Tag Archive for: Cheltenham Festival

Townend both delighted and relieved after a fruitful Festival

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Paul Townend reflected on another successful Cheltenham Festival that saw him cap his leading rider title with a third Gold Cup victory aboard Galopin Des Champs.

Townend and trainer Willie Mullins had previously landed the blue riband with Al Boum Photo in 2019 and 2020 and Galopin Des Champs’ seven-length triumph over Bravemansgame leaves Townend needing just one more win to equal Pat Taaffe as the most successful rider in the race’s history.

Galopin Des Champs had dominated the Gold Cup market from an early stage and that confidence proved justified as he put a last-fence fall in the 2022 Turners Novices’ Chase well behind him with an impressive triumph.

Townend ranks the seven-year-old as one of his best mounts – although he holds Al Boum Photo in high esteem after his Festival strikes – but admitted he felt the pressure ahead of the main event.

Paul Townend at Thurles on Saturday
Paul Townend at Thurles on Saturday (PA)

He said: “Every winner in Cheltenham is special but the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup and it has an extra spice about it, with plenty of pressure riding a horse being so well fancied. It was brilliant the way it worked out.

“I thought the start was a bit of a joke to be honest, for a Gold Cup, as we were on the back foot as there were horses jumping left and right and into me, which made him (Galopin Des Champs) become a bit careful. All credit to him for coming back down from the air and into a rhythm and bar the third-last he was pretty good on the final circuit.

“At Leopardstown, I gave him a few flicks and he took off for me and yesterday he galloped out through the line and I actually had to stop him – it was a huge, huge performance.

“He is right up there with the best of the horses I’ve ridden, but Al Boum won two though.”

Paul Townend and Willie Mullins celebrate with the Gold Cup
Paul Townend and Willie Mullins celebrate with the Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

Townend was crowned top jockey for a third time, with Mullins picking up a 10th trainer’s accolade with the pair securing five victories together, while the handler enjoyed a sixth success with his son Patrick.

The team struck Grade One gold with the likes of Arkle runner El Fabiolo, Champion Chase victor Energumene, Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle scorer Impaire Et Passe and Triumph Hurdle victor Lossiemouth, who led home a one-two-three-four for Mullins.

Townend added: “It was brilliant, a good meeting. It’s nice to be leading rider there – I suppose you’re kind of expected to be when you’re riding for Willie with the ammunition he brings over, but it doesn’t always work out like that.”

Mullins and Townend crowned once more at Cheltenham

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Galopin Des Champs’ Gold Cup victory proved the jewel in the crown as Willie Mullins and Paul Townend once again secured the top trainer and jockey honours at the Cheltenham Festival.

The duo endured a sticky start to the week when favourite Facile Vega was turned over in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but the winners soon started to flow with El Fabiolo getting the duo off the mark for the week in the Arkle.

Mullins enjoyed a second victory on Tuesday as his son Patrick steered Gaillard Du Mesnil to the National Hunt Chase, while Wednesday’s card produced two further wins for the Mullins-Townend axis as Impaire Et Passe bossed the Ballymore and Energumene was too good in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Galopin Des Champs emerged victorious in the Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs emerged victorious in the Gold Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)

The Closutton team drew a rare blank on Thursday, but Lossiemouth had them smiling again after victory in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle, before Galopin Des Champs justified market confidence with a clear-cut Gold Cup verdict.

Townend’s five winners mean he is now the most successful active jockey at the Festival with 28 victories and a third top jockey title, while Mullins is streets ahead of his fellow trainers in having saddled 94 winners overall at the meeting. He has been the fixture’s top trainer on 10 occasions now.

Patrick Mullins, representing his father, said: “To win the Gold Cup and the Champion Chase, they are half of the major races so that was fantastic. Galopin Des Champs winning the Gold Cup though really was the cherry on the top.

“Six winners is probably where we need to be hitting at least. The amount of horses we have and the standard we have, we needed to do everything we did this week.

“Last year was just one of those years after Covid and everything and we were never going to match that total of 10.

“Taking the Gold Cup and Champion Chase while El Fabiolo (Arkle) and Impaire Et Passe (Ballymore) look like they could be anything so we were very pleased to see them win as well. Galopin Des Champs really was the big one and thankfully he delivered.”

Impervious was one of two Friday winners for JP McManus
Impervious was one of two Friday winners for JP McManus (Tim Goode/PA)

JP McManus finished the week as the leading owner, with Impervious and Iroko giving him two victories on the final day, although Sire Du Berlais’ shock 33-1 success in Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle was the highlight.

