Sheehy trip is Justified
The seven-year-old survived a nightmare 16-hour trip to the track on Tuesday as he beat a couple of fair performers to make all in the Pheasant Inn Novices’ Chase at odds of 8-13.
The gelding travelled well throughout and held the persistent challenge of Cornish Sett - who made a mistake at the final fence - on the run-in to score by two and a half lengths.
Coral took a view on the victory, pushing the winner out from 8-1 to 9-1 for the Arkle but other bookmakers kept him at around the 7-1 mark.
“He had a terrible journey over,” said the County Kilkenny-based trainer. “The travelling arrangements did not work out and we were on the road for 16 hours yesterday.
“We left home at 3.30am and got here at seven last night but at least the horse was able to get his head down for a couple of hours.
“Tony said he went pretty quick down the back straight and he was idling a bit on his own in front.
“But he was pleased with the way the horse picked up again when he was challenged and I’m happy if he’s happy.
“It was always the plan to come to somewhere in England before Cheltenham and also to silence the critics a bit and give him some more experience of a left-handed track.
“He will go for the Irish Arkle (at Leopardstown on January 29) and then hopefully back to Cheltenham as long as the ground isn’t firm.
“I’ve put him in the Queen Mother as well as the way the Irish horses are dropping out, you never know what is going to be left! The Arkle is the main target though.”
McCoy completed a 6-1 double with another win for favourite-backers when Rubberdubber (100-30) took the M and C Carpets Handicap Chase for Charlie Egerton.
Detroit City entered the reckoning for the JCB Triumph Hurdle when putting a disappointing jumps debut behind him to take the opening contest.
Detroit City (8-1) was well beaten in bottomless ground at Warwick at the start of last month but he bounced back to his best here, seeing off favourite Royals Darling by a length and a half in the Berkshire Stand Bookshop Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
