AS Noyan cantered past the post the winner of yesterday's Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown, a glance back to the last fence confirmed that racing's fates can be cruelly fickle.
Ten seconds earlier, Noyan had been engaged in the sort of frenetic tussle with the gallant top weight Corket that draws crowds to Punchestown like moths to a light.
Significantly, Norman Williamson looked to be working marginally less industriously than his Co Cork compatriot Trevor Horgan but with battle joined, the last obstacle was going to be the ultimate decider. For an appalling number of seconds it looked like it had demanded a terrible price.
Corket, weary from three miles of leading or disputing the lead with the free-wheeling Woodville Star, barely raised a leg and somersaulted over the fence, landing ominously close to his ejected rider. Even more ominous was the subsequent lack of movement from both.
After the truly tragic injuries sustained by Shane Broderick 24 days ago, the sickening thought that lightning might have viciously struck twice was instant. As Williamson, Noyan and his trainer, Clogher Head-born Richard Fahey, took the justified plaudits from the crowd, heads turned in concern down the straight.
Amazingly, considering his heavy fall, Corket eventually struggled to his feet leaving the medical team to work freely on Horgan. The rider was carried unconscious by Garda escorted ambulance to Naas General Hospital where thankfully he regained consciousness 20 minutes later.
Turf Club medical officer Walter Halley later reported Horgan to have a severe concussion and the jockey will be stood down from racing for a minimum of 21 days. Considering the initial impression, it was a report to gladden the heart although his doctors last night decided to move Horgan to Beaumont Hospital for further tests and X-rays.
The news that Horgan had regained consciousness allowed the full glow of victory to shine on the returning Fahey (31), who trains Noyan and 34 others from his Yorkshire base close to his father-in-law, the legendary Peter Easterby. A former champion conditional jockey in Britain "it was a very bad year!"
Fahey is in his third year training and took over Noyan from Paul Nicholls last September.
"This has always been a good horse, he ran in the Dante as a three-year-old, but he seemed to have lost his confidence. We gave him some easy races and after his Cheltenham run we saved him for this. My heart was pumping and I haven't had an experience like this in a long time. The owner Hal McGhie has a money belt on him and I think it's full," Fahey said.
If J P McManus has a money belt it's unlikely to be undernourished but it's still hard to quantify the thrill his outstanding novice Istabraq has provided him with this season. The Sun Alliance winner wrapped it up yesterday with an absurdly easy victory in the Stanley Cooker Champion Novice Hurdle and had Aidan O'Brien thinking of next season's Champion Hurdle.
"Time will tell but he looks a Champion Hurdle horse. The trip won't be a problem and it's good he was much more relaxed today," O'Brien said referring to the stew Istabraq had got himself into at Cheltenham.
In those circumstances, it was hardly unreasonable for O'Brien and Charlie Swan to spend the least amount of time in the parade ring as possible. The stewards decision to fine them both £200 each for not having the horse in the ring on time and not parading when requested was somewhat more difficult to understand.
Swan and O'Brien had warmed up for lstabraq when the Galway Plate prospect Idiots Venture out-finished Arctic Weather in the Barrett Insurances Handicap Chase but the rest of the day emphasised the growing cross-channel influence at the festival.
Top young English amateur Robert "Chocolate" Thornton completed a memorable double highlighted by Arctic Camper's resounding success in the Doncaster Sales-Jack White Champion Flat Race. Bought for a sum reportedly in the region of £150,000 by David Nicholson during the winter and second in his two English starts, Arctic Camper started to justify his price tag by sweeping through in the straight to beat Cloone Bridge and French Holly.
Thornton was on the Arthur Moore outsider in the Bank Of Ireland Handicap Hurdle but The Quads didn't know his price and arrived at the last to out-point Fane Path and Gentle Mossy.
In contrast Thornton was on the hot favourite Shankar in the Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle but after smoothly moving into the lead, Shankar was run out of it on the run in by Lady Daisy.
She was very unlucky in the County Hurdle when she collided with a hurdle wing, but she has improved so much this season, said trainer Tony Mullins who is considering sending the mare to Italy for an upcoming £85,000 race.
