Bertie’s dream comes true
Yesterday, that horse, which is named Bertie’s Dream in his honour, claimed the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle for Conor and the seven other members of the Half a Keg syndicate from Dublin.
“We bought him the April before last,” said Broderick who, like the rest of his celebrating partners all hail from the East Wall/Fairview side of the capital. “He didn’t even have a shoe on him. He was straight from the field. When I told him I’d bought him he said ‘I always dreamed you’d own a racehorse’.
Bertie’s Dream was a 33-1 winner for the syndicate and, judging by their plans, they will need every penny of their winnings to fuel the celebrations both here in Cheltenham and back home.
Trainer Paul Gilligan was just as chuffed. From Craughwell in Galway, Bertie’s Dream was his first ever runner at the festival so seeing him gallop home clear of Najaf must have been special.
“I’m speechless and can’t believe it,” he said. “We really did think he would run well but Cheltenham is Cheltenham and you don’t come here thinking you are going to win.”
Jockey Andrew Lynch spoke about how the rain had come at just the right time for the seven-year old but Gilligan didn’t share his concerns at the dry weather over the first three days.
“The rain didn’t matter to him because he goes on any ground.”
Bertie’s Dream finished third behind Tell Massini that day but McNamara was delighted to be able to go that bit better yesterday to claim his second victory of the week having claimed the Arkle Chase on Sizing Europe on day one. “All he does is stay,” he said. “He’s won over shorter trips in Ireland but on heavier ground. I couldn’t believe it really.”
In a Cheltenham Festival week sure to be remembered with fondness by the bookmakers, there will have been fewer results more difficult to predict than the Novices’ Hurdle.
The 33-1 shot led home Najaf (25-1) and 66-1 longshot Kennel Hill in a tricast paying out just under £42,000, with 100-30 favourite Tell Massini a major blowout and pulled up.
Andrew Lynch, who won the Arkle earlier in the week, is clearly in electric form but had it all to do on Berties Dream and was rowing along from some way out.
Three miles of rain-softened ground found many of the field out and it developed into a real tussle with Henry Oliver deciding to be extremely positive on Restless Harry, who was joined by Najaf and Berties Dream but crashed through the last.
Restless Harry ended up unseating David Casey from Fionnegas.
It was up to Bertie’s Dream to press on and he took six lengths out of Najaf on the run to the line, with Kennel Hill able to sweep up the remaining spoils.
Gilligan, 36, is becoming familiar to British racegoers.
He continued: “I used to ride point-to-pointers but decided to give training a go eight or nine years ago. We had won four over here this season and a couple at the Galway Festival but this is my best ever.”
