Refinement surprise marred by Mighty woe
“I shouldn’t say it”, quipped McCoy, “but she is a typical woman and obviously has her own ideas.”
Undoubtedly true, but in the end Refinement carried far too may guns for her rivals in an incident-packed contest.
Mighty Man was a big order in the ring and set off to make all the running. He broke down, however, heading to the second last.
Reported rider, Richard Johnson: “He broke down badly on his off-fore and was hanging badly with me over the previous four hurdles.”
Essex flattered off the home turn, but it was Powerstation who held the call on the surge to the final flight. McCoy had now worked the mare into the race, but she still had plenty to do back in fourth.
She was soon making up ground, though, and was in the air at the last with Powerstation. McCoy had timed it to perfection and she forged two and a half lengths clear on the flat.
“She ran disappointingly here last year and has struggled a bit this season, but was good at Aintree”, said McCoy.
“This was a great training performance by Jonjo (O’Neill), to get a light-framed mare to win a Grade 1 at this time.”
O’Neill watched the race at home and was represented by J P McManus’ racing manager, Frank Berry.
Commented Berry: “She ran a blinder at Aintree and we thought she was in great form today. She got a smashing ride from Tony.
“She jumped great and kept picking them off. The plan after today was for her to go to stud, but I don’t know if that’s still the case.
“If I had her I think she would go on a bit longer. They might have a re-think now.”
And, indeed, later in the afternoon, O’Neill, speaking from Jackdaws Castle, said that her next race would be the marathon Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Brave Inca proved a huge disappointment, trailing in a remote sixth. He moved well enough for some of the journey, but began to labour early on the final circuit.
He soon began to back-pedal and was out on his feet jumping the fifth last. It would be ridiculous to say he didn’t stay, considering how far from home he was beaten.
Perhaps, the many tough battles Brave Inca has had over a long and honourable career have finally taken their toll!
His pilot, Ruby Walsh, said: “He wouldn’t have won at a mile, two miles or at any stage of the race. If he changed his legs once, he changed them a hundred times.”
Trainer, Colm Murphy, said: “It’s been a long year and I wouldn’t read too much into this.
“The ground may have been a bit fast, but he’s had a lot of hard races and that might have been one too many.”
