'I'm absolutely shaking' - Black Tears gets Foster off the mark in Mares' Hurdle

There was nothing unusual about Denise 'Sneezy' Foster watching the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle on a couch in the sitting room of her County Meath home. She has done that for the last couple of years. What was unusual was the fact that she trained the winner and was uncorking a bottle of Taittinger afterwards.

It has been a whirlwind week for 67-year-old Foster. She took charge of Cullentra House last Tuesday as Gordon Elliott began a six-month suspension for bringing racing into disrepute and Black Tears provided her with a first festival winner after a thrilling tussle with the odds-on favourite Concertista.

"I'm absolutely shaking. I couldn't even watch it," Foster told the Racing Post.

Mares' Hurdle full result and replay

"Everyone around me was jumping up and down and screaming but I just had my head in my hands on the couch. I couldn't believe what was happening. I watched it in my own house, where it was nice and quiet.

"Well, I say quiet, it was anything but quiet as Jack was coming. We've just opened up a bottle of Taittinger and I can't wait to have a sip of it."

Denise 'Sneezy' Foster on Black Tears' (left) victory: 'That's racing, isn't it? One minute you're on the floor and the next you're on top of the world. It's magic, just magic'Credit: Alan Crowhurst

It was Foster's seventh winner in seven days but by far the most important one, especially after Abacadabras crashed out of the Champion Hurdle at halfway.

She said: "It's a funny, old game. I was on the floor after Abacadabras fell. That's racing, isn't it? One minute you're on the floor and the next you're on top of the world. It's magic, just magic.

"Jack was incredible. What a ride! I am delighted for him and for her owners, Caren Walsh and John Lightfoot. They are huge supporters of National Hunt racing and they deserve to have a big winner like that. I'm thrilled for them."

Bookmakers bless Sneezy as Black Tears saves them from multi-million payout

Floressa dictated the early pace with last year's Cesarewitch winner Great White Shark, although the gallop was not as generous as many expected with Rachael Blackmore changing tactics on the usual tearaway Minella Melody and holding her up.

The big guns were poised to pounce with three to jump and it was Harry Skelton on Roksana who made the first move. It was not a decisive one, though.

What the first day of the Cheltenham Festival has taught us for next three days

Concertista, the runaway winner of last year's mares' novice hurdle, took up the running on the home turn and led over the last. She touched a low of 1.2 on the exchanges, but could not repel Black Tears who defied a high of 54-1 in-running.

Kennedy, who later completed a 53-1 double thanks to Galvin in the National Hunt Chase, said: "That's unbelievable. I'm absolutely delighted for the owners and Sneezy Foster. It is a massive team effort that goes into the horses.

Jack Kennedy celebrates on Black Tears after their Mares' Hurdle victoryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"She jumped and travelled brilliant the whole way. The line was coming and we were just starting to get up so I was praying it wouldn’t come to soon, it didn’t."

It certainly didn't, much to the annoyance of accumulator hunters who were a head away from an opening day bonanza.

Curse of the Mares' Hurdle

Concertista was not the only strong Willie Mullins-trained Mares' Hurdle favourite to save bookmakers' blushes and leave punters tearing up their (virtual) betting slips. Here are three more recent drama-filled finishes to the Grade 1 contest...

Annie Power, 2015

Dubbed the '£50million fall', Annie Power's last-flight departure left backers of the Ruby Walsh/Willie Mullins fourfold heartbroken.

Walsh and Mullins got off to a flyer with short-priced favourites Douvan, Un De Sceaux and Faugheen all storming to victory. The prospect of 1-2 favourite Annie Power landing the mammoth bets seemed a certainty and the bookies were fearing for their pockets.

Annie Power crashes out in the 2015 Mares' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Turning into the home straight, Annie Power cruised into the lead, all she had to do was pop over the last, but she stood too far off and was sent sprawling alongside a dejected Walsh.

The stunned crowd was silent and the bookies were spared from one of the greatest fourfolds in history.

Benie Des Dieux, 2019

Walsh, Mullins and owner Rich Ricci teamed up once again for more agony in the race four years later as Benie Des Dieux, who was heavily-backed to land successive runnings, suffered an almost identical fall to Annie Power.

The 10-11 favourite jumped the hurdle well enough, but crumpled on landing and crashed out, leaving Roksana to pick up the pieces. It was a stunning sense of deja vu and summed up a tale of woe for favourite backers on the first day, with the market leaders tasting defeat in all four Grade 1s.

Benie Des Dieux, 2020

Benie Des Dieux's bad luck in the race followed on 12 months later, when she was edged out by Honeysuckle in a titanic tussle.

Benie Des Dieux (pink cap): bettered by Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle in the 2020 Mares' HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

However, that told only half of the story. Turning into the home straight, a gap opened up on the inside rail for Rachael Blackmore on Honeysuckle after Robbie Power – riding Stormy Ireland – edged to his right, forcing Benie Des Dieux to come around the field.

The 4-6 favourite could not reel back Honeysuckle and was beaten half a length for her second successive defeat in the race.

Read more from Cheltenham Festival Tuesday:

Wonder women! Rachael Blackmore left speechless as Honeysuckle powers home

No more Cheltenham for Goshen after nightmare run in Champion Hurdle

'That was Vautour-like' – Mullins in awe as Appreciate It roars to 24-length win

Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Shishkin? Super Arkle winner 5-2 for 2022 Champion Chase

Unbelievable Jeff! 80-1 Kidder is biggest-priced festival winner for 30 years

Fairytale comeback for Ryan Mania as 'warrior' Vintage Clouds rolls back years

Galvin triumphs for new yard as top three fight out fabulous National Hunt Chase

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