Djakadam gave it his all

Nichols Canyon is not the best work horse in the world, but he’s going as well now as he was before Cheltenham, writes Ruby Walsh.

Djakadam in yesterday’s Punchestown Gold Cup was just another frustrating near-miss in a season in which we have hit the crossbar with all too regular a frequency. We gave it everything, but, on this occasion, it wasn’t enough.

Coneygree made it a great race. It was an honest gallop all the way. Djakadam travelled great, he jumped super, but met the last very low. I went for the stride, but he put in another one, and did very well to stand up, and then battled tenaciously all the way to about three strides from the line.