The Cheltenham Festival is a breeding ground for racing legends, a place where champions are made, and memories are etched into the sport’s rich history.
While the Festival boasts a long list of all-time greats, like Best Mate and Arkle, the last five years have given us a fresh generation of iconic thoroughbreds.
From thrilling performances to record moments, these stars have defined recent editions of the Festival, left their mark on Prestbury Park, and regularly featured in Cheltenham tips.
In this article, we look at the standout names who have shaped the Cheltenham Festival since the start of the 2020s, reliving their greatest triumphs and what makes them modern icons of jumps racing.
Al Boum Photo
While Al Boum Photo’s first Gold Cup triumph was in 2019, he makes it onto the list as his historic second victory in the Festival feature came in 2020.
The Donnelly-owned bay gelding held on to beat the Nicky Henderson-trained Santini by a nose in a thrilling finish to the Gold Cup.
In the process, Al Boum Photo became the first horse since the aforementioned Best Mate to win the contest back-to-back.
Now 13 years old, he tried his luck in the Gold Cup on two more occasions. However, a landmark hat-trick eluded him as Al Boum Photo could no better than third and then sixth in 2021 and 2022.
Galopin Des Champs
From one Willie Mullins-trained dual Gold Cup winner in the last half-decade to another, Galopin Des Champs is out to go one better than Al Boum Photo in this year’s renewal.
Bouncing back from an infamous fall at Prestbury Park in the Turners Novices’ Chase 12 months earlier, the nine-year-old flew home by seven lengths from Bravemansgame in the 2023 Gold Cup.
He followed up in similarly convincing fashion last March, with Paul Townend expertly steering him home by over three lengths from Gerri Colombe.
Only a handful of horses have ever completed the Gold Cup three-peat, and Galopin Des Champs is well on course to add his name to the roll of honour with odds of 4/5.
Constitution Hill
Another horse who looks to be in with a good chance of adding another Cheltenham Festival victory to his glittering CV this year, Constitution Hill is out to regain his Champion Hurdle crown.
The king of the two-mile division, Constitution Hill, should have three Festival successes to his name by now but missed last year’s meeting through illness—leaving State Man to pick up the scraps.
The eight-year-old’s win in the 2022 edition of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle was jaw-dropping, as he beat stablemate Jonbon by 22 lengths, and his 2023 Champion Hurdle triumph was equally as impressive.
He will face stiff competition in the spring, but he should have what it takes to land a second win in the day-one feature and add to his legendary status.
Allaho
Despite his career being hampered by unfortunate injuries, Allaho still wrote his name in the Cheltenham Festival history books with two wins in the Ryanair Chase.
, Allaho became just the second horse to complete a double when winning the 2021 and 2022 renewals of the race, formed in 2005.
First beating Fakir d’Oudairies by 12 lengths under Rachael Blackmore, Allaho added a bit more cushion when fending off Janidil by 14 lengths with Townend in the saddle.
The Cheveley Park star retired at 10 without getting the opportunity to seal an unprecedented hat-trick in the day three championship race.
Flooring Porter
He might not be quite as iconic as four-time winner Big Buck’s, but Flooring Porter became a fan favourite when winning the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle back-to-back in 2021 and 2022.
A 12/1 outsider when scoring for the first time, Flooring Porter stayed on for a comfortable win from Sire Du Berlais as he landed Gavin Cromwell a first Cheltenham Festival success.
He returned to defend his title the following year and won in a similar fashion when holding off Thyme Hill at odds of 4/1.
Flooring Porter has attempted the hat-trick on two occasions, finishing fourth in 2023 before being held by Teauphoo for second last year.
The late Shishkin, who won the 2020 Supreme and the 2021 Arkle, deserves an honorary mention.
