Meade’s relief palpable as Nicanor doubles his Festival tally
Meade has suffered so much heartbreak at this meeting over many years, but this future Gold Cup prospect will have washed away an enormous amount of the pain.
Meade admitted to drinking “the best part of a bottle of gin” on Tuesday, after watching Sweet Wake trail in a well-beaten fifth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
But in Nicanor he has a horse who is made of much sterner stuff and he totally outstayed Denman, the medium of some ferocious wagers in the ring, 11-8 to 11-10.
Denman was prominent throughout and was sent for home over the second last by Ruby Walsh.
Paul Carberry had minded his own business out the back for the most part, but gradually worked the imposing son of Garde Royale into the contest in the final mile.
Nicanor came swinging behind Denman into the straight and was then far too strong for his rival after the final flight.
Meade’s only previous success came with Sausalito Bay in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle six years earlier, but in Nicanor has a candidate, if he remains sound, who is well capable of coming back again and again!
“He’s a gorgeous horse and one we have always thought a lot of ”, said Meade, who was clearly moved by doubling his tally.
“He has lots of gears and will go chasing next season. Paul made up his mind to ride him last week and decided he’d better not change, even though everyone was telling him to ride Mr Nosie (finished a creditable fourth).
"It’s only sinking in now and Punchestown will be next. It was a typical drive from Paul and this horse has been in fantastic form at home.”
Said Carberry: “It’s a brilliant feeling. I was a bit further back than I wanted to be, but Nicanor was always going well.
“At the top of the hill he was absolutely cantering. Jumping the second last I had a bit left, so I just sat. He was a little bit tight at the last, but jumped it well. He put his head down and galloped all the way to the line.”
Paul Nicholls offered no excuses for Denman. “He’s run a good race, but has been beaten by a better horse on the day.
“He’s a three-mile chaser and it’s a dream to be here, because when we bought him we never thought he’d be red-hot favourite for the SunAlliance.”
On yet another terrific afternoon for Ireland, Edward O’Grady’s Sky’s The Limit ran away with the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.
Completing a double for Barry Geraghty, successful earlier on Star De Mohaison in the Royal and SunAlliance Novices Chase, the grey bounded clear under the steadier of 11-12.
There has been huge controversy centring on Irish hurdlers supposedly being badly handicapped in England, but the fact Sky’s The Limit scored with a ton in hand and Eric McNamara’s Strangely Brown finished second, there seems little evidence it holds much water!
Said O’Grady: “We wanted to preserve his mark so that’s why he hasn’t run since early December.
“Nobody expects a horse to win that easily. I hope the handicapper doesn’t put him up too much, but I suspect we might have to go for conditions hurdles now. Aintree would be a possibility.”
Said Geraghty: “He’s only five and you could go wherever you want with him after that.”
It was owner Ray Rooney’s first Festival runner since Golden Cygnet, also trained by O’Grady, won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in imperious fashion in 1978.
McNamara said of Strangely Brown: “He ran a blinder, jumped superbly, but was just beaten by a better horse.”
Ireland’s score surged to a staggering seven after just two days when Hairy Molly, landing a double for Paul Carberry, stayed on stoutly to win the Weatherbys’ Champion Bumper at odds of 33-1.
It was a first for veteran handler Joe Crowley, father-in-law of Aidan O’Brien, who wasn’t present. Hairy Molly is owned by the FTB Syndicate from Listowel.
The syndicate is made up of two married couples, John and Kay Sayers and Joe and Tina Guerin. Oh, and see how long it takes you to work out what the letters FTB stand for!
Ruby Walsh, out of luck with Denman and Kauto Star in particular, suffered another reverse when parting company with Our Ben at the third in the Royal and SunAlliance Novices Chase.
To make matters worse victory went to Geraghty and Star de Mohaison, trained by Paul Nicholls, for whom Walsh regularly rides.
The French-bred gave a smashing display of jumping and was sent on before the third last to make the rest and beat Idle Talk.
Commented Geraghty: “He’s a lovely sort of horse, who will be even better next season. He travelled well on the heels of the leaders all the way and I never really had a worry.
“It’s a tough race for young horses, he’s only a five-year-old, but the 10lb allowance was a great help and probably made all the difference. He’s got a massive future.” Said Nicholls, adding to his gains with Noland on Tuesday: “My worry was whether he’d stay and, fortunately, he did.”
Edward O’Grady’s Back In Front ran a blinder, but was well held in second spot when he and Paddy Flood went their separate ways at the penultimate obstacle.
Richard Harding, from Castletownroche, Co Cork, guided Ferdy Murphy’s You’re Special to victory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase to record a first Festival success.
He is a brother of Brian’s, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase on One Man in 1998. Said Harding (24): “I got a phone call from Ferdy a couple of weeks ago and only sat on the horse this morning. It’s a dream come true.”
