CHELTENHAM: Barry Geraghty landed the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Punjabi this afternoon, holding off the challenge of favourite and stablemate Binocular. The win was Geraghty's second of the day after earlier guiding Forpadydeplasterer home in the Arkle.
There were four winners on a hugely encouraging opening day for the Irish challengers with Go Native, L’Ami and Quevega adding to Forpadydeplasterer’s success.
Binocular travelled well all the way for Tony McCoy in the day’s feature race, but Celestial Halo and Punjabi proved tough rivals out in front. McCoy asked for everything after the last but could never quite get on terms with the 22/1 winner.
Osana set a fierce gallop up front under new jockey Andrew McNamara, but he was joined by Hardy Eustace and Celestial Halo at the halfway stage.
Ruby Walsh seemed to be happy to take up the running on last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Celestial Halo — but he looked a sitting duck for Punjabi and Binocular, the 6/4 favourite.
Third home last year, Punjabi was not that fluent at the last. But when Geraghty asked for everything, he responded in kind to win by a neck from Celestial Halo, with Binocular a head away in third. Crack Away Jack flew home for fourth.
Geraghty said: “Happy days. A great performance. I thought I had Ruby well covered turning in. He ran on really well, he was all out, it was a great performance.
“I tipped a Nicky Henderson one-two. There was one in between but it’s brilliant. It’s my first winner for Nicky at Cheltenham, as well.”
Ireland had got off to a flying start at the Festival after Noel Meade’s Go Native won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle opener.
Paul Carberry opened in style, travelling fantastically well on Go Native and probably ending up in front quicker than he would have liked turning into the straight.
The 12-1 chance shot clear approaching the last and appeared to have the race in the bag before Alan King’s Medermit flew home to claim second, with Somersby third.
Forpadydeplasterer then relished a return to two miles to hold off Kalahari King in a thrilling finish to the Arkle Trophy. Geraghty survived an early scare at the third fence when the favourite Tatenen fell right in front of him.
The rider was going so well on Tom Cooper's seven-year-old turning into the straight, however, that he afforded a quick glance over his shoulder. But Graham Lee made a late lunge on Ferdy Murphy’s Kalahari King (8-1), with the official margin a short head. Planet Of Sound finished third.
Tony McCoy was seen at his very best as he dragged Wichita Lineman home in the William Hill Trophy. Maljimar appeared to have the race in safe-keeping after the last as Daryl Jacob’s mount scooted clear. But McCoy, as ever, refused to give up.
Despite being only third over the last — and apparently going nowhere — the champion jockey got a great tune out of his mount to justify 5-1 favouritism.
Nina Carberry repeated her victory of 12 months ago on Garde Champetre (7-2) in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. In what turned into an Enda Bolger benefit, L’Ami, the 7-4 favourite, led into the straight under JT McNamara.
Fourth in the Gold Cup in his pomp, many expected his class would see him through. However, despite conceding 4lb to the favourite, Carberry slipstreamed L’Ami before hitting the front at the final obstacle.
Drombeag ran on to finish third for Bolger, with Heads Onthe Ground, the long-time leader, the only one from the stable not to get a place.
Ruby Walsh closed the day’s action with another Irish winner, when the jockey and trainer Willie Mullins got off the mark as Quevega ran out a seriously impressive winner of the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.
Mullins had stated before the meeting that he believed the five-year-old was his best chance of a winner all week — and she did not disappoint. Walsh oozed confidence and tracked Chomba Womba before moving into contention at the second-last.
Once he pressed the button, the 2-1 favourite scooted clear to leave daylight back to runner-up United, who was thumped by 14 lengths. Aura About You was third, another short head in arrears.
Cheltenham Festival Results
1.30 Williamhill.com Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
1 Go Native (P Carberry) 12-1
2 Medermit (R Thornton) 12-1
3 Somersby (D Elsworth) 40-1
20 Ran
2.05 Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase (Grade 1)
1 Forpadydeplasterer (B J Geraghty) 8-1
2 Kalahari King (G Lee) 8-1
3 Planet Of Sound (R Johnson) 10-1
17 Ran
2.40 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
1 Wichita Lineman (A P McCoy) 5-1 Fav
2 Maljimar (D Jacob) 14-1
3 Nenuphar Collonges (R Thornton) 17-2
4 Dear Villez (R Walsh) 16-1
21 Ran
3.20 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle Trophy (Grade 1)
1 Punjabi (B J Geraghty) 22-1
2 Celestial Halo (R Walsh) 17-2
3 Binocular (A P McCoy) 6-4 Fav
4 Crack Away Jack (N Fehily) 16-1
23 Ran
4.00 Glenfarclas Handicap Chase (Cross Country Chase)
1 Garde Champetre (Miss N Carberry) 7-2
2 L'Ami (Mr J T McNamara) 7-4 Fav
3 Drombeag (R M Power) 7-1
4 A New Story (Jack Doyle) 14-1
16 Ran
4.40 David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle (Grade 2)
1 Quevega (R Walsh) 2-1 Fav
2 United (D Elsworth) 10-3
3 Aura About You (A P Cawley) 28-1
21 Ran