'I had a tear in my eye after the race': Galvin inspires dreams of Gold Cup with thrilling win
Davy Russell and owner Ronnie Bartlett celebrate after winning with Galvin. Picture:Â INPHO/Bryan Keane
Galvin had trainer Gordon Elliott dreaming of further Cheltenham Gold Cup success after he got up in the dying strides to win a thrilling renewal of the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
Since his win in a Roscommon bumper in July 2018, the horse has gone from strength to strength, culminating in his first Grade One success at just the second attempt. All the focus was on A Plus Tard, last year’s Gold Cup runner-up and winner of this race, and for much of the race everything seemed to be going to plan.
He jumped with great fluency and when asked to quicken up to mount a challenge on the turn for home, his rider, Rachael Blackmore, looked to have all bases covered. While making that turn, she even cut off the eventual winner and that should have been decisive.
To the credit of former winner Kemboy, he also put it up to the favourite all the way up the straight, but it was Galvin, under a typically powerful ride by Davy Russell, who found most for pressure. The National Hunt Chase winner stays all day and got up in the shadow of the post to touch off A Plus Tard, with Kemboy close up in third.
“Unbelievable,” said Elliott. “I had a tear in my eye after the race, and I’m not afraid to say it. We’ve had a rough year, and it’s brilliant for the horse to do this.
“We started off having a bit of fun around Perth with him, and he hasn’t let us down the whole way. I think that’s 12 races he has won now — he’s the horse of a lifetime.
“The horse got into a lovely rhythm. He does that, though, he’s a good horse, and he stays like hell. He’ll go straight to the Gold Cup now. To win that race is unbelievable. Ronnie Bartlett is a brilliant owner, a good friend and a gentleman.
“And Russell is a great friend of mine. We’ve been friends since riding in point-to-points since we were 16 or 17 years of age, and I’m very lucky to have Davy and Jack at the moment. That meant a lot to Davy, too, because he’s very close to Ronnie too. It’s unbelievable.
“I don’t think he was much fitter today than he was in Down Royal, but I think he got great confidence out of Down Royal (runner-up to Frodon). Jamie Codd gave him a beautiful ride, and he hit the line well that day.
“I think the three-mile-two trip of the Gold Cup will suit him well.”
Referring to Russell returning from injury recently, Elliott added: “We kind of don’t let him ride for anyone else at the moment. And, anyway, he’s too good to be giving to anyone else.”
Galvin was cut to a general 6-1 to give Elliott his second Cheltenham Gold Cup, five years on from Don Cossack. A Plus Tard, who was clear favourite prior to this defeat, eased to 4-1.
Earlier in the day, Howyabud caused an upset by taking the Savills Maiden Hurdle for Mary Ellen Doyle and jockey Jack Foley. Bred and owned by former Kilkenny hurling star Charlie Carter, he led all the way and picked up well to see off favourite Horantzau D’airy.
“That’s my first track winner,” said Doyle, who took out her licence in March. “We think a lot of him. He had good bumper form and ran well in a very good point-to-point in Monksgrange.”
The two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle was fiercely competitive, but Mark Walsh was at his best aboard the Edward O’Grady-trained Priory Park, which he delivered late to land the spoils.
Panda Boy belied his lack of experience with a fine victory in the Pertemps Qualifier. Having just his fifth race, the Martin Brassil-trained five-year-old stayed on well to go clear late on under JJ Slevin.
