Battling Villez lands National spoils
Nicholls already has the lucrative Galway Plate neatly tucked away, courtesy of Oslot, so his lofty ambition may not be as fanciful as many had originally thought.
Ruby Walsh gave the six-year-old a smashing drive, rounding of an extraordinary weekend in some style.
He rode four winners for Nicholls at Chepstow on Saturday and Dear Villez was one of three yesterday, taking his total for the two days to a whopping seven.
Denis O’Regan allowed Mister Top Notch to stride on going for the final time, but Walsh was soon in hot pursuit.
On the down hill burst to the home turn, Dear Villez came under strong pressure, but responded generously to his rider’s urgings He was in front over the second last and kept pulling it out to beat Mister Top Notch by three lengths.
Nicholls didn’t make the journey to Limerick and was represented by assistant trainer, Dan Skelton.
“I have just been on the phone to Paul”, said Skelton. “There are no immediate plans, but this was a big day for Dear Villez and for the horse’s owners.
“Ruby gave him a great ride, it is great to have him on your side. That was a brilliant performance for a relative novice. There is every chance he could come back to Ireland again.”
Commented Walsh: “He jumped, travelled and battled, his jumping was unbelievable. I was flat to the boards coming down the hill, but there is no winning post down there!”
Nicholls failed with warm favourite Marodima, however, in the Grade 3 PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase.
He loves to bowl along in front, but doesn’t find much off the bridle and folded quickly once Paddy Flood eased Tom Taaffe’s Finger Onthe Pulse past approaching the home turn.
Barry Geraghty was to have partnered the winner, but suffered a bruised foot at Fairyhouse on Saturday. He won’t know the full extent of the damage until seeing a specialist tomorrow.
Reported Taaffe: “He’s a smart horse, bad ones don’t win at Cheltenham. He will come on a good bit for today and goes next for the Killultagh Properties Chase up north (Down Royal).”
Beau Michael, one of the best juveniles in the country last season and fresh from a spin on the level at Navan last week, trounced his rivals in the Michael Punch and Partners’ Hurdle, giving Walsh the first leg of his 106-1 treble.
Backed from a little 3-1 to 2-1 favourite, it was certainly money well invested, as he made all the running.
Walsh saved plenty for the closing stages and Beau Michael ran right away over the final two hurdles to score by eight lengths.
Commented trainer, Ado McGuinness: “He is still not a hundred per cent fit, but the run at Navan blew the cobwebs away.
“The ground is the key to him, he loves it. He is going to have to go in against the older horses now, but could also return to the flat.”
Walsh was on the mark as well when Eric McNamara’s 12-1 shot Reens Pike defied top weight in the Pat Keogh BMW Handicap Hurdle. Geraghty should also have ridden this horse.
Reens Piked edged ahead down hill to the home turn and was always holding Theicecreamfelllow in the closing stages.
“Having a genius (Walsh) on your side hardly hindered my fellow”, said McNamara. “He was very disappointing at Listowel but Kevin Coleman, who rode him, said to never run the horse left-handed again.”
Paul Nolan’s Alpha Ridge, who got off the mark over flights at Listowel, put up a very decent performance to take the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle.
He bucked out and made all the running for Alain Cawley, powering well clear up the straight to score by eight lengths.
“He came on a nice bit from Listowel”, said Nolan. “He will probably stay hurdling now and go for something like the Pertemps qualifier at Leopardstown at Christmas. This is a chaser in the making.”
The frustrating Badgerlaw finally put it together when landing the Specsavers Limerick EBF Beginners Chase, after getting the best of a tough battle with Clarnazar.
The pair cannoned into each other between the final two, before the winner showed the greater resolution for Andrew Leigh.
Trainer, Jessica Harringtonn, said: “He deserved that, he’s been knocking on the door a long time. He’s crying out for three miles and will be stepped up to that now.”
Klassy defied top weight in the Oakbruce Properties Handicap Hurdle, scoring at 16-1 in the hands of Joe Brolly.
His owner-trainer, Bryan Murphy, seemed more puzzled by the success than anyone else!
“I can’t explain it, he has only been back in three weeks”, related Murphy.
All Sorts Star got to the front going to the last, but was worried out of it on the run in by the winner, the verdict half a length.
The Bumper saw Colm Sharkey produce the Charlie Swan-trained On Galley Head to lead inside the final furlong to beat High Amenity.
