Bulky Sweet Wake wagers are sunk without trace
The lesson to be learned is quite simple, do not bring a bridle horse to this meeting. Noel Meade’s Sweet Wake, hugely impressive at home in two races, went off a strongly-backed favourite.
But he had beaten absolutely nothing and those bulky wagers were sunk literally without trace.
Sweet Wake travelled well enough and held every chance approaching the home turn. He found little for pressure, however, and was a struggling fifth at the line.
Victory went to Noland and the inimitable Ruby Walsh, who turned what appeared certain defeat into glorious victory.
By my reckoning Noland had nine horses in front of him at the second last, as Straw Bear and Tony McCoy went for home.
Early on the run in the winner was still a good six lengths adrift of the leader but, with Walsh riding like a demon, Noland found an astonishing turn of foot.
He exploded up the final hill to grab Straw Bear in the dying strides and score by a neck. Sublimity proved best of the Irish in fourth and might have finished even closer but for getting it wrong at the last.
Said Walsh: “He stayed really well and the rain-softened ground helped him big-time.”
Commented winning trainer, Paul Nicholls: “This is brilliant. He wants two and a half miles as you can see.
“I told Ruby to never, never give up because he will just keep finding. He wants two and a half and fences, but we got away with it.
“Ruby gave him a superb ride. He gave him time to get into his stride and didn’t rush him at all.
“He’s a chaser in the making, he certainly isn’t a Champion Hurdle horse. He will go over fences next year and will be an Arkle horse.”
One punter on Betfair won’t forger the race for a while, having laid 999-1 Noland to £40 in running.
If Walsh was good on Noland then his performance aboard Tony Martin’s Dun Doire, in the Willliam Hill Trophy Handicap Chase, was nothing short of amazing.
Here was a horse seeking a staggering six-timer and running off a mark no less than 50lbs above where he started in the early part of the campaign.
Walsh had him right out the back for most of the journey and he still looked a no-hoper off the home turn, even if he was a lot closer.
But Walsh is the proverbial genius and his timing was immaculate. Dun Doire did a Noland and mugged several rivals from the last and, actually, scored snugly in the end.
Said Martin, enjoying a second Festival win: “He’s a big, old-fashioned horse who has to be ridden like that because he’s too slow to lie up.
“It is everything to win at Cheltenham. It is the All-Ireland, the Olympics, the whole season is about this.”
Dun Doire is owned by the eight-member Dunderry Racing Syndicate, which includes former Meath senior footballer, Barry Callaghan.
The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy was a high-class renewal, with Alan King’s Voy Por Ustedes stamping himself a future champion with a smooth success.
He travelled like a dream through the contest and clearly had gallant Monet’s Garden’s measure going to the second last.
Robert Thornton waited until coming away from the obstacle to ease Voy Por Ustedes, unbeaten in five races over fences, ahead and this cracking five-year-old was always getting the best of the battle on the level.
Said King: “I have always wanted a decent two-mile chaser, we had a lot when I was with the Duke (David Nicholson). It is great to have one now.
“I told Choc (Thornton) last night that the danger was Monet’s Garden, but he said that horse wouldn’t be quick enough.
“This looked a very strong race beforehand, it was his biggest test and he has proved himself.”
Said Thornton: “He’s brilliant. He actually missed a fence at the top of the hill, but was soon running away with me again.”
Wild Passion, prominent from the start, did best of the Irish in fourth, but Missed That’s jumping let him down.
He was trying to work back into the contest when slow at the third last and could never get in a blow afterwards.
Davy Russell and Philip Rothwell combined to land their first Festival winner when Native Jack surged away from mighty 13-year-old, and top weight, Spot Thedifference in the Sporting Index Chase.
“That was fabulous”, remarked Russell. “He jumped, travelled and picked up great.”
Said Rothwell: “He will now go for the La Touche (Punchestown), where I believe there’s a nice bonus (€50,000).”
Three winners then, including the big one, on the first day for the Irish was a more than satisfactory start to the Festival.
