When Craig Kieswetter held aloft the cricket T20 World Cup trophy in 2010 following his player-of-the-match performance for England during their victory over Australia, little did he think at the time he would enjoy another moment in sport to rival that occasion.

Together with his teammates, the now 38-year-old, who topped the scoring that day for England with 63, basked in the blazing sunshine at the Kensington Oval in Barbados as the old enemy were left to wilt in the heat following their crushing seven-wicket defeat.

However, just five years after that crowning moment, Kieswetter was forced to retire from the sport after his vision failed to fully recover following an incident which saw a ball go through his helmet guard while on County Championship duty for Somerset in 2014.

But as one door shut another was opened for Kieswetter, who stepped up his interest with horses after becoming more involved in helping run his family’s breeding and racing operation at Ridgemont Stud back in South Africa.

In 2022, the former wicket keeper received a taste of big race glory on British shores after the William Haggas-trained Candleford, sporting the colours of his family’s Barnane Stud in Ireland, trounced his rivals in the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot.

However, while that victory was a notable one, it was a success that was superseded this year by the heroics of It Etait Temps, who is part-owned by Barnane Stud, in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival back in March 2026.

Kieswetter said: “Winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase was a superb day. We’ve had a lot written up about and spoken about Il Etait Temps, and rightly so, as he has won eight Grade Ones.

“It has to be said, a lot did go his way at The Festival, but to win those Grade One races you do need things to fall your way.

“The ground was good, and the weather was good, it all sort of suited him.

“The day we had out at Cheltenham back in March was a pinch me moment. Without doubt it compares to winning the World Cup with England.

“Winning any big race is hard enough so when you do achieve one at the Cheltenham Festival it is fantastic."

Martin Pipe will always be regarded as one of Jump racing’s most revered characters for his innovative training methods that changed the landscape of the sport.

And had it not been for a brief encounter with the 15-time champion trainer then tasting victory at The Festival might never have materialised for Kieswetter and his family.

Kieswetter said: “While I was playing for Somerset I would keep an eye on the biggest festivals, like Cheltenham, Royal Ascot, Goodwood and the stuff down in South Africa as well things like the Melbourne Cup, the Breeders' Cup and the Kentucky Derby.

“I actually used to live a stone's throw from the racecourse in Taunton when I played for Somerset and I could see the racecourse from the house, so I went down there a few times.

“Our first Jump horse we actually had was with David Pipe. I went down to the yard once with my brother Ross, my old man (Wayne) and Craig Carey, who's a very close family friend.

“I ended up losing a table tennis match to Martin Pipe and the forfeit was that we had to buy one of the horses out of the yard, and that's how we got involved in Jump racing.

“He didn't tell me that his best mate was a former British table tennis champion (the late Chester Barnes), so I sort of got hustled there from Martin, but that's how we sort of got into it and it's been an interesting journey ever since.”

After defeating Jonbon in the 2025 bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown Park, and over the same course and distance in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase in December, confidence began to grow that the Jukebox Jury gelding could finally get his big moment at The Festival.

A fall in behind that same rival in the BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot might have tempered the enthusiasm of some, but when your horse is trained by the mercurial Willie Mullins, one dark day is easily forgiven at a meeting he excels at according to Kieswetter.

He said: “It surprised us by beating Jonbon in the Celebration Chase. It was more so the fact that after such a long layoff, to come back and to win the way he did.

“I think we have to be pragmatic and realistic as Jonbon had a full campaign and Il Etait Temps had been off for pretty much the whole season, so we came in very fresh, and it fell into place and to part for us, but he proved that was no fluke when winning the Tingle Creek

“We were definitely concerned when he fell at Ascot, but the ground was an absolute bog and, as it transpired, he wasn't quite right and he had a bit of a virus, but thankfully he got up and we were able to obviously continue the season.

"It was a tense moment and, I suppose and a tense couple of weeks after, but luckily it all worked out.

“I mean, we could speak for hours and days on Willie Mullins and his team. He is a genius. He's got a terrific setup and incredibly dedicated team there. It is a fantastic ownership experience as Willie and Jackie are down to earth people.”

Despite arriving on the back of a fall, and three successive defeats in his previous visits to the meeting, bookmakers took no chances with Il Etait Temps starting him off as their 5-2 second favourite, with only his stablemate Majborough shorter at the off.

And Kieswetter admits he shared those levels of confidence come the big occasion.
He added: “We were quietly confident to be honest going into the Queen Mother. The ground and the weather were pretty much perfect for him.

“In previous years when we've had a go at Cheltenham the ground has been quite soft, and for a small horse, like what he is, that is a really tough ask.

“I wouldn't say we were sitting there thinking we should definitely be winning this, but we were a lot more confident than previous years when he has run there.

“When he took the turn coming down the hill, I thought we've actually got quite a big shout here, you know.”

Late drama is what helps bring The Festival alive. And for Kieswetter, and all those connected to Il Etait Temps, they experienced that very feeling before giving their star a hero’s return in the hallowed winner’s enclosure.

He added: “His second last jump was superb, and then in typical fashion there had to be a hair-raising moment at the final fence. He sort of slipped and stumbled over the last, and that was a real worry

“Without doubt that was a heart in the mouth job, but thankfully, Paul (Townend) was able to right the ship and they were able to carry on and get up to the top of the hill and past the post in first place. It was more just relief than anything else watching him cross the line.

“I've been to Cheltenham on so many occasions and you're always watching these horses come in.

"You’re seeing the crowd and hearing the noise, the cheering and the shouting, so to be there right in the mix of it was very special.

“It was probably one of my favourite moments hearing the cheers and celebration when he came back in.

“For a horse that has tried a few times at Cheltenham, and struggled, with the weather, the ground and the undulating tracks, it was nice for him and special for him to put in the performance that he did.

“To have such a big group there, with my family and Patrick (Wynn-Jones) and Topsy (Squarey) from Barnane Stud, and then Hollywood Racing, our partners, who are great sports people. To have everyone there was very special.”

That win was followed up by Grade One success number eight in the William Hill Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival the following month to confirm his position as the undisputed king of the two-mile chase division.

And while Kieswetter is keeping tight-lipped as to what his racing agenda might be, one thing that is for certain is that March 18th is already circled in the calendar.

Kieswetter said: “Hopefully he carries on the way he's going and is there and there in the mix in the two-mile division again.

“No doubt there will be some other imposing chasers that he'll be up against, but he has earned his right to be included in the talks of the top echelons of chases when the season ramps up a gear.

“We will all sit down once Willie has got him ticking over again and we will put together a programme and campaign for him.

“Fingers crossed the weather will play ball again and we can have fair racing ground and bright sunshine again to help him defend his crown in March.

“Hopefully, he can continue to put his best foot forward and give us more days to celebrate.”