Iris lands tripleprint knockout

Winning trainer Nicky Henderson declared that “good things come in little parcels” after seeing one of his smallest horses take one of the biggest races of the season so far at Cheltenham.

Iris Royal, less than 16 hands high, showed admirable courage to withstand the late challenge of Risk Accessor in the £100,000 (€140,000) Tripleprint Gold Cup.

And the result left Henderson particularly delighted as it justified his decision to bypass the contest with stablemate Fondmort – the winner of this race 12 months ago – in favour of a tilt at the Pertemps King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.

Having stalked It Takes Time approaching the second-last, Mick Fitzgerald kicked on turning for home on the 7-1 winner and Iris Royal soon pulled four lengths clear, with Timmy Murphy biding his time on Irish hope Risk Accessor (10-1), who travelled strongly in behind.

Murphy rousted his mount along after the last and quickly ate into the lead, drawing alongside with 100 yards to run.

But the brave Iris Royal fought back to repel his rival by a head, the pair well clear of third-placed Telemoss (5-1), with Royal Auclair (33-1) taking fourth spot for each-way punters.

Henderson revealed that he was grateful for some advice from fellow trainer Paul Nicholls.

“The other day I was at Newbury trying to work out my plans for this race and the King George and Paul Nicholls said to me ‘you might as well run Fondmort in the King George, because you’re going to win at Cheltenham anyway with Iris Royal’.

“I’m glad I listened to him now. I brought the deputy – although he wasn’t really the deputy – and he wins. What a great result.

“He is a brave little horse as he’s not very big, but he’s not put a foot wrong. He is better with less than 11st because of his size. If he gets 11st 10lb next year it wouldn’t be great!”

Fitzgerald paid tribute to Iris Royal, describing him as “an absolute legend”.

“He had been in front for a while and it was hard work,” he said. “He was rolling around a bit like a drunk as he started to go up the hill. I could hear the crowd shouting so I knew something was coming.

“I waited for the other horse and he did the rest for me, because he has such a big heart.

“A horse like this is what jumps racing is all about. He is half the size of some of the others but he is so tough and such a good jumper that he keeps winning.”

Favourite Hand Inn Hand had not been flawless at his fences but was still going well enough when brought down by the fall of Indian Scout at the 12th fence.

And Redemption would have had a say in the finish had he not crashed out when travelling strongly behind the leaders at the second-last.

JP McManus, owner of the runner-up, said he had “no complaints”.

“He was second in the Grand Annual over two miles but he relaxes so well that it would be worth trying him over three,” he said. “We were beaten by a better horse on the day.”

Rider Timmy Murphy was cautioned for his use of the whip on Risk Accessor.

Nicky Richards, the trainer of Telemoss, said of his charge: “I thought he was going best of all starting down the hill, but he landed a bit flat-footed over the second-last and I thought he might be swallowed up for third up the hill.

“But he stuck on well and could move up to three miles now, with the Racing Post Chase the sort of race to look at.”

Henderson had earlier wrongfooted punters when sending out a one-two in the Jenny Mould Memorial Handicap Chase as 20-1 outsider Got One Too and conditional jockey Andrew Tinkler led home stablemate Tysou (9-2) and first-choice rider Fitzgerald.

After seeing Got One Too lead his stablemate home by 18 lengths, Henderson said: “I am as surprised as anyone by that. When he won first time out last season I thought he was going to be an absolute superstar, but he never managed to get it right again.

“I am absolutely delighted to get a one-two in this race because of the lady who it commemorates, who was a very good friend of ours.”

Robert Thornton took the riding honours, landing a double for birthday boy trainer Alan King before winning the Tote Bula Hurdle on Rigmarole for Paul Nicholls.

Trouble At Bay (9-2) was off the bridle some way from home, but rallied strongly to beat favourite Tamarinbleu comfortably in the end in the Tripleprint Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

King’s rising star put in a bold jump at the last before winning by seven lengths, with Pilgrims Progress a further 16 lengths back in third.

King said: “I was desperate to find out if he could handle cut in the ground, and he was fine, although I still wouldn’t want to run him if it was desperate.

“He has had a long season on the Flat and he will have a break now. He may have one more run before the Triumph Hurdle if the ground is okay for him.”

Ladbrokes cut Trouble At Bay to 14-1 from 25-1 for the Triumph and pushed out runner-up Tamarinbleu to the same price from 10s. They are joint-favourites.

The ex-French gelding Crystal d’Ainay (2-1) completed the King-Thornton double as he rallied in the final strides to repel the challenge of Sh Boom in the Jet UK ‘Relkeel’ Hurdle.

“He is a very nice horse,” smiled King, 37 today and celebrating his first double at the home of jumps racing.

“The only problem is that he had won over fences before he came to us, despite him being just a four-year-old, so when we do go chasing we won’t be able to take the novice route.

“But he is a really nice prospect for the future and we might go for the Spa Hurdle back here on New Year’s Day now.”

Buckby Lane put up an impressive performance to take the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Future Champions Novices’ Chase.

Ruby Walsh conjured a great round of jumping from Paul Webber’s charge, who was always tracking the early leaders before going about five lengths clear turning for home.

The 13-2 shot kept up the gallop right to the line to beat Isard III by 13 lengths, with Simply Supreme a further head back in third.

Tony McCoy needed all his formidable strength to get Comply Or Die home in front in the concluding Tripleprint Novices’ Hurdle.

The 2-1 favourite had a rare set-to with Phar From Frosty and McCoy was hard at work from some way out before forcing his mount ahead after the last to win by three lengths.