Racing:Tony McCoy finally opened his account at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival when forcing Alderwood home in the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. Alderwood's chance looked to have gone when the he was hampered coming round the final bend, but he soon recovered to put in his winning bid.
The 20-1 shot, trained in Ireland by Tom Mullins and owned by McCoy’s boss, JP McManus, jumped the last in great style and battled on resolutely up the hill. Alderwood clinched victory by three-quarters of a length from Edgardo Sol (25-1), with Sailors Warn (16-1) a head back in third and Plan A (20-1) not far away in fourth.
McCoy said: “It’s great to have a winner at last. I rode him the last day (at Leopardstown) and he was going well until the second-last but then didn’t finish as well as I’d have liked.
“I think he’s had a fibrillating heart problem. He got murdered on the bottom bend but he was 20-1 so I was taking a few chances and hopefully he would keep going. It’s great to ride a winner for my boss.”
The winning trainer is part of the Mullins family dynasty and is champion trainer Willie’s brother. He said: “It’s great to have a winner here at last, what with my father and two brothers already on the list. Things didn’t quite work out for him the last day but he had been working very well at home.
“He got absolutely hammered on the home turn but it makes a difference having the right man on board and he really is the ‘Real McCoy’. It’s such a delight having him on board and the owner, JP, is such a nice man.”
Countrywide Flame had earlier landed the JCB Triumph Hurdle, the opening race of the day. Trained by John Quinn, the talented four-year-old was sent on his way a largely unconsidered 33-1 chance. But Dougie Costello's companion made those odds look derisory, with a performance packed with pace and assured leaps.
There were several in with chances at the final flight, but it was Countrywide Flame who jumped it best to hit the front and gallop all of the way to the line. Irish raider Hisaabaat (20-1) was beaten three lengths in second, with 5-1 favourite Grumeti another three-quarters of a length away in third. Dodging Bullets was just behind in fourth.
Costello said: “He’s not very big, but he’s tough. Horses like this are brilliant. I was getting knocked about going to two out and I thought I would just try and find some room going to the last. He pricked his lugs and flew the last. It’s great for all the lads in the yard.”
Sadler’s Risk set a fast pace from the outset, with the well-fancied Pearl Swan bringing up the rear. The race began to heat up as the field came down the hill, at which point it was difficult to call. The well-backed Baby Mix looked to be travelling with great panache, only to find nothing at the business end.
Dodging Bullets got a great run through on the stands rail, though, while Grumeti also came with what looked like a winning run. Hisaabaat was bang there, too, but it was Countrywide Flame, challenging towards the far side, who had the measure of them all.
Brindisi Breeze landed a rare Scottish win at the Cheltenham Festival when Lucinda Russell's charge upset the Irish banker Boston Bob in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Jockey Campbell Gillies was always up with the pace on the six-year-old and cut out most of the running along with Big Occasion. Boston Bob looked as though he might peg back the leader, but Brindisi Breeze (7-1) kept up the gallop to beat the 6-5 favourite by two lengths. Grand Vision (25-1) was another length and a quarter away in third.
Salsify just held Chapoturgeon for an Irish victory in the Christie's Foxhunter Chaseat Cheltenham. The 7-1 shot, trained by Rodger Sweeney and ridden by his son, Colman Sweeney, got home in the amateurs' Gold Cup by a length from the 3-1 favourite. The first two pulled 11 lengths clear of the third, Oscar Delta (28-1).
It was an eventful race with Enter Paradise an early casualty and Sam Waley-Cohen taking a tumble from Roulez Cool after his disappointment in only finishing third on Long Run in the Gold Cup.
Picaroon set a blistering pace and inevitably had to give up the lead, with My Flora briefly taking a clear-cut advantage. There was all to play for at the last, but it was Salsify who pulled out all of the stops to deny Chapoturgeon.
Malcolm Jefferson secured a second victory of the week when Attaglance landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.Just 24 hours after Cape Tribulation struck in the Pertemps Final, the Yorkshire-based handler was back in the winner's enclosure courtesy of this 20-1 chance.
Jefferson had gone 17 years since winning at the Festival, when Dato Star landed the Champion Bumper. A winner at Market Rasen last time out in February, Attaglance loves top of the ground and showed a rare turn of foot to beat Toner D’Oudairies by a neck under Harry Haynes.
Oscar Nominee arguably got going too late and was a further neck away in third. Make A Track was fourth. The runner-up was travelling awfully well turning into the straight but a bad leap at the last gave a host of pursuers a second chance, and Attaglance took full advantage.