The 2022 Cheltenham Festival was, as ever, packed with drama, shock winners, and agonising falls.

This is great to see ­ƒÿì

The moment Team @VenetiaWRacing realised L'HOMME PRESSE was going to win the Brown Advisory Novices Chase! pic.twitter.com/sw1x5hWSBG

— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 22, 2022

The apple of Venetia Williams’ eye

However,┬áfew sights were quite as arresting as LÔÇÖHomme Presse powering up the Prestbury Park hill to victory in the Brown Advisory NovicesÔÇÖ Chase, and indeed the show of strength was such that it has seen the Venetia Williams trained horse installed as a 14/1 ante-post chance in the Gold Cup 2023 horse racing betting odds. That would represent a first win in the prestigious race for the Herefordshire handler, although sheÔÇÖs not getting ahead of herself given all that can happen between now and the March showpiece 11 months hence.

After five wins on the bounce, the Paddy Power horse racing results confirm that LÔÇÖHomme Presse did taste defeat in his final outing of the 2021/22 season,┬ágoing down to Ahoy Senor in the Mildmay NovicesÔÇÖ Chase in April.

Perhaps the firmness of the ground at Aintree put paid to his chances there, but if the British weather is as typically damp and cool during the winter of 2023, you can be sure that LÔÇÖHomme Presse will be targeted at some of National Hunt chasingÔÇÖs most prestigious prizes next term.

Going for Gold

After watching their charge triumph in the Brown Advisory back in March, the owners of LÔÇÖHomme Presse were ebullient in their praise for the horse and bullish towards his chances in another of the Cheltenham FestivalÔÇÖs key renewals. Part-owner Andy Edwards, flushed with pride, said that heÔÇÖd be backing the chaser for success in the Gold Cup. ÔÇ£Why wouldnÔÇÖt you? He was still going away up the hill in this ground, and he’ll be stronger next year.ÔÇØ

Williams refused to rule out entering the horse, who she has described as a ÔÇÿspectacular jumperÔÇÖ, in the race but is patently aware of the demands of preparing a runner for one of racingÔÇÖs blue riband events.

LÔÇÖHOMME PRESSE early this morning, anticipating Aintree. ­ƒÅç pic.twitter.com/suujM2pRJg

— Venetia Williams (@VenetiaWRacing) April 3, 2022

The 2021/22 campaign could not have got off to a better start, with LÔÇÖHomme Presse producing a fine staying-on win in his seasonal debut at Exeter.┬áHe was back in action just a couple of weeks later in a Class 2 outing at Ascot, and he showed an ability to run well right or left-handed when going clear to win by 13 lengths.

A debut on the Prestbury Park turf in January yielded victory in the Dipper NovicesÔÇÖ Chase,┬ádespite carrying 11st 3lb, his biggest jump up the ratings yet, LÔÇÖHomme Presse dominated the field and bested the well-fancied The Glancing Queen by some ten lengths.

The French bred warmed up for his Cheltenham Festival triumph with another well-constructed win, this time at Sandown Park where he cantered home a 21-length winner in the Scilly Isles NovicesÔÇÖ Chase.

Doubters will suggest that LÔÇÖHomme Presse hasnÔÇÖt truly stepped up to the elite grade yet, despite his Brown Advisory triumph, because the ante-post favourite ÔÇô Bravemansgame ÔÇô didnÔÇÖt run.

Nonetheless, VenetiaÔÇÖs horse has since finished ahead of Paul NichollsÔÇÖ fancy in that April assignment at Aintree, and so we have to expect LÔÇÖHomme Presse to be even stronger over the three-mile trip next season and that would make him a stand-out contender to land Venetia Williams her first-ever Gold Cup win.