Albertas takes flight in Ryanair
Tony McCoy never threatened to get among the winners over the first half of the festival, but it was a different story yesterday and he landed two of the first three races.
He was quite superb aboard Albertas Run in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase. Successful in the contest as well a year earlier, the ten-year-old had struggled to hit form this season.
He took the most awful fall at Ascot in November, burying McCoy, and his confidence appeared to be shattered when running no sort of race behind Long Run in the King George at Kempton in January.
But he has been nursed back to his best by Jonjo O’Neill and stripped an altogether different proposition here.
And McCoy took full advantage, having him racing on the pace and then making a decisive move off the home turn.
It is a long way up the hill from there and Albertas Run had to be more than brave, as the cavalry gathered in behind.
But this is a horse who, when on song, clearly relishes a fight and never gave any indication he would shirk the issue.
The final challenge came from Kalahari King, but he was always struggling to close down the winner and Albertas Run was comfortably ahead at the line.
This was a third win at the festival for Albertas Run, he was also successful in the RSA Chase in 2008.
McCoy summed up best of all the manner in which Albertas Run copes with the vagaries of Cheltenham. He said: “You need one that wants to win.
“Sometimes I do some stupid things and ask some silly questions, but he’s silly enough to keep answering
“It is a pleasure to be able to ride a horse like him, it’s what makes you want to come back here.
“He probably lacks a bit of intelligence, like I do, so he keeps coming back for more. He has a good will to win and a great attitude.
“I have to say what an amazing job Jonjo has done with the horse, every year he keeps producing him for the big festivals.
“He always seems to find one good enough to win at this place
“He could have run well in the Gold Cup, but the big races at Cheltenham are pretty sweet, even if they are not Gold Cups.”
A clearly delighted O’Neill commented: “He just loves this place. That was very special and he is a great horse.
“He loved the ground, loves the track and is always better at this time of the year. He was very unfortunate when falling behind Master Minded at Ascot, because he was going to run a blinder, and has had few problems on and off between then and now. I sort of took over the riding from the second last!
“Everything came right today and you need that when you come to Cheltenham. A winner at Cheltenham is fantastic and we felt this was probably our best chance.”
Kalahari King’s frustrated trainer, Ferdy Murphy, said: “He’s a Grade 1 horse and won a Grade 1, around Aintree, but it looks as if he is destined never to win one at this place.”
Rubi Light ran a terrific race for Robbie Hennessy and Andrew Lynch to claim third. He was near the front throughout and Lynch had to snatch him up as Albertas Run went past turning in. It made no difference to the result, but there is little doubt Rubi Light is improving rapidly.
A thrilled Hennessy reported: “He’s a big horse and has a bit of filling out to do. He could be the real deal and should be running against novices this season, but won a chase in France and so we had to take on the big boys. He’s holding his own against them.
“Andrew felt if the ground was softer he would have won, but we’re delighted.
“He might go to Punchestown now, but that depends on the ground. Any quicker than today and he wouldn’t run.”
The heavily-backed Poquelin was a big disappointment. He was taken down to the start well before the others by Ruby Walsh and seemed to be much too fresh and keen.
And it showed on the track, because he couldn’t raise his tempo at all when the need was greatest.