He said: “We finished strong which was great. You never know how you are going to get on as it is very competitive here. You are hoping to get a winner or two and it was nice to get off the board on Wednesday night.

“The Stayers’ Hurdle was a lovely race to win and to finish off with the Martin Pipe was great and we topped it off winning the Mares’ Chase. It has been wonderful. Any time you get a winner, they are really precious and they were all very special in fairness.”

The Prestbury Cup – the annual competition between British and Irish trainers – was sealed on Thursday with victory once again going to the raiding party.

Irish handlers ended the meeting with 18 victories, with the British team landing 10 – equalling the 2022 result.

Fears of whip rules overshadowing Cheltenham prove unfounded

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The British Horseracing Authority has revealed there were only six referrals for whip offences during the course of the Cheltenham Festival, with no danger of disqualifications for breaching the rules.

A number of high-profile racing figures had expressed concerns about the possibility of numerous bans under the revised rules, which limit National Hunt riders to seven strikes of the whip during a contest.

Exceeding the limit by four strikes or more results in disqualification of the horse and a doubled suspension for the rider – but no transgressions of that magnitude occurred in the Cotswolds, the BHA said.

The whip has been a hot topic since new rules were implemented last month
The whip has been a hot topic since new rules were implemented last month (David Davies/PA)

From 444 rides over the 28 races of the Festival, just six referrals have been made and only one of those was for a winning ride.

Three referrals were for use above the permitted level – of which the winning ride was not one – two for using the whip in the incorrect place and one for using it above shoulder height.

The BHA acknowledged there would be “inevitable interest in such a high-profile event and the first major Festival under the new rules”, prompting them to release the information ahead of the Whip Review Committee’s regular weekly meeting on Tuesday, when bans will be imposed and then announced.

‘I was amazed how much it meant to me’ – Mullins admits he was feeling the pressure

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Willie Mullins might have won just about everything this great sport has to offer – but the most successful trainer in Festival history admitted to feeling a level of pressure he has never previously experienced ahead of Galopin Des Champs’ victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The master of Closutton has made Prestbury Park his own in recent years, with his tally of 88 victories at National Hunt racing’s showpiece leaving him head and shoulders above his contemporaries ahead of his latest raid on the Cotswolds.

The Gold Cup, the most coveted prize of all, was the one that eluded Mullins for so long – but Al Boum Photo broke that particular hoodoo in 2019 and successfully defended his crown 12 months later.

Having also collected four Champion Hurdles and back-to-back wins in the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Energumene, Mullins is well used to big-race success at this stage and is rarely flustered – but he revealed he was feeling the nerves both before and during his latest bid for Gold Cup glory.

Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the Gold Cup (David Davies/Jockey Club/PA)

“I think what stands out is the pressure I put myself under. I was surprised actually coming to the third-last how much I started to feel it,” he said.

“When he went through the third-last and I saw Paul (Townend) back on the bridle again I thought ‘wow, this could happen’, and I was amazed how much it meant to me. I didn’t think it would.

“The pressure was coming from the fact that we had so much confidence in the horse. We nominated him for the Gold Cup, we thought we had a Gold Cup horse and lot of people were saying he wasn’t because he has too much speed and no stamina.

“There was pressure because we disagreed with everyone. So many people said he wouldn’t stay, which surprised me.

“It was our word against others and it wasn’t like he was a 10-1 shot. He was a hot favourite and people backed him in the belief that I was right, I suppose.”

Not for the first time, Mullins was proved spot-on in his assertion that Galopin Des Champs possessed more than enough staying power to win the blue riband.

Given the coolest of cool rides by Paul Townend, the 7-5 market leader breezed into contention racing down the hill and pulled seven lengths clear of a valiant King George winner in Bravemansgame from the final fence in brilliant style.

With Galopin Des Champs providing him with his 94th Festival success, Mullins will be short odds to pass the century in the Gold Cup’s centenary year next March.

At this stage he could be forgiven for taking it all for granted, but insists even he struggles to comprehend the position he finds himself in.

“It’s mind blowing. I can’t comprehend the numbers we have in training at home and I can’t comprehend the quality we have – it’s something no one ever dreamt of,” said Mullins.

“At one stage the top-rated horse I had was a 126-rated hurdler, which we nearly wouldn’t have in the yard now. We had 20 or 30 horses at the time and he was our Saturday horse.

