Cheltenham Festival:Ruby Walsh may have endured a nightmare season before today but the clouds lifted in dramatic fashion on Day One of the Cheltenham Festival, as he enjoyed three winners, including a Champion Hurdle triumph.
The highlight of his day will no doubt be the win on board the Willie Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly, a first for trainer and jockey, but victories with Al Ferof and Quevega also oozed quality.
On Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, Walsh completed a double for himself and Mullins, while in the opening win in the Stan James Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, he saw off the challenge of hot favourite Cue Card.
Last season’s Champion Bumper hero was hotly fancied, but although he travelled well for much of the contest, he was hard at work from the turn for home. Sprinter Sacre looked the most likely winner at the top of the straight, with his stablemate Spirit Son bang there as well, but Walsh produced Al Ferof with a perfectly-timed run to claim top honours by two lengths.
Spirit Son filled the runner-up spot, with Sprinter Sacre third and Cue Card only fourth.
“I went into the ring expecting Paul to tell me to ride him in the first three, but he said no, give him time to settle and come home and he was right,” said Walsh of his first win.
“They went a good gallop, the ground was a bit dead and he picked up when I really needed him to. He jumped super. It’s great to be back, a lot of people have helped me, including my family.”
Nicholls added: “You need to stay in this race - Noland won it for us a few years ago. Cue Card beat him last year in the bumper when we gave him weight. This is the first time I’ve ever had the horse right and it was a brilliant ride. It’s great for Ruby.
Owner John Hales added: “I thought we were running for fourth place, then I thought we’d got third and then it all happened, thanks to Ruby. His judgement of pace was unbelievable. He just took them and won it well. Someone said to me we should go for the two-and-a-half-mile novice, but you can’t get better than that.”
Walsh was back in the winner’s circle again after guiding Hurricane fly to victory over Peddler’s Cross. The two principals fought a mighty duel just before the final flight, with the 11-4 favourite digging deep up the hill to take the spoils for Ireland.
Peddlers Cross (9-2) was a gallant length and a quarter back in second for Donald McCain, with the Nicky Henderson-trained Oscar Whisky (7-1) five lengths away third.
As usual, Overturn, stablemate of Peddlers Cross, set a good gallop with rank outsider Bygones Of Brid second in the early stages. Walsh kept Hurricane Fly hidden in the pack while Jason Maguire had Peddlers Cross closer to the pace.
Peddlers Cross hit the front briefly, but Hurricane Fly had him in his sights and never looked back after jumping the last with a narrow lead
“He never settled really and ran keen, but we know he has the speed and class,” said the champion jockey. “He’s shown the ability that myself, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend always believed he had.”
The double came when Quevega once again proved a different class to her rivals as she secured a third successive victory in the Mares’ Hurdle. The 5-6 favourite was making her first appearance of the season, but the result scarcely looked in doubt.
Keiran Burke made an amazing recovery on Sparky May at the first flight and she took up the leading running down the hill going well, but Quevega followed her and took up the running rounding the turn for home with seemingly plenty in the tank.
She pulled further clear approaching the final flight and although she took off a stride early, she got away with it and bounded up the run-in to beat Sparky May by 10 lengths.
Walsh said: “She’s a super mare, she travels super and apart from the last there were no scares. She has so much class, she settles a lot better now and lobs away. She’s a perfect ride.”
Mullins said: “I thought we were a gallop short this year, but she certainly won very easily. Ruby loves her and they fire off one another. He rode her with such confidence.
“We entered her in other races but why look for something else when there is a race in Cheltenham you’ll be favourite for? To me, this was always the plan as the race is tailor-made for her. We might go to Aintree with her now, as she hasn’t had too much racing.
“The owners are racing people rather than breeders, so if she’s able to gallop next year, I’d imagine she’ll come back.”
Despite being backed into 3-1 favourite for the last on Paul Nicholls's Definity, Walsh was unable to make it four when Ferdy Murphy's Divers proved the class operator under Graham Lee in the Centenary Novice's Handicap Chase.
