'It's very hard work' - slowest Supreme this century as Cheltenham ground turns heavy, soft in places

The talk all morning was about the state of the Cheltenham ground and how attritional it would get, and the verdict from several jockeys riding in the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle was that it was very testing indeed. The official going description was updated after the Arkle to heavy, soft in places (from soft, heavy in places).

Mark Walsh, who rode runner-up Mystical Power, said: "We're getting through it but that's heavy ground to me." Kielan Woods, who partnered Tellherthename who faded to tenth, agreed: "I'd call that heavy ground."

The ground was blamed for Jeriko Du Reponet's disappointing run in pulling up and his rider Nico de Boinville said: "The ground's very hard work."

The seventh-place Supersundae's rider Patrick Mullins felt the ground was a little better. He said: "It's pretty testing out there, I'd call it Irish soft ground out there."

Jack Gilligan, who rode the ninth Kings Hill, said: "It's tough going out there but we're getting through it. I'd say soft to heavy is about right."

What did the clock say?

Of course, the jockeys aren't the only ones who can provide an insight, there is also the clock – which never lies.

The Supreme was won by Slade Steel in a time of 4min 12.87sec, which made it the slowest Supreme this century, a reflection of just how testing conditions are.

Consider how unfavourably that compares to the course record of 3min 44.35sec set by Constitution Hill in this race in 2022 – when the race was run on ground described as good to soft.

The Racing Post standard time is 3min 49.00sec and since the Festival moved to four days in 2005 just four runnings have exceeded the four minute mark. Shishkin – who won in 2020 on ground described as soft, heavy in places – clocked the slowest Supreme time in that period, stopping the clock at 4min 08.20sec.

Racing Post data analyst Craig Thake said: "The Supreme seemed to be run at a very sedate place but the time suggests the going is very testing.

"This was over five seconds slower than Shishkin achieved in 2020, which was the slowest since the race distance altered slightly in 1991. Based on all races over the course and distance in the same period it makes it around the 20th slowest, albeit many of those were achieved by much less classy horses in some very slowly run races.

"An official Arkle time of 4m 08.36s puts it in contention with Put The Kettle On for the slowest Arkle. Again the race looked to be run at a steady pace but the time reflects that the chase course is riding slower than any recent festival."

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