“On the day I got my licence, if someone said to me I’d have 60 horses for the rest of my training career, I’d have grabbed that because none of the top trainers had more than 60 – Fulke Walwyn, Fred Winter, The Duke (David Nicholson), all those.

“You were lucky if you got a Grade One horse every year or you might get one every two years. What is in Closutton every day now – every night I go through the barns and pinch myself.

“We don’t take it for granted. Myself and my wife Jackie know what we have and we’re in awe of it as much as all you guys are.”

The ride produced by Townend, also winning his third Gold Cup following his successive wins aboard Al Boum Photo, was widely hailed on course as one of the best in the race’s recent history.

Paul Townend after winning his third Gold Cup
Paul Townend after winning his third Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

While many of his rivals jostled for an early position, Galopin Des Champs was kept out of the heat of battle until the last possible moment, although the jockey admitted it was not entirely by design.

He said: “I suppose he got me out of trouble to be honest – the first circuit didn’t go smoothly. He got into a nice rhythm on the second circuit and showed a lot of class to come from where he did.

“I was further back than I wanted to be after a messy start and a messy couple of jumps early, but luckily when I came down the hill and put the bit up in his mouth, he came alive underneath me.

“I had full belief in the horse. This year he has matured a lot and his work had been very good. He showed his true ability today.

“From where I was, I was always going to be the last one on the scene, luckily we met the last on a good stride and he galloped on through the line.

“I’m lucky to be throwing my leg over horses like this. The hardest thing in this game is to get on the horses. There’s a lot of lads capable of doing it and I’m in a fortunate position.”

Colm Murphy back in Cheltenham winner’s enclosure with Impervious

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Impervious battled to a well-earned success in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase, as Colm Murphy returned to the Cheltenham winner’s circle.

The JP McManus-owned seven-year-old found herself locked in a race for the line with Willie Mullins’ Allegorie De Vassy.

Under Brian Hayes it was Impervious who got her head in front, triumphing to maintain her unbeaten record over fences.

It was a fifth Festival success for Murphy, but the first since Empire Of Dirt in 2016 for the man who saddled Brave Inca to land the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2004 and the Champion Hurdle two years later.

Murphy said: “I’m absolutely delighted, she was very tough, it’s fantastic.

Impervious and Brian Hayes (right)
Impervious and Brian Hayes (right) (Tim Goode/PA)

“To be stood here again is one of the reasons I came back (after spell away from training), this is why we all do it. I’m just fortunate enough to have another really good one.

“I’ve always really liked her, right through her bumper and hurdle days. You hope and hope that one day they’ll go and do what she’s just done.

“Looking at that I would agree that she’d get further if we wanted her to, I’d say we’ve got loads of options with her.

“I actually don’t know if she’ll run again this season. I’d say we’ll get her home, give her a few entries and take it from there.

“I was wearing a lucky shamrock, it’s clearly done the trick.”

Hayes said: “If there’s a man to get one ready for Cheltenham it’s Colm Murphy. He rides her every day. I have little to do with her, but I saw her do a piece of work last week and Colm couldn’t pull her up. Without saying it I could see that she was flying.

“Colm has done a world of schooling with her, he painted the fences white, he was prepared for everything.

“I think I’ve won five races on her now, she’s a smashing mare, and now I’ve got a Festival win on her.

“This is my first Festival winner, a lot of lads leave here without one but I’ve got one and it’s amazing.”

Premier just Magic for Bradley Gibbs

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Prolific point-to-point winner Premier Magic, trained and ridden by Bradley Gibbs, sprang a 66-1 shock in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase.

Rocky’s Howya had made much of the running and was still upsides jumping the second last as Gibbs made his move.

Though looking booked for minor honours, he was hampered by a loose horse and as Premier Magic started to empty, Its On The Line (28-1) stayed on late under Derek O’Connor.

Yet the winner just had enough in reserve to fend off the challenge and win by a length and three-quarters, with Shantou Flyer (50-1) finishing third.

For Gibbs, who equipped the gelding with cheekpieces, it was a career-high moment, yet it was also slightly bittersweet.

He said: “The worst part about it is my partner and my son aren’t here today. We couldn’t get a babysitter and my dad’s in hospital having a heart operation today. It’s really special but I just wish they could have been here.

“It was unbelievable, my fiancee’s father owns him and we came here last year thinking we had a chance.

“I rode him down the inside and everything just got a bit tight for him, he just got stage fright really. I rode him wide today and he was a completely different horse.

