BY SEÁN HOLLAND
ROSSCARBERY’S Brian Hayes knows what it’s like to ride a winner at Cheltenham – he had his first-ever festival winner last year on board Impervious. Here he talks us through what makes the Cheltenham Festival so unique.
What makes the Cheltenham festival so special?
‘It’s like an All-Ireland final. The Olympics. It's what we all aim for during the year. Everything seems to be building up to these four days – it's the end goal. It's where you want to have the winners and everything just seems to be just a pre-race for this festival. Even at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown at Christmas, it's all about “what race will you go for in Cheltenham?” It's the pinnacle of our sport, where you want to be and where you want to have a winner. Also, everyone seems to watch Cheltenham, not just the general racing community. For these four days, the public gets so involved in all the action.’
What’s the atmosphere like in Cheltenham for the week?
‘It's a real pressure environment, and a lot different to the Aintree Grand National, which is a big meeting too, but that's more relaxed. Cheltenham is all pressure, you have a lot of very important horses running in very big races. Even in the weighing room itself, everyone's a little bit on edge. The relief, if things do go right, is massive in Cheltenham.
How hard is it to focus on a race when there is so much pressure?
‘You just try and do your homework, have a picture of the race in your mind and how it could go, know the different horses in the race that you're up against and their strengths and weaknesses, and you have a plan in your head of how you think the race will pan out. When it doesn't happen then how you planned it, then it's trying to have a Plan B in your mind as well and just to try and go with Plan B, which often happens.’
What does it feel like riding a winner in Cheltenham?
‘It's relief, first, that you've done it. As you go through riding winners on horses in general, they last a couple of days and then it's on to the next one. But a Cheltenham winner seems to last a long time; it seems to last forever. It's not forgotten. I even remember Whyso Mayo winning for Ray Hurley many moons ago. You’d still remember it. Cheltenham winners are always remembered.’
What are your goals for Cheltenham 2024?
‘I have no signature horse, you could say, for this week. Unfortunately, Impervious is injured so I don't have any definite horse to ride with a big chance. I'm going over there in hope more than anything else that I might get on one or two of Willie's (Mullins) in a few races. It's more of a journey in hope than anything.’
Give us one longshot and one NAP for the festival?
‘For a long shot, there is a West Cork horse called Da Capo Glory. He's entered in two races over there. I think he might travel and if he turns up there, he's a good outside chance. Paudie Butler is a very good, shrewd, young trainer coming through and you never know. Cheltenham has those winners too. Then from my NAP I’ll go for El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase.
