Under-rated Kelly comes of age on Hardy Eustace
Hardy Eustace had plenty to do approaching the second last, but responded gamely to Kelly’s considerable urgings and found plenty when the questions were popped.
Coolnagorna, subsequently disqualified for causing interference, was in front a long way out, but Hardy Eustace swept past off the home turn.
Kelly kept him going in terrific style and Hardy Eustace was never going to cry enough up the final hill.
For Hughes, who rode nine Festival winners, it was a first success at the meeting since Miller Hill landed the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 1983.
"I’ve waited twenty years for this, but it has been well worth it”, said the ecstatic handler.
"We were always fairly confident coming here and he is the most straightforward horse I have ever trained. It was terrible ground when he was beaten by Solerina at Leopardstown and he appreciated this better surface.
"He’s a very good horse and is likely to go to Punchestown now. He will possibly stay over hurdles next season.”
Cashmans gave Hardy Eustace a 12-1 quote for next year’s Stayers’ Hurdle.
Said Kelly: "You will have to pinch me, it’s unreal, unbelievable. He makes hard work of it, but was always going to win. I was never really worried.
"It was a good race, they kept quickening and quickening all the way down the back. They never got away from him and he kept plugging on. I didn’t want to be in front that soon, but didn’t want to disappoint him either.”
Third placed Pizarro was a massive gamble, hardening from 11-4 to 2-1 favourite. You would have to say he was a trifle disappointing.
He jumped well - that had been the worry - and was cantering going to the second last. But he was soon in trouble and could only plug on one-paced. Edward O’Grady offered no excuses. "He has run well”, he said. "It rode and looked like a good race and I delighted with him. My horse had every chance and just might have been a bit outpaced after the second last, but I have no complaints.”
Tony Dobbin, who rode Coolnagorna, was suspended for seven days, having been found guilty of intentional interference to Lord Sam two out.
Coolnagorna was the medium of a huge wager with Scottish layer, Freddie Williams, - £750,000 to £150,000. Indeed, it was a cracking result for the fearless bookmaker, who also laid £300,000 to £100,000 Pizarro.
It is rapidly turning out to be an extraordinary meeting for the Irish and Tony Martin’s Xenophon landed a msssive punt in the Coral Cup, taking our total for the week to five.
He could be mapped as the likely winner a fair way out, with Mick Fitzgerald waiting until the last before pouncing.
Said Martin: "When you have a horse like him there is no point in going for mickey-mouse races. One big one like this makes up for ten little ones.
"I think he is crying out for fences, he has chaser written all over him. It has been disappointing with Davids Lad, but this is a help. He’s a big, backward horse who needed time.”
It was a first winner for Martin at the Festival and he didn’t rule out the possibility of Xenophon turning out again today in the County Hurdle.
Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson, fresh from their victory with Rooster Booster in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, were on the mark again when the game One Knight landed the Royal and SunAlliance Chase.
This was a sparkling front-running display from the Roselier gelding, who made light of some sketchy jumping, particularly in the early part of the race.
He’s a relentless galloper, however, shaking off Barrow Drive before the home turn and then finding loads on the level when Frenchman, Jair Du Cochet, tried to close.
Said Hobbs: "We were a bit concerned about his jumping during the race, he had jumped well on his last couple off runs.
"If something gets the lead all he wants to do is get past the horse and then he relaxes. He’s only a big baby and a backward horse.”
Hobbs had good news for Punchestown, indicating that Rooster Booster’s next run was likely to be at the Co Kildare track.
Tony Mullins was thrilled with Barrow Drive’s highly creditable third placing. "I’m disappointed he didn’t win, but happy and delighted with his performance”, said Mullins
"He jumps and stays, but probably lacks the class of a real Gold Cup horse. His middle name is reliability and someday he will win a big one!”
The highly regarded Keen Leader was a big drifter and the market got him spot-on. He was hunted round at the rear by Liam Cooper, but found nothing when asked to close going to the third last.
We were desperately unlucky not to win the four mile National Hunt Chase. Willie Mullins’ Hedgehunter was cantering all over his rivals when making a dreadful blunder at the second from home. Victory went to John O’Neill’s Sudden Shock, ridden by Denis Cullen, who got the better of a dog-fight with favourite Stormez on the run in.
Punters ripped into Martin Pipe’s Liberman in the Champion Bumper, 2-1 favourite from 3’s, and it was money well invested. Tony McCoy had been experiencing a bad week, but there was no way he was going to be denied here.
He went for glory with less than half a mile to run and kept Liberman going in typically no-nonsense style to hold outsider Trabolgan by half a length.
Richard Johnson joined Barry Geraghty on the three-winner mark for the meeting when driving Young Spartacus clear from the last to take the Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase by four lengths.
