Rocky’s Diamond could round off his excellent season at the Punchestown Festival after finishing fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Declan Queally’s stable star has come a long way since landing a handicap hurdle at Gowran Park in early October, going on to finish third as a 66-1 shot for a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas before proving that effort was no fluke with a Grade Two win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park.
Rocky’s Diamond was a 28-1 shot for the day three feature at Prestbury Park last week and ran a fine race to finish fourth, beaten just over 10 lengths by the winner Bob Olinger. Queally said: “He’s come back from Cheltenham in good form and it was a hell of a run for a five-year-old, we were delighted with him.”
“He’ll probably go to Punchestown and that’d be it I’d say (for the season). I don’t think we’ll go to Aintree, I’m just hoping we might get a bit of rain in April/May and Punchestown will come up safe, but if the ground is too good, we might not even run. It’s been a crazy season with him, but he’s done nothing but improve and if he can get a bit stronger with a summer’s grass, he could be a very good horse next year.”
Whether Rocky’s Diamond will stick to long-distance hurdles or pursue a career over fences next season is yet to be decided, with Queally adding: “We’ll have to make a decision on whether we go novice chasing or stick to the staying hurdle route and I honestly don’t know which way we’ll go, to be honest. I’ll have to speak to his owner and it will be his call I’d say.”
The article discusses the Cheltenham Festival 2025, highlighting various key performances by racehorses and jockeys. After last week, the conversation has sparked interest about early predictions for the next Cheltenham Festival, slated for 2026. Punters are looking ahead, despite the uncertainty of a year ahead of the event.
Jimmy Du Seuil returned after 313 days from the track, making headlines with comparisons to others like Marine Nationale, Bob Olinger, and Golden Ace. The beauty of the Festival, however, was the diversity in winners, with the elite owners like McManus and Robcour enjoying themselves, as well as owners with fewer horses, such as those behind Kopek Des Bordes, who found success amid vocal support.
Rachael Blackmore made a triumphant return this year following her disappointing season, accompanied by Henry de Bromhead, who also celebrated success. Gordon Elliott was finally rewarded for his efforts, picking up a win in the Martin Pipe Hurdle.
However, the Festival was cast in shadow by the passing of Michael O’Sullivan, and the emotions were palpable during the commemorative Supreme race, won by Marine Nationale. Paul Townend’s interview after the victory was particularly poignant.
Continuing narratives include Jonjo O'Neill Jnr earning his place among the winners, demonstrating just how sacred these moments are for younger jockeys. Meanwhile, Lossiemouth's handling led to a perceived loss of her chances for the Champion Hurdle; her winning the Mares Hurdle did not dampen the disappointment in missing out on better prospects.
Majborough’s nearly flawless performance, along with Galopin Des Champs’ resilience as the dual Gold Cup champion, confirmed their status in the sport. Notably, Galopin went all out, showing a fighting spirit despite not being the frontrunner this time.
Attendance statistics for this year displayed a worrying trend, with figures indicating a clear drop. Reports stated that the first two days had downswings of 4,600 and 4,800 visitors compared to the previous year, and the Thursday showed a staggering drop of 11,800 visitors from 2020—indicative of a troubling course of action regarding spectator engagement in future events.
Home By The Lee will be readied for the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree following his luckless run at Cheltenham last week. Having appeared better than ever in winning the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan and the Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown, hopes were high for the Joseph O’Brien-trained 10-year-old, ahead of what was his fifth appearance in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park.
Unfortunately, Home By The Lee's race ended prematurely after being hampered by the fall of Crambo at the fifth flight, unseating his rider, J J Slevin. O’Brien expressed his disappointment noting that the eventual winner, Bob Olinger, had previously finished behind Home By The Lee in two earlier races this season, highlighting that “obviously it was a pity the way things worked out as the horse he’d been beating all year came out and won the race.”
In optimistic spirits, O’Brien stated that Home By The Lee seems fine and you’ll probably see him in Aintree. He also noted that stablemate Puturhandstogether had provided him with his fifth Cheltenham Festival success by winning the Fred Winter a week ago. A step up to Grade One level for the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle is now under consideration. The season is closing out with plenty of conclusions being drawn, but an eye toward potential future triumphs lies ahead.
The 2025 Festival, despite its challenges, provided abundant excitement, with stories interwoven through each race and moment, leading many to contemplate not only the next year but also the legacy of this one.
