'It hasn't sunk in yet' - De Bromhead still in wonderland after festival heroics

Henry de Bromhead said on Saturday his historic feat of becoming the first trainer to win the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in the same year had not sunk in yet, describing his whirlwind week as "surreal".

The trainer, who was pipped to the leading trainer award on countback by Willie Mullins in the final race of the festival, admitted that five days of quarantining at home might not be the worst thing in the world as it will allow him to catch his breath.

The surrounding towns and villages of De Bromhead's Knockeen stable in County Waterford should have been gathering together for a rip-roaring celebration this weekend, but Covid-19 protocols mean that the party is on hold for a while.

"Heather [Henry's wife] has promised one to a lot of people so it will definitely happen at some stage when life returns to normal. The team here deserve a party too. They have all been brilliant and worked so hard," De Bromhead said on Saturday.

He added: "I have to quarantine for five days here at home and then I have to take a Covid test. I actually don't mind too much, it gives me a chance to recharge the batteries.

"I came home on the ferry overnight and got back to Rosslare early this morning [Saturday]. The last week is all a bit surreal to be honest with you. It hasn't sunk in at all yet. It's just incredible."

After watching the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the big screen in the parade ring, where Ballyadam finished a distant second to Appreciate It, De Bromhead decided to change tactics for the Champion Hurdle.

He explained: "I watched the Champion Hurdle out on the track, just in the chute where you let the horses off, so after Honey won I said to myself I'd better watch the rest of the races there too. I had watched the first race in the parade ring so I had to change something!"

Henry de Bromhead tends to his heroine Honeysuckle after her Champion Hurdle successCredit: Edward Whitaker

It certainly worked and De Bromhead went on to celebrate six winners. It was not quite enough to hand his a first trainers' title at Cheltenham as Mullins won the concluding Martin Pipe with Galopin Des Champs to finish on the same total. His seven seconds got him over the line.

Watch Minella Indo win the Gold Cup

Reflecting on the week, De Bromhead said: "We felt we had the team exactly where we wanted them heading over to Cheltenham, but I've thought that in other years too when we haven't done so well. They all seemed okay and happy in themselves and I was just hoping that they would be able to do themselves justice.

"Everybody knows me by now, I wasn't confident about any of them winning. That's not me. I don't think like that and I'm never confident. We thought we had a nice team heading over, but I never get carried away and I didn't this year either.

"The whole week was just surreal from start to finish, from Honey to the Gold Cup and everything in between. It's magic and I don't think it's going to sink in fully for quite some time."

Henry de Bromhead details

Read more on Henry de Bromhead's fantastic festival:

Minella Indo leads home De Bromhead 1-2 as Irish dominate Gold Cup finish

Will Minella Indo retain his Gold Cup crown in 2022? Our experts have their say

How a dramatic Gold Cup unfolded at Cheltenham as the home team fail to fire

Wonder women! Rachael Blackmore makes history with stunning win on Honeysuckle

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