The Cheltenham Festival is around the corner, and Racing TV journalist Ash Symonds has his say on the horses that could cause some trouble at the festival.
Symonds said there are “a couple on his list” to do well at Britain’s biggest jumps festival.
“I like the look of Echoing Silence in the mayor’s novice hurdle; she’s trained by Henry de Bromhead, who won the race last year. She’s looked smart so far; she won nicely at Punchestown before Christmas, and it seems like this has been a long-term plan, so it’s one to look out for.”
“Another one that’s looking nice is Meet Me By the Sea in the Jack Richards Limited Novices’ Handicap Chase on the Thursday; you hear things from around the ground.”
“I suppose this one’s a massive price, but Dream On Baby. She’s 33/1 now, but she trained with Willie Mullins. She’s been going on well this season, and there’s a lot of scope to her, so I think she will do well.”
In the Gold Cup, Symonds believes there are a few that can pop up and take the title with the race being wide open.
“In terms of Jukebox Man, he’s won the King George, and he’s run over three miles over fences. He’s won twice, so he’s in for a good chance.”
“I think the British have got a really good chance in the Gold Cup, because I’m not too fond of Gaelic Warrior in the length and jumps, and Gallopin Des Champs is showing signs of being past it, so Jango Baine is looking good also.”
The news broke last week of Constitution Hill not entering the festival after a disappointing year in 2025 on the jumps with falls in Aintree and Cheltenham.
Symonds said it was “disappointing” to not see the superstar horse being named at the festival, but it’s understandable that he will stay on the flats.
“It’s pretty sad to be honest. Constitution Hill is probably one of the best horses I’ve seen in my lifetime. To not have him running over jumps is sad, even without the conversation of if it’s right to do so. I don’t think any decision was a wrong decision.
“Obviously, he’s fallen in three of his last four, so that was the thing to look at, but Nicky Henderson is an intelligent man, a smart man and a fantastic trainer, and if he saw me going into Punchestown, Aintree and Newcastle, where on two of those occasions he did fall, then he wouldn’t have run him. So there must have been something that’s happened on the track that has led to him making the decision, but it will be exciting to see him on the flats.”
The journalist was also sceptical of proposals to change the dates from Tuesday to Friday to Wednesday and Saturday, seeing tradition needing to be kept.
“I don’t think it’s needed, but I do get why they are making a decision. I know someone high up in the Cheltenham process, and they were saying if they moved it to Saturday, then we would still get the buzz of the start of the festival, then the Gold Cup on the Friday, and then we would substitute one of the days with bad ticket sales, and hopefully more people would come on the Saturday, but there needs to be a keeping of tradition and some sort of normality within the sport, and Tuesday to Friday at the Cheltenham festival means we don’t have to compete with any other sporting event, which helps out.”
“I think the reason why people aren’t coming anymore is because of money; ticket prices are going up, and they can still do okay, but they can be more lenient than accommodation around the town is sucking it out, really. The penny will drop eventually, and when people stop coming, then they will be more lenient, but the Cheltenham Festival won’t be saved by just Saturday.”
