What a day! St.Patricks Thursday at Cheltenham and Paisley Park proved what a good horse he is by winning the Stayers. Bryony Frost became the first female Jockey to win a Grade One one over jumps and there were rivalries renewed between Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation and Siruh Du Lac and Janika while Barry Geraghty finally got off the mark with a double.
Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation went head to head in the first race of the day the JLT Novices Chase. Lostintranslation made the running with Mengli Khan as Defi tucked in behind them. The race wasn't incident free as there were some untidy jumps and Ruby Walsh was unseated by Voix Du Reve. As they approached the second last, Robbie Power was still in the lead but Mengli Khan was challenging and Barry Geraghty was winding up Defi to attack. They went over the last almost in line, the rest of the field was beaten and it was between these three for a win at the festival. Mengli Khan ran a great race but it was probably always going to be between the other two. Defi won last time out when they were on the same weight, Lostintranslation won before that receiving a couple of pounds. They were on the same weight again here so it wasn't a surprise when Defi started to move away and eventually won by a few lengths. Cracking race though.
So having waited over two days to win his first, Geraghty's second came less than an hour later when he also won the second on Sire De Berlais, just getting up on the line to beat Tobefair by a neck. Having watched the race again, Geraghty was hard at work from a long way out and as they went over the last there was about seven with a chance but soon that was down to three with Not Many Left and Tobefair dualing it out before Sire Du Berlais came down the middle to take it on the line. Brilliant ride and another win for Trainer Gordon Elliott in the JP McManus colours again.
The Ryanair Chase was pitted as Bryony v Rachael with Frodon and Irish raider Monalee going head to head while Un De Sceaux tried to roll back the years. Footpad went off favourite but was very disappointing again. Frodon led them from the start, showing he is very much at home around here. He must have been going at some pace too because there were a lot of good horses in trouble from very early on. In the end, the battle of Bryony and Rachael didn't really happen as it was Aso who took up the challenge. Charlie Deutsch on Aso went up alongside Frodon and stayed there even briefly taking the lead over 2 out but Bryony and her mate Frodon weren't done and showed they still had more in the tank by retaking the lead immediately and then they just moved away to just over a length and the celebrations began. It was a really great front running performance of speed and fluent jumping and well deserved for one of the horses of the year.
After another three great races, it was all set up for Paisley Park to prove all the doubters right. It was another ultra competitive field with very good horses like Top Notch, Wholestone, Yanworth and Black Op along with past festival winners Supasundae, Bacardys, Kilbricken Storm and the immortal Faugheen who were all going to test this horse who hadn't been tested yet apparently. But it was actually a very mature ride from Joe Colliver on Sam Spinner that provided the biggest test. Last years favourite was happy to let Nautical Nitwit lead the way as he sat in behind. Faugheen was in third with Paisley Park in the final third of the field improving to mid division as they came up the straight for the first time. It continued like that until about 3 out when Paisley Park was being ridden as he hit his famous flat spot before they started coming down the hill. As they went over the second last, it was Sam Spinner from Faugheen and Wholestone with Paisley Park still in about eighth. It looked as through Sam Spinner and Faugheen would battle it out. Suddenly though, as they came round the corner and headed for the last, they fanned out across the course, Paisley Park went down the stand side, Aiden Coleman going to work on him so between the 2nd last and the last he quickly moved from eighth to first. He whacked the last and that gave Sam Spinner another chance but it was short lived and Paisley Park just eased away from him to finally cement his name as a top class stayer. I was absolutely delighted for everyone associated. They've had a great season and now a great highlight. What a horse, he looked like he was hardly trying and then just has to switch on for a minute and he can win. Brilliant run from a brilliant champion.
Siruh Du Lac and Janika went toe to toe again in the next, a 2m 4f chase. I watched Lizzie Kelly's horse hold off Janika by a head to win here in January. Janika was conceding 19lb that day. It was down to about 17lb today but on slightly softer ground but the result was the same with Siruh Du Lac, making all to hold off attacks from David Pipe's Eamon An Chnoic and then Janika, extending the winning distance to three quarters of a length this time. Another very gutsy performance and a fourth win in a row.
The last 2 races of the day were tough to find any clues in. The Mares Novices Hurdle had only ever been won by Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins so they seemed like the obvious choice but there was little to like about My Sister Sarah in terms of form so Epatante for Henderson and Gearaghty went off favourite but she hardly featured and it was Noel Fehily on one of the other Mullins horses who took it on the line at 50/1 from another one Concertista and David Mullins. Fehily announced his retirement on the back of this Festival winner. Most of the punters were probably hoping that Jamie Codd could lift their spirits on a day that sort of fizzled out in the end. Codd was on the favourite Measureofmydreams but he was right out the back from the start and never recovered so it was left to other top amateur Derek O'Connor to win for Ruby's da, Ted Walsh and end St.Patricks Day at the Festival with another win for the Irish.
So one day to go and the small matter of the Gold Cup. Can Presenting Percy's perceived odd preparation win chasings top prize or can Willie Mullins finally do it, can Clan Des Obeaux top off a brilliant year or will it be Native River again or Bristol De Mai. I've been sweet on Kemboy since he won the Savill Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas but as I type this and after watching two of this seasons stars win the Ryanair and the Stayers, Clan Des Obeaux and Paul Nicholls must have a great chance even if he's never won at Cheltenham. It's gonna be another great race.
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