What a day! I'll probably start every post this week with this and while yesterdays was more in exasperation at the weather, the difficulty getting to the course from town, the false starts and nearly all the favourites losing, today was the complete opposite. The storm that threatened to abandon the meeting had fizzled out and the 8am inspection was held at 6am and the go ahead was given. It was a dry, mild day and there were no traffic problems with the bus from the train station to the course only taking about 20 minutes so I got there in plenty of time and got the place pot on.
The first race of the day was the Ballymore and there were plenty of chances in it. Last years winning Trainer, Gordon Elliott sent off Battleoverdoyen favourite but I really didn't fancy him at all. I went for Champ though there was a lot of talk about City Island which I didn't heed. As Champ hit the front 2 out there was still a long way to go and City Island went stride for stride with him. They went over the last together but City Island landed first and moved away from the JP McManus horse to get another win for Mark Walsh and a first festival win for Martin Brassil. It was also nice that the wife of the sponsor of the race owned the winner. The second race of the day was the RSA Novices Chase and Delta Work returned to defend his crown. It was another stellar line up with Santini and Topofthegame also in the field. And so it was that these three fought it out from two out. Delta Work had cruised into the lead as Santini was being ridden to go with him. Topofthegame had stalked the leaders the whole race but he was produced at just the right time going over the second last level with the other two and then at the last Santini and Topofthegame squeezed Delta Work out as Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls horse went head to head. Santini briefly had the lead but Topofthegame came back at him and went in front by half a length and held that distance to the line. Another fantastic race featuring the three market leaders.
Ultimately, day 2 was all about Altior winning a second Champion Chase in a row but my performance of the day was Wicklow Brave. This is a horse who has run in the Melbourne Cup on the flat. He's also run at Goodwood, Chester, Ascot, York, The Curragh, Belmont Park and then gone over hurdles at Punchestown, Fairyhouse, Down Royal, Newbury and Cheltenham. He's no stranger to this place even winning the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle in 2015. He's still only 10 winning 5/25 over hurdles and 6/23 on the flat and on todays evidence he's not done yet but when time is called on his career he will rightly be among the best ever dual purpose horses. He started the Coral Cup, third race of the day, in last place. Patrick Mullins, onboard, was happy to keep him there as there was only 20 lengths covering the field. As they hit 3 out, Mullins started to weave his way through the field of 25, after the second last he was moving alongside the string of leaders as they went round the corner to the hill prompting the commentator to exclaim "LOOK AT WICKLOW BRAVE, HE'S COME FROM THE BACK OF THE FIELD, THE OLD FELLA" - Hey! Not so much of the old. Going over the last he had the lead and as he drove himself to the line he was holding off the challenge of Ballyandy and all the rest. As the line approached he was holding on and holding on but just as he had come from nowhere so did William Henry and Nico DeBoinville to take it on the line by a short head. Cruel for Willie Mullins horse but it didn't take away from a magical performance.
It was Altiors day though but he had to survive a scare. Everything was going fine as he tracked the leader Saint Calvados but then he went through the top of the water jump. This would have ruined a lot of good horses but he gathered himself quickly and went back to jumping impeccably. Sceau Royal and Politologue brought the field back to the leaders. Altior took the lead as they rounded the final bend but Sceau Royal and Politologue went with him. As they went over the second last Sceau Royal took the lead with Politologue trying to move up in line with Altior too. For a second it looked like he might be beaten but he got his head back in front. As they went over the last Sceau Royal took the lead again with Politologue getting closer and closer but Nick asked him for another effort and he went and went away from them to win back to back Champion Chases in another brilliant race. I'm definitely getting old as I thought this was his third and I think I was calling Sceau Royal , Un De Sceaux. That was as good as I've seen from Politologue and Sceau Royal but Altior has nothing left to prove at this distance. Time to move him up.
That was 4 legs of my placepot up with Tiger Roll in the next leg I made my way out to the middle of the course for the Cross Country. It was great to get a selfie on the hill that the winner of Friday's Gold Cup will be coming up. The middle of the course was definitely the heavy in places from the going. I squelched my way over to the second and got photos of the field coming over that then made my way back across towards the stands so I could see the race on a screen in the distance. I still couldn't really see it or fully hear the commentator but the noise from the crowd told me he was winning and he won very easily in the end. A fourth Cheltenham Festival winner for the little horse. So Band Of Outlaws, who I was told was the Irish banker of the week by Michael Kerr from the Gordon Elliott Racing Club, needed to place to win the placepot. Apparently there were about 14 thousand of us waiting on him. For some reason, I thought he was a JP horse and as the green and gold hoops chances disappeared I'd given up but Michael and the boys were roaring encouragement for a horse in yellow and blue who went on to win. Thankfully,
it was Band Of Outlaws and we'd won. Gordon Elliott had a double on the day as Envoi Allen won the bumper in another brilliant race with Blue Sari. Jamie Codd on board holding off the challenge of Barry Geraghty. A top quality days racing and hopefully more of the same tomorrow and Liverpool going through against Bayern Munich topped off a great day of sport.
Comments
Post a Comment