Cheltenham Festival:Gordon Elliott stole the show with a fantastic 101-1 double as Irish runners claimed six of the seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival. Elliott burst on to the scene when saddling Silver Birch to win the 2007 Grand National at Aintree, but a Festival triumph still eluded him.
That all came to an end on a magnificent afternoon as Chicago Grey landed the opening 141st Year Of The National Hunt Chase. Stablemate Carlito Brigante, owned by Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary, then won in the style of a seriously well-handicapped horse in the Coral Cup.
Such an epic achievement was closely matched by the exploits of Elliott’s fellow Irish trainers, with the O’Leary-owned First Lieutenant, as well as Bostons Angel, What A Charm and new Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe winning their respective heats.
First up for Elliott, however, was Chicago Grey, who was given a splendid waiting ride by Derek O’Connor. The 5-1 favourite jumped accurately throughout the four-mile National Hunt Chase, but still had plenty of work to do as the field skipped on down the hill for the final time.
Beshabar was the first to commit for home and the two of them approached the final fence as one. But it was Chicago Grey who got away from it the faster and he charged up the hill to secure a four-and-a-half-length victory.
“It’s probably the biggest day of my training career. We’ve won a Grand National, but this is what it’s all about,” said Elliott. “Derek gave him a great ride. You have to have these good amateurs in this race — AP couldn’t have given this horse a better ride today.
“I was never really worried all the way through the race and it’s great for the yard.”
Elliott must have thought he had used up all his luck as Jessies Dream was narrowly beaten by Bostons Angel in the RSA Chase, but he was soon back in the winner’s enclosure with 16-1 chance Carlito Brigante.
“It’s been brilliant. The horses have all been running great, but it’s not just down to me, it’s the owners and the staff, it’s everyone,” Elliott said. “He’s a great horse and it’s the first time he has got his ground. He had a wind operation and we thought he was well handicapped. When he goes over fences he will be smashing.”
Sizing Europe turned in a top drawer performance to land the Queen Mother Champion Chase and deny leading fancies, Master Minded and Big Zeb, in the feature race of the day. Henry de Bromhead’s 10-1 shot, last year’s Arkle winner, led a long way out for Andrew Lynch and battled on bravely to hold the title holder Big Zeb (3-1).
Captain Cee Bee was third and Golden Silver next as the Irish filled the first four places. Dual winner Master Minded lost any chance with a bad mistake at the second-last and he was eased afterwards by Ruby Walsh. Mad Max made the early running, with Sizing Europe close up and Big Zeb and Master Minded in midfield.
Lynch took Sizing Europe to the front at the sixth fence and looked comfortable at the head of affairs. The expected main players started to play their hands before the turn for home, but De Bromhead’s nine-year-old showed he has stamina as well as speed and kept Big Zeb at bay by five lengths.
The victory capped a memorable two days for De Bromhead, who won the cross-country chase with Sizing Australia yesterday. De Bromhead said: “He’s a good horse to have around and it’s been an unbelievable week. I’m very lucky to have good horses. This fellow was electric and Andrew gave him a brilliant ride again. The horse is amazing and we have a great team behind us.”
Jessica Harrington’s Bostons Angel ground out victory in the RSA Chase under a jubilant Robbie Power. With 7-4 favourite Time For Rupert running a largely lifeless race before staying on late to finish fifth, and Mikael D’Haguenet falling, the stage was set for a shock.
Bostons Angel was sent off at 16-1, despite a couple of Grade One triumphs, but he jumped with aplomb and was bang there turning for home. Jessies Dream loomed up as a big danger, but it was Bostons Angel who found most up the hill to score by a neck.
Harrington said: “He‘s so tough, unbelievable. I‘ve been saying all along he wants three miles and the tougher it is the better he likes it. I actually thought the Midlands National was the race for him. He proved me wrong so we came here.
“I always had a sneaky feeling he was the right horse for this race. He stays really well, he jumps soundly and you can kick him into every fence and he gets himself right. He‘s very easy on himself. He doesn‘t like having his head in front for too long and he just does enough.”
Harrington added: “Fairyhouse and Punchestown are possibles, but he’s now won three Grade Ones and he might have a holiday.”
What A Charm gave Paul Townend his first ever Cheltenham Festival success with a narrow victory in a thrilling Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Arthur Moore’s smart Flat performer had shown little on her first three outings over obstacles, but she bounced back with a 9-1 triumph over Kumbeshwar.
Moore said: “Her first three runs all went a bit haywire. I think we were riding her a bit wrong, and the ground was a bit heavy for her. But we entered her for this race and we liked the way she was handicapped so she had to go. This has given me as much pleasure as Klairon Davis’ win in the Queen Mother (1996).”
The Irish stranglehold finally relinquished in the finale when the aptly-named Cheltenian, ridden by Richard Johnson, claimed the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. Trainer Philip Hobbs said: “He certainly is not a one-race wonder. If he comes back here next year it will almost certainly be in either the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett. He definitely wants a trip.”
1.30 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
1 Chicago Grey (Mr Derek O'Connor) 5-1 Fav
2 Beshabar (Mr Tom David) 9-1
3 Be There In Five (Mr S Waley-Cohen) 20-1
16 ran
Also: 11-2 Alfa Beat 4th
2.05 Neptune Novices' Hurdle
1 First Lieutenant (D N Russell) 7-1
2 Rock On Ruby (D Jacob) 13-2
3 So Young (R Walsh) 2-1 Fav
12 ran
Also: 4-1 Oscars Well 4th
2.40 RSA Chase
1 Bostons Angel (R M Power) 16-1
2 Jessies Dream (T J Murphy) 10-1
3 Wayward Prince (A P McCoy) 15-2
12 ran
Also: 7-4 Fav Time For Rupert, 16-1 Magnanimity 4th
3.20 Queen Mother Champion Chase
1 Sizing Europe (A E Lynch) 10-1
2 Big Zeb (B J Geraghty) 3-1
3 Captain Cee Bee (A P McCoy) 14-1
11 ran
Also: 2-1 Fav Master Minded, 11-1 Golden Silver 4th
4.00 Coral Cup
1 Carlito Brigante (D N Russell) 16-1
2 Bothy (Danny Cook) 12-1
3 Orsippus (D J Condon) 33-1
4 Battle Group (T Scudamore) 33-1
22 ran
Also: 7-2 Fav Call The Police
4.40 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
1 What A Charm (P Townend) 9-1
2 Kumbeshwar (Charlie Huxley) 33-1
3 Dhaafer (R Thornton) 16-1
4 Plan A (P Carberry) 4-1 Fav
23 ran
5.15
Weatherbys Champion Bumper
1 Cheltenian (R Johnson) 14-1
2 Destroyer Deployed (A Coleman) 66-1
3 Aupcharlie (Mr J P McKeown) 33-1
24 ran
Also: 5-1 Fav Ericht, 16-1 Go All The Way 4th