The Britain vs Ireland tussle for the Prestbury Cup – awarded to the nation with the most winners at the Cheltenham Festival – always provides an entertaining subplot to the magnificent meeting in March. Previously a closely fought battle, more recent years have witnessed the home team strive valiantly to salvage a little pride in the face of an increasingly talented Willie Mullins-led Irish onslaught.
The Irish raiders have claimed the Prestbury Cup eight times in the past nine years – the only blemish coming when settling for a tie in 2014. Not since 2015 have the hosts lifted the trophy when edging out their rivals by 14 wins to 13.
Despite all the recent evidence, each new year brings renewed optimism. Perhaps this will be the year when the Brits show the Irish how it’s done. However, at each new entry stage, the task facing Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton and co becomes increasingly apparent. The latest example came this week with the entries for the three mares-only events at the meeting.
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle: Star Duo Top Irish Dozen
- Previous Irish Wins – 14
- Previous British Wins – 3
- Total Remaining Entries in 2025 – 23
- Irish Entries in 2025 – 12
- British Entries in 2025 – 11
Britain made a flying start in this event, with Donald McCain Jr. sending out Whiteoak to win the inaugural 2008 edition. Then along came Quevega, who incredibly claimed the next six editions for Willie Mullins. Landing the prize for a 10th time in 2024, Mullins now has more than three times as many wins as the entire British training fraternity.
Reigning champion Lossiemouth sits second in most betting lists this year, but the top spot belongs to the Gordon Elliott-trained sensation Brighterdaysahead.
Nevertheless, hope springs eternal for the hosts. Both Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead hold an alternative engagement in the Champion Hurdle; perhaps their absence would pave the way for a rare British success. Then again, perhaps not. The next three in the market, July Flower, Kargese, and Jade De Grugy, hail from Ireland, and all three have previously scored in Grade 1 company.
Britain’s main hope is the Jeremy Scott-trained Golden Ace, who caused an upset when defeating Brighterdaysahead in the 2024 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. The daughter of Golden Horn hasn’t been at her best in two outings this season, but could she be ready to peak in the Spring once again? Given the strength of the opposition, she will need to.
Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle: Mullins and Cromwell to Fight it Out?
- Previous Irish Wins – 6
- Previous British Wins – 3
- Total Remaining Entries in 2025 – 46
- Irish Entries in 2025 – 26
- British Entries in 2025 – 20
In contrast to the Mares’ Hurdle, the Brits are on a hot streak in this Day 3 event for the novices. Only added to the Cheltenham menu in 2016, the Irish won each of the first five editions, thanks to – surprise, surprise! – Willie Mullins. Tellmesomethinggirl then made it six from six for the Emerald Isle when scoring for Henry De Bromhead in 2021.
Back came the hosts. Love Envoi scored for Harry Fry in 2022; You Wear It Well bagged the 2023 edition for Jamie Snowden, and the aforementioned Golden Ace came home in front in 2024 – if this carries on much longer, the home team may soon draw level with the previously unconquerable Irish.
So, how are things looking for the British runners ahead of the 2025 edition? Not great. Five of the first six in the market hail from Ireland, including the only two runners currently available to back at a low single-figure price. The Willie Mullins-trained Maughreen has been doing her best impression of the similarly named Faugheen in landing her two starts to date. Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf heads the betting and arrives on the back of a 12-length romp at Fairyhouse.
If there is a fly in the Irish ointment, it may arrive in the shape of the Paul Nicholls filly, Jubilee Alpha, who caught the eye when scoring in Listed company at Taunton and has since followed up at Windsor.
Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase: 5-0 to the Emerald Isle?
- Previous Irish Wins – 4
- Previous British Wins – 0
- Total Remaining Entries in 2025 – 19
- Irish Entries in 2025 – 11
- British Entries in 2025 – 8
Thanks to two wins for that man again, Willie Mullins, and one apiece for Colm Murphy and Gavin Cromwell, the Irish have swept all four previous editions of this Day 4 contest. Any hope that the sequence will end in 2025 appears to be slim.
This time, eight of the first nine in the betting are based on the other side of the Irish Sea, all hailing from the yards of Willie Mullins or Gavin Cromwell. Having gone down by just half a length in the 2024 edition, the Mullins-trained Dinoblue shades favouritism in most lists, narrowly ahead of Cromwell’s Bioluminescence.
Telepathique, from the relatively unheralded Lucy Wadham operation, looks set to lead the home resistance. Successful in four of five starts over fences, she warmed up for this with a comfortable Listed success at Huntingdon.
Having lost the 2024 Prestbury Cup by a score of 18 to nine, the hosts will hope to get a little closer in 2025. However, any improvement appears unlikely to be triggered by results in the mares’ events.