“The way he’s been winning his point-to-points, we always thought he was good enough to win a big race like this and thank god it’s paid off today.”

Winning owner, Julian Sherriff, was one of the few who made the most of the 10-year-old’s generous odds.

Bradley Gibbs celebrates with Premier Magic
Bradley Gibbs celebrates with Premier Magic (Tim Goode/PA)

He said: “We bought him four or five years ago in Ireland and he’s done us proud in points and hunter chases but this is absolutely fantastic.

“Bradley said he had a real chance and so increased my bet, and I got 100-1.

“He’s got an engine on him, what a horse, it makes everything you put into the game worth it.”

Bravemansgame will be back next year, says proud Nicholls

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Paul Nicholls vowed to bring Bravemansgame back for another crack at the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after the King George winner only gave best to Galopin Des Champs in the final 100 yards.

Buoyed with confidence having saddled his second winner of the week with Stay Away Fay earlier in the day, the champion trainer never shies from a challenge and wants another crack at the Willie Mullins-trained favourite, who eventually won by seven lengths.

The pair were locked in combat over the last of the 22 fences, but it was the 7-5 favourite, a year younger at seven, who prevailed.

“He’s run an absolute blinder, but he’s just been beaten by a very good horse. He couldn’t have done more and got a great ride by Harry (Cobden),” said Nicholls.

“He’ll be back next year when he’ll be another year stronger and we’ll have another go.

“Turning in I thought we had a right chance but the winner was fantastic, we always knew he was the horse to beat. The winner won on merit.

“What we have to consider is that our target was the King George and while this wasn’t an afterthought we weren’t always going to come here.

“We gave it a go, we weren’t sure about the track, but he travelled beautifully and we’ve just been outstayed from the last by a very smart horse and I’m very proud of him.

“We hate finishing second, but he was always going to be the horse to beat.”

Galopin Des Champs begins to pull clear
Galopin Des Champs begins to pull clear (Tim Goode/PA)

He went on: “The track was never going to be a problem, I could never understand those who thought it was, he’s only run here once before today.

“A bit better ground would suit him, the whole way I was thinking he maybe just wasn’t travelling quite as well as he does on good ground but he’s a wonderful horse.

“Next year we’ll go Charlie Hall, King George and back here again. All the horses this week have run well bar Hermes Allen but he’ll be back. We’ve had a great Festival really, Stay Away Fay might be a Gold Cup horse of the future and we’ve been second in the Gold Cup.”

Cobden had no excuses, adding: “Seconds are never remembered are they, but he’s run a brilliant race and I couldn’t have been in a better position turning in.

“He’s galloped right to the line but we’ve been beaten by the better horse.

“I don’t think a lot of people felt he was man enough for a Gold Cup but he was relaxed, jumped well, stayed and was second best.”

Conflated finished a further six and a half lengths back in third for Gordon Elliott, who had a mini drama just before the race when his jockey Davy Russell was stood down by the doctor.

He was replaced by Sam Ewing and Elliott was full of praise for the youngster: “He didn’t miss a beat, he ran a great race. He got a little hampered turning in but it didn’t make much difference. We’re absolutely thrilled with him.

Sam Ewing was a late replacement for Davy Russell on Conflated
Sam Ewing was a late replacement for Davy Russell on Conflated (Niall Carson/PA)

“Sam gave him a beautiful ride and got him in a lovely rhythm and he ran his heart out.

“Davy was sore, I didn’t get much chance to talk to him but he just told me he was too sore to ride our horse so it looks like he was kicked.

“We’ll see how he is before deciding if he runs again.”

Grand National winner Noble Yeats flew up the hill to pip Protektorat for fourth in what some will see as a perfect Grant National trial.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen said: “I thought he ran really well, apart from the fact he got outpaced at some point.

Noble Yeats will head back to Aintree
Noble Yeats will head back to Aintree (David Davies/PA)

“He wasn’t tailed off and he absolutely flew up the hill.

“I think he would have been happier with a bit more room, he was caught on the inside but then when Ahoy Senor fell it helped him a bit as it opened things out.

“Onwards to Aintree, if the horse is fine. What do they say about the Guineas, fourth in the Guineas, win the Derby. Let’s hope.”

Henry de Bromhead’s two previous Gold Cup winners Minella Indo and A Plus Tard were both pulled up.

“A Plus Tard was very unlucky. He was going well, tracking Paul (Townend on the winner) but then had to jump two horses (Ahoy Senor fell and brought down Sounds Russian).

