Cheltenham Festival 2020: Does Barry Geraghty deserve ride of the week?

A poll run by Sun Racing earlier in the week suggested Barry Geraghty’s last-gasp effort on Champ was the best ride of the Cheltenham Festival.

But should he sit top of the tree or are there others who deserve the accolade?

Barry Geraghty gave Champ a cracking ride – but does it deserve ride of the meeting?

There’s no doubting Bazza’s brilliance.

The Cheltenham veteran was at his waiting, patient, pouncing best throughout Prestbury Park’s four-day extravaganza.

But was his winning run aboard Champ made to look better than it was?

There’s no doubt the leaders ahead of him almost stopped to a walk and Champ had arguably been given too much to do turning into the home straight.

Geraghty never gave up and kept on galvanising, but top class rides are about more than just power.

Indeed, there were four rides over the course of the week which were arguably better.

Johnathan Plouganou – Easysland

With his rodeo-style riding routine, the Frenchman had hearts in mouths the last time he ventured to Cheltenham.

His one-arm waywardness wasn’t quite as pronounced this time around, though, and he duly gave the apple of his eye a ride to remember around the Cross Country course.

Taking up the lead from an early stage, he got the magnificent Easysland into a rhythm Beethoven would be proud of, clearing every bush and bank with Gallic elan.

Rachael Blackmore – Honeysuckle

Ireland’s brightest spark leapt on to the world stage at the Festival last year but showed she’s no one-trick pony this time around.

Her effort aboard Honeysuckle in the Close Brothers Hurdle was made to look a little more impressive by Robbie Power, but there’s no doubt her leech-like desire to scrape the paint of the inside rail was the difference between winning and losing.

Yes, the way forward opened like the Red Sea but she still needed every ounce of strength to see off Benie Des Dieux in a thriller.

Nico De Boinville – Shishkin

The ‘Huntingdon’ stat was blown out of the water in the very first race of this year’s Festival with a ride of pure class by Nico De Boinville.

Despite getting hampered at a crucial moment, Nicky Henderson’s number one didn’t panic and slowly gathered his mount for a withering late challenge.

Abacadabras appeared to have stolen it but De Boinville was at his strongest to get his mount’s head in front in the shadows of the post.

It was the perfect start for the Seven Barrows camp, whose Festival was a most successful one.

Paul Townend – Al Boum Photo

Cometh the hour, cometh Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.

The Closutton battering ram landed the Blue Riband with Al Boum Photo for the second year running, but it may not have happened had Townend not been at his most masterful.

He controlled the pace almost all the way through the contest and pressed the buttons at exactly the right time, delivering a massive leap at the final fence.

There’s no doubting the talent of his partner, but if Townend had done anything remotely different then the Gold Cup crown would have gone to Santini.