Nicanor lands Novice spoils
Nicanor followed up his Cheltenham Festival success in gritty style when taking the Grade One Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle on the final day of the Punchestown Festival.
Noel Meade’s five-year-old left plenty of long faces in Prestbury Park when flooring hot favourite Denman in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle but was much better fancied this time.
The five-year-old was sent off the 9-10 favourite to complete a hat-trick but had to work hard in the closing stages to hold off 11-2 chance Mounthenry by a length.
Ruby Walsh, standing in for the sidelined Paul Carberry, decided to make the running after a lack of early pace and the partnership never saw another rival throughout the two-and-a-half-mile contest, which is likely to be Nicanor’s last over timber.
“Ruby said that if he had sat there he would have never needed to come off the bridle,” said Meade.
“The horse gave him a fantastic feel and Ruby absolutely loved him.
“I was worried about the ground before the race because you can’t take chances with a horse like this.
“Chasing has been the plan all along and I thought he might be a Gold Cup horse one day.
“We had thought the SunAlliance Chase would be his aim but now maybe we should be thinking about the Arkle as he has a lot of speed.”
Cashmans introduced him at 25-1 for the two-mile novice championship.
Renee Robeson gave the British raiders a first winner of the meeting when springing a 25-1 shock with Olney Lad in the betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase.
After drawing a blank on the first three days, it took until the fourth race on the final day for the visitors to get on the scoreboard.
Jimmy McCarthy had his mount up in the front-rank throughout and he fought back in great style over the final two fences to hold Wolf Creek (7-1) by a length and a half.
Oulart was sent off the 100-30 favourite on the back of his Irish National second but Dessie Hughes’ charge never got seriously competitive and came home in third.
Last time out the winner was 41 lengths adrift of Star De Mohaison at Aintree.
Charlie Egerton’s Gallant Approach was a never-nearer fifth and Michael Hourigan’s Church Island was pulled up.
Robeson said: “I was worried about the ground but he has actually done it better on it. Jimmy knows how to ride so I didn’t tell him anything.
“It is terribly exciting to be winning here, I can’t believe it’s happening.”
Tony McCoy gained his first success of the week when Kinger Rocks, trained by Dermot Weld, captured the Flogas Ireland Novice Hurdle.
“She jumped well, travelled well and there was a good even pace,” said McCoy. “She’s a mare to look forward to and she should win plenty more.”