“That’s the luck of the draw, but the main thing is he’s back. He needs to go left-handed so I imagine he will go to Aintree.

“Minella Indo completely missed the start. Nico (de Boinville) was annoyed but his chance had gone.”

Hewick still held place claims when falling at the second-last.

Galopin Des Champs dazzles for Mullins and Townend

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Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend powered clear of Bravemansgame to justify favouritism and land the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, giving Willie Mullins chasing’s blue riband for a third time in five years.

In an eventful renewal, Ahoy Senor set a searching gallop until getting too close to the sixth fence from home and crumpling on landing.

Townend had bided his time, tracking the early pace before getting into contention coming down the hill, tailing Protektorat, Bravemansgame and Hewick, who had been left in front.

He crashed through the third-last, which almost cost him the race, but quickly recovered and by the time American Grand National hero Hewick had come to grief two out, Irish Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs had gone upsides Harry Cobden and the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame.

Both jumped the last on a good stride, but the King George winner could not find the same turn of foot as Townend drew clear.

Galopin Des Champs (7-5 favourite) had seven lengths to spare at the line, with Conflated a further sixth and a half lengths down in third.

Mullins said: “I didn’t realise the pressure I was under. I’m absolutely delighted for Audrey Turley (owner), Paul was under huge pressure too and gave him a peach of a ride.

“The plan was to drop him in and come through, I said to him ‘I think you’re on the best horse, the fastest horse, so as long as he doesn’t get running with you just tuck him in somewhere and put him asleep’ – and he did.

Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It just worked out, he gave him a brilliant, cool ride. Everyone was questioning the distance and his stamina, they were going to make it plenty fast so I didn’t want him up there in the early exchanges.

“If he has the class, he’ll come through, if he hasn’t then there’s no point.

“All the thoughts go through your head, have we gone too far back? They had gone such a gallop, something had to give.

“One or two fell and we missed all that, we’d a lot of luck. I think that man on board, when the pressure comes on, he’s very good.”

He added: “I was surprised myself how I was over the last two fences. With this horse, we’d elected him as our Gold Cup horse whereas Al Boum Photo sort of just happened. This fellow, we thought he was good enough and that puts you under pressure.

“Every time we’ve upped him in trip, it’s been no problem. He has that bit of class, you could run him over two miles, two and a half miles. He has that bit of speed when you want it.”

Townend – like Mullins winning this third Gold Cup – said: “It was messy for me – I couldn’t get a clean passage early, and he started jumping in the air a little bit, but when I got a bit of room, in fairness to him he came back into a rhythm with me and was very, very brave.

Galopin Des Champs comes back victorious
Galopin Des Champs comes back victorious (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I think he got me out of a fair hole, to be honest – I was a lot further back than I wanted to be, but it was just the ride I had to give him.

“There was so little fresh ground that everyone wanted to be in it, and the start was very messy.

“He was good and brave. There were horses going left of me and right of me (when the two horses fell at the top of the hill) and he always just found a leg, and you need that luck in racing.

“He missed one of the fences coming down the hill, and I thought that was going to put me on the back foot a bit again, but no, straight back on the bridle for me. I don’t think the horse understands how good he is, to be honest.”

He went on: “The Gold Cup brings winning to a different level. Cheltenham is very important, but the Gold Cup just has that little bit more spice to it.”

Stay Away Fay powers to Albert Bartlett victory

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Paul Nicholls earned his second Grade One victory of the week at the Cheltenham Festival when Stay Away Fay was given a masterful ride by Harry Cobden to take the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

The 18-1 chance travelled well throughout and was always up with the pace in the three-mile test, which provided its usual searching test of stamina.

It was not without incident, either, as favourite Corbetts Cross ran out at the final flight, sending jockey Mark Walsh crashing to the turf.

Though challenging at the time, the winner seemed to have his measure having led at the second-last where plenty were still in with a chance.

Cobden put the six-year-old’s stamina to good use and gradually wore down his rivals to give the champion trainer his first success in the race.

Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury (150-1) relished the step up in trip and got within a length of the winner, just holding second from the Paul Nolan-trained Sandor Clegane.

Nicholls said: “I thought he’d run well as he should have won the last day and he’s taken a step forward since then and he looked fantastic.

“We were very positive on him today, he jumped really well and it’s only the third run of his life, there’s loads of improvement to come.