The 10-1 chance was settled right at the back of the field in a typically fast-run contest and made stealthy headway down the back, being right on the heels of the leaders rounding the turn for home.
Quantitativeeasing, Tullamore Dew and Vino Griego were those in close attendance but Divers came past them all on the far rail and sealed victory with a fine leap at the final fence.
Quantitativeeasing fought off the other pair to grab the runner-up spot - a fourth on the day for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Captain Chris pegged back long-time leader Finian's Rainbow to win the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy Chase.
Richard Johnson's mount produced a terrific turn off foot to win at 6-1 with Nicky Henderson's runner touched off again at 7-2.
Irish raider Realt Dubh plugged on for third at 17-2 with outpaced 11-4 favourite Medermit only fourth.
Bensalem (5-1) made amends for last year's unfortunate exit with victory in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase.
The winner was travelling well 12 months ago when coming down at the second last but it was his turn in the limelight after a tremendous battle with Carole's Legacy (9-1) from the final fence.
Great Endeavour had led the field for much of the journey and was still in with a major chance until taking a fall at the last which left the principals to fight out the finish which Alan King's inmate edged at the line.
Reve De Sivola (9-1) and Fair Along (25-1) filled the frame in third and fourth.
Henry De Bromhead's Sizing Australia held off cross-country specialist Garde Champetre to take top honours in the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase.
Maljimar was sent off favourite for the three-mile seven-furlong contest and travelled ominously well for Daryl Jacob throughout, cruising up to challenge for the lead in the straight. But as his petrol tank quickly dropped to zero, it was Sizing Australia (13-2) who took up the running and set sail for home up the final hill.
Five-time course winner and top-weight Garde Champetre went in pursuit but was unable to reel in Sizing Australia and Andrew Lynch, who held on for a length and a quarter triumph.
1.30 Stan James Supreme Novices' Hurdle
1 Al Ferof (R Walsh) 10-1
2 Spirit Son (B J Geraghty) 5-1
3 Sprinter Sacre (A P McCoy) 11-1
15 ran
Also: 7-4 Fav Cue Card 4th
2.05 Irish Independent Arkle Chase
1 Captain Chris (R Johnson) 6-1
2 Finian’s Rainbow (B J Geraghty) 7-2
3 Realt Dubh (P Carberry) 17-2
10 ran
Also: 11-4 Fav Medermit 4th
2.40 Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase
1 Bensalem (R Thornton) 5-1
2 Carole’s Legacy (B J Geraghty) 9-1
3 Reve De Sivola (D Jacob) 9-1
4 Fair Along (R P Flint) 25-1
19 ran
Also: 9-2 Fav Sunnyhillboy
3.20 Stan James Champion Hurdle
1 Hurricane Fly (R Walsh) 11-4 Fav
2 Peddlers Cross (J M Maguire) 9-2
3 Oscar Whisky (B J Geraghty) 7-1
11 ran
Also: 33-1 Thousand Stars 4th
4.00 Glanfarclas Handicap Chase
1 Sizing Australia (A E Lynch) 13-2
2 Garde Champetre (Miss N Carberry) 5-1
3 A New Story (A P Heskin) 12-1
15 ran
Also: 9-2 Fav Maljimar 4th
4.40 David Nicholson Mare's Hurdle
1 Quevega (R Walsh) 5-6 Fav
2 Sparky May (K Burke) 4-1
3 Ocean Transit (David Bass) 50-1
14 ran
Also: 33-1 Alasi 4th
5.15 Centenary Novice's Handicap Chase
1 Divers (G Lee) 10-1
2 Quantitativeeasing (A P McCoy) 7-1
3 Tullamore Dew (L Treadwell) 13-2
4 Vino Griego (J E Moore) 20-1
20 ran
Also: 3-1 Fav Definity