Quazar gives O'Neill another lift
Quazar provided further evidence that Jonjo O’Neill’s horses have finally escaped the doldrums when he formed the highlight of a 62-1 treble for Tony McCoy at Cheltenham today.
Beset with a sickness which caused Jackdaws Castle to be closed down after Christmas, the O’Neill runners are now showing their true colours and Quazar (2-1) proved much too good for Le Roi Miguel in the Faucets For Mira Showers Silver Trophy.
Le Roi Miguel built up a 20-length lead in this limited handicap chase, but McCoy had his every move covered and jumped Quazar to the front at the last before pulling four lengths clear of his rival, who lost his chance with a blunder.
O’Neill, pleased that he had decided to target this race for Quazar rather than one at Ayr, said: “They’re coming along grand now and are back to themselves, but sadly many of them are already in the field.
“Tony said this fellow loved the ground and jumped well, but he had to give him a couple of cracks when he hit the front. That’s just the way this horse is and it’s great to see him win a nice one as he was my last runner before I shut up shop on Boxing Day.”
Many of O’Neill’s big guns are finished for the season, including Iris’s Gift and Rhinestone Cowboy, who is nursing a leg problem, but Intersky Falcon could have one more outing at either Sandown or Punchestown before going novice chasing.
McCoy sparked his treble with a facile success on the 13-8 favourite Prins Willem in the Centaur Exhibition And Conference Centre Novices’ Hurdle.
James Fanshawe’s six-year-old was confirming his liking for this track, having finished fourth to Arcalis in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival.
The champion jockey put the icing on the cake when Openide (7-1) arrived late on the scene to deny Papini and Star De Mohaison in the Ian Williams Owners Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.
Martin Pipe and Paul Nicholls are having a good scrap for the trainers’ title and honours were pretty much even, with Pipe landing the MITIE Group Handicap Hurdle with Lough Derg and Nicholls having his say when Comanche War Paint won the Endsleigh Insurance Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.
Lough Derg (14-1) and Tom Scudamore foiled a gamble on Unleash as they wore down that rival and stretched clear up the hill.
Pipe said: “His previous win was gained here and he’ll make a nice novice chaser next season. I thought Unleash was going to win, but my horse stayed on very well considering he had so much weight.”
Comanche War Paint (3-1) came from an unpromising position under Ruby Walsh to grab Mckelvey and score by half a length.
Nicholls said: “He’ll have one more run over hurdles and then go for the Summer National at Uttoxeter.”
The trainer was out of luck in the Messier Dowty Landing Gear Novices’ Chase when his odds-on Red Devil Robert was beaten 12 lengths by Liverpool Echo (11-4).
Henry Daly wants to strike while the iron is hot with Richard Johnson’s mount and said: “While Punchestown is a possibility, he really has to run next week at either Perth or Newton Abbot.”
There was a sad epitaph to the success of Lords Best in the Telectronics Systems Handicap Chase when Wayne Hutchinson jumped off the nine-year-old after crossing the line a 13-length winner from Cassia Heights.
Lords Best (15-2) had broken down on the run-in so badly that he has been retired.
The gelding was found to have ruptured his near-hind tendon, the second time in his career he has suffered a leg injury.
His trainer Alan King said: “By the time we get him back two years will have elapsed, and I would think it’s best that we call it a day with him.”