“We’ll probably go to Aintree with him if he’s all right, otherwise it will be chasing next year.

“He’s been quite backward, that’s the best he’s jumped today, he’s just a young, improving horse.”

He added: “At home he does all his work with Hermes Allen as they are both a bit one-paced and he has taken a big step forward.

“He probably should have won at Doncaster, he’s improved since and it’s just fantastic.

“I think Hermes Allen will probably have a wind op but he’ll go chasing too, they are two really nice horses to go chasing with.”

A jubilant Harry Cobden
A jubilant Harry Cobden (Tim Goode/PA)

Cobden added: “I thought they’d have gone faster but we only went an even gallop. He travelled very well, jumped great and when we turned in, I thought he had a nice bit left because I knew he’d stay right to the line, he’s obviously very good.

“I could feel them all stacking up behind me and from a jockey’s point of view, it is a long way to be in front turning in before the last, especially on an inexperienced horse. He was pulling up a little in front so he did well to keep going.

“I really fancied him, I thought he had a massive chance because I’ve won it before on Kilbricken Storm and I knew he was better than him.

“First time out he was green, Lorcan (Williams) was a bit unlucky on him at Doncaster but he has been trained for one day.”

Noel Meade trains the runner up
Noel Meade trains the runner up (Donall Farmer/PA)

Meade said of the runner-up: “He was only 150-1 because he virtually pulled up the last day and there were reasons for that.

“He got a fall when they went too quick in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November – they went a mad gallop and he ended up on the floor.

“He probably would have won that day had he stood up and then we ran him back within four weeks in the Grade One at Naas and it was too soon – he just bombed out.

“We freshened him up and he is a very, very good horse. I think he’ll be a right good chaser as he’s a good jumper and a good stayer and he got the most brilliant ride today from a young fella (Sam Ewing).”

Nolan was slightly left wondering what might have been with Sandor Clegane.

He said: “It was a big run. We knew he was better than his run in Leopardstown and he had to go to the line better than he did that day.

“He probably didn’t get the run of the race today. He got hampered at the very first and then he was shuffled back to last and pushed out wide. I’d like to look at the race again, but I think maybe he might have been the unlucky one.

“You’re always happy when you get a cheer at some stage. He ran well and he stays well and he remains an exciting prospect.

“I just thought the way he closed to the line after the distance he had to make up and being wide, we were unlucky, but it is what it is.”

Faivoir gets the nod to give Skelton another County Hurdle

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Dan Skelton annexed the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle for a fourth time in eight years as 33-1 shot Faivoir downed Pied Piper in a thrilling finish.

Both horses came from out of the pack after Highway One O Two had kicked clear turning for home and there were plenty in with chances approaching the last.

However, Bridget Andrews’ mount, who had been pulled up on quicker ground in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on his previous start, kept responding in these easier conditions and got the verdict in a head-bobber.

Pied Piper, who had finished third in the Triumph Hurdle last year, was making his handicap debut mark off a mark of 154 and only just failed to reel in the winner, having nodded slightly on landing at the last.

The well-supported Filey Bay held every chance but could only finish third, while Sharjah stuck on for fourth, followed by Ballyadam.

Andrews after her winning ride
Andrews after her winning ride (David Davies/PA)

Skelton, who won this race previously with Superb Story (2016), Mohaayed (2018) and Ch’tibello (2019), also saddled the favourite, but Pembroke, who had finished runner-up on Trials day in January, was well held after making a couple of minor jumping errors.

“Last time at Newbury he absolutely winged the first but after the second he had no chance,” said Skelton, who was on the mark with Langer Dan on Wednesday.

“Today Bridget gave him a great ride – when you have one of the biggest teams as we do there’s a responsibility that goes with it and you feel you have get big winners.

“To have one (at the Festival) is good, but to have two shows you are doing it right.”

Iroko landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle for Aidan Kelly and co-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.

The JP McManus-owned gelding was a 6-1 chance and reeled in the leader, Paul John Gilligan’s Buddy One, to prevail by a length and a half from No Ordinary Joe – also owned by McManus.

“I can’t describe it really – amazing,” said Greenall.

“We always knew the horse was nice but we just thought we’d be tapped for toe a little bit here.

“He managed to hold his position, he came off the bridle early enough and just jumped so well even when he was off the bridle.

“He’s so easy, so straightforward. He’s tough, honest, he shows nothing at home.

“He’s not a good work horse but he’s so straightforward, he doesn’t take much work. He’s a dream.”