Alan King’s five best Cheltenham Festival winners
Popular dual-purpose trainer Alan King had had some fantastic Cheltenham horses over the years. Planet Sport runs down his five best winners at the Cheltenham Festival.
Planet Sport goes through the standout five winners for King in the Cheltenham Festival.
5. Penzance
Cheltenham win: Triumph Hurdle (2005)
Yet it was the strapping chestnut Penzance who had the power in the final furlong under Robert Thornton, seeing off Nicky Richards' Faasel by a head at Prestbury Park.
After the race, King said: "It was the longest furlong of my life.The second horse closed and closed and I thought the winning line would never come, but he travelled throughout the race and then battled up the hill."
#OnThisDay in 2005, @eliteracingclub homebred Penzance made it 4 from 4 over hurdles when he won the Gr.1 Triumph Hurdle @Cheltenham Races under @Choc_Thornton, trained by Alan King. #CheltenhamFestival #TopClassClubWinners pic.twitter.com/S6msm0coNU
— Elite Racing Club (@eliteracingclub) March 18, 2021
4. Katchit
Cheltenham wins: Triumph Hurdle (2007), Champion Hurdle (2008)
Again, Katchit didn't catch the eye of the betting market for favouritism particularly, going off at 11/2 behind the Irish raider Lounaos.
The next year, Katchit returned for the 2008 Champion Hurdle and rated even more of an outsider at 10/1.
Yet, the Triumph Hurdle-Champion Hurdle double was completed by a game as they come Katchit, who outfought and outran a stellar field to beat David Pipe's Osana by a length.
Many happy returns to @Choc_Thornton who turns 38 today!
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) July 14, 2016
Here he is winning the 2007 Triumph Hurdle on KATCHIT! pic.twitter.com/Z8kln2KF4R
3. Medinas
Cheltenham win: Coral Cup (2013)
A total of 28 runners went to post in this highly competitive Grade 3 over two miles and five furlongs with Charlie Longsdon's Pendra the favourite.
Few would have noticed the six-year-old Medinas held up in midfield for a portion of the race and who began to turn the screw from two out.
There may be pound-for-pound better horses in the King portfolio but Medinas certainly had the Midas touch that day and at a bookie-bashing price.
A well earned drink for Medinas, Alan King's winner of the Coral Cup #CheltFest pic.twitter.com/dvu2EABm01
— The Jockey Club (@TheJockeyClub) March 13, 2013
2. My Way De Solzen
Cheltenham wins: World Hurdle (2006), Arkle Challenge Trophy (2007)
The then six-year-old bounced back to win the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell before being targeted by King for the World Hurdle, now the Stayers' Hurdle, at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006.
As is traditional for King runners, there was plenty of value about the 8/1 offered for My Way De Solzen to waltz off with the long distance race.
Punters who backed the 8/1 shot would have been having kittens as My Way De Solzen battled it out with Michael Halford's Golden Cross but Thonton got up to win by a head.
After switching to fences, My Way De Solzen was aimed at the prestigious Arkle in 2007 by King and put in a powerhouse performance to romp to a five lengths win.
These were glory years for King and My Way De Solzen but another horse would top the lot.
2007 My Way De Solzen & @Choc_Thornton winning the Arkle pic.twitter.com/sjIcWwoQ2s
— Anaglogs Daughter (@AnaglogsDaughtr) April 2, 2017
1. Voy Por Ustedes
Cheltenham wins: Arkle Challenge Trophy (2006), Queen Mother Champion Chase (2007)
This horse's name roughly translates as "I'm coming for you" in Spanish and this class horse was often breathing down top animals' necks.
As we know, King laughs in the face of outsider status and regular jockey Robert Thornton had Voy Por Ustedes in front at the business end in the pink and mauve silks of leading patron Sir Robert Ogden.
After unseating his rider in the Game Spirit at Newbury in the build up to the Queen Mother Champion Chase of 2007, Voy Por Ustedes started at 5/1 as a general afterthought to David Pipe's evens favourite Well Chief.
This time, Well Chief fell and even though Voy Por Ustedes clattered the second last, he ran on to prove his own class as top of the tree for Alan King's 15 Cheltenham Festival winners.
Voy Por Ustedes - @Choc_Thornton winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase pic.twitter.com/Kjkp34vuvR
— Anaglogs Daughter (@AnaglogsDaughtr) September 24, 2015