-a-half-mile race. 

“I walked it there this morning. They have it down as good to soft but I’d say in Irish terms it’s probably yielding to good, I’d say. Saratoga is a good mover so I can’t see the ground being an issue for him. He was a good stayer on the flat too,” he said.

Just as his previous and only Cheltenham success, Brazil, was ridden by Roche’s great friend, Mark Walsh so too will Saratoga be ridden by the Clane jockey, who is having a very successful season. 

“I know Mark since we were twelve or thirteen. He started off in Dad’s Yard. It’s great to have Mark, any time you can get Mark to ride one is always a bonus,” he said.

Roche and Walsh made a decent start to the week when they came third with 11/8 favourite, Sine Qua Non, in Naas on Sunday. “He’s a nice horse and we had a winner earlier in the week so the horses are running well so we can’t complain,” Padraig Roche says.

The Curragh based trainer will watch Tuesday’s race unfold from where the Stable Staff meet with recollections of Brazil’s win still in his mind. 

“It was a great day, unbelievable. To come here with a horse that has a chance is great and to win is even better,” he said with pride. Looking forward to the race Roche, who says he doesn’t get nervous before races, said, “I hope we get a bit of luck and hopefully things don’t go wrong. Hopefully he’ll get a good trip round and that he jumps well. If he turns in with a chance we’ll be delighted and if he wins, we’ll be over the moon.” There will be no last-minute instructions from the trainer to jockey Mark Walsh though. 

“All I’ll say to him is the Best of Luck. There is not much point in me telling Mark Walsh how to ride. Did you ever see me riding,” he laughs. “He knows the horse inside out. He’s after riding him three times now so there is not much point in me telling Mark what to do,” he concludes.

Padraig Roche’s horse, Saratoga, ridden by Mark Walsh, runs in the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at 2.40pm on Tuesday, Day 1 of Cheltenham Festival 2026. He is currently 7/1 in the market.