Ruby in full flow as Taranis plan comes off for Nicholls
At Cheltenham on Wednesday, he guided Denman to a hugely impressive victory in the Royal and SunAlliance Chase and followed up yesterday with an awesome display aboard Taranis in the Ryanair Chase to take his Festival tally to 13.
Taranis, like Denman, is trained by Paul Nicholls and found enough for heavy pressure to beat Our Vic a neck with Billyvoddan only half a length away in third.
“We have always had this race in mind for him, ever since the autumn”, revealed Nicholls. “He stops in front and just does enough, but I knew Ruby had plenty left.
“That’s a good job done and he got a great ride. This is his trip at the moment, but he will stay three miles next season.”
Taranis was left in front four from home when trail-blazing Crozan toppled over. Walsh didn’t hesitate and quickly set sail for home.
Billyvoddan threatened him all the way up the straight, but the final worry came with the late dash of Our Vic. It was the 100th winner of the season for Nicholls.
Said Walsh: “He was pulling up mad with me in front, he had loads left. He’s only a six-year-old and it was a cracking run in the Paddy Power, giving Exotic Dancer 10lbs. He is a grand horse and had his ears pricked the whole way.”
David Pipe said of Our Vic: “He ran well, but couldn’t go the pace early, until staying on up the hill.”
Monet’s Garden, available as high as 3-1 in the morning, was a major order on track, 7-4 from 9-4.
He held every chance turning in, but simply didn’t have the stomach for the battle when the need was greatest.
Paddy Brennan, who comes from Ardrahan, Co Galway, gave Inglis Drever a tremendous drive to win the Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle.
Inglis Drever never carried Brennan along and the pilot was pushing the head off him from a fair way out.
Gradually, the winner warmed to his task, however, and finally began to get into contention at the top of the hill.
Inglis Drever was now responding generously to Brennan’s urgings, surged into the lead off the home turn and never flinched in the closing stages as Mighty Man attempted to close him down.
It was the second time Inglis Drever has won this race, having been successful two years earlier.
Brennan absolutely milked the applause as he returned in triumph and deserved every accolade tossed in his direction.
“Unbelievable, I have never felt as much pressure as I did today”, declared Brennan. “It’s some relief, he’s some horse.
“It is a great training performance to get him back to this level. They were coming to me, but I felt he’d pull out more and more.”
Trainer, Howard Johnson, said: “The Pitmen’s Derby (on the flat at Newcastle) could be the plan, I have always wanted to win that race.
“He is a horse that tends to come on and off the bridle, but I told Paddy as soon as you come down the hill and get a bit of light he will pick up.
“I would say that of all the horses I have trained this fellow, Grey Abbey and Direct Route are the best. After today he is probably number one.”
Tony McCoy has had a dismal week and, if anything, it got even worse here on Black Jack Ketchum.
Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding was the medium of major wagers in the ring, on the basis the ground had come right for him. The groans could be heard for miles away, after he fell at the third.
“What can I say, obviously that’s disappointing”, said O’Neill. “We can’t do anything about it.
“That’s the game we’re in, we have to accept those things. Life goes on, AP is okay, the horse is okay, so we can try again.”
Two ex-Irish horses, L’Antartique and Bob Hall, dominated the finish of the Jewson Novices’ Chase.
Victory went to L’Antartique, who was powered to the front at the last and stayed on strongly on the level to score by two lengths.
Partnered by Graham Lee, the seven-year-old was giving trainer, Ferdy Murphy, his second win of the week to go with Joes Edge.
Commented Murphy: “I knew our horse stayed and I said to Graham that they might go too fast early on.
“I said he’d have to sit and suffer and Graham did just that and kept his cool. He won a bumper first time out for Tony Mullins and is a very high-class horse. This is fantastic.”
Said Lee: “I’d like to have been a lot handier, but the pace was ferocious. I probably got there a bit soon, but he jumped impeccably.”
Best of the Irish was Vic Venturi in fifth with compatriot, Kings Advocate, filling sixth spot.
Alan O’Keeffe rode his second Festival winner when Idole First ran away with the Racing Post Plate Handicap Chase. Idole First provided him with his initial success as well, in the Coral Cup in 2005.
O’Keeffe is 23-years-of age and comes from Ballyclough, near Mallow, Co Cork. “He travelled and jumped great and quickened down the hill”, reported the delighted pilot.
“Everything went well and it worked out pretty smoothly. I’ve won six on him and he tries his heart out.”
Jonjo O’Neill, out of luck with Black Jack Ketchum, had a modicum of compensation when 33-1 shot Butler’s Cabin cropped up in the four mile plus National Hunt Chase. It was the fifth time O’Neill has won this particular contest.
Owned by J P McManus, he battled on stoutly to beat Character Building, after market-leader, Gungadu, fell when just about feeling the pinch two out.
Butler’s Cabin was powerfully handled by Alan Berry, who is a son of McManus’ racing manager, Frank, and was enjoying his first Festival victory.
Butler’s Cabin collapsed on the way to the winner’s enclosure, but was subsequently reported to be fine.
A blank day for Ireland was completed when Oscar Park got the best of a desperate tussle with Material World in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final.
Willie Mullins’ gallant 13-year-old Adamant Approach did best of ours, running on from behind to claim third.
