IT'S NOT often a jockey wins two races in a day at Cheltenham, gets crowned top rider for the festival, picks up six days in whip suspensions and still ends up wondering about what might have been. But that was Ruby Walsh's lot on a momentous afternoon yesterday.
Kauto Star's jockey in fact missed out on a treble by the first ever "nose" verdict recorded at Cheltenham as Kicks For Free just lost in the Coral Cup. But although missing out on the blue riband the evidence of Walsh's blue-chip racing brain was abundant throughout the day.
His decision to switch Fiveforthree to the stands rail after the last flight of the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle was described as "vital" by Willie Mullins as the inexperienced grey led home an Irish one-two-three-four. Ireland's champion jockey excelled in smuggling Fiveforthree, who was having just his second start over jumps, into joining his compatriots, Venalmar, Trafford Lad and Forpadydeplasterer, at the last and then forcing him a neck clear of Venalmar at the line.
"That ground is tiring so the rail was important. If the horses were the other way around, I think the result would have been the other way. Ruby's decision to switch to the rail was vital," said Mullins who was training his second winner of the week after Cousin Vinny's Bumper win on Thursday.
Punchestown will be Fiveforthree's next stop but a chasing career beckons next season and is quoted at 12 to 1 for next year's Royal and SunAlliance Chase.
"He has the speed to have run in the Supreme but I thought this race didn't look as strong and when I looked at his pedigree, the page is full of stamina. The bonus was that Ruby was available to ride here too," Mullins said.
The sting in the tail for Walsh was a five-day ban for his use of the whip and he got another day for the same offence on Kicks For Free who just lost out to Naiad du Misselot, ridden by Davy Russell.
Walsh also made for the crucial stands rail on Celestial Halo in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, who defeated the evens favourite Franchoek in a dour toe-to-toe struggle for the juvenile crown. But tactically it had been a very different kettle of fish as he dominated from the front for most of the race.
Franchoek harried the former classic runner throughout but Walsh kept pulling out more on the ex-Barry Hills horse who had two and a quarter lengths in hand at the line. "This track helped him. He was in front long enough but he can do it all by himself this horse," reported Walsh about Celestial Halo who is now a general 16 to 1 shot for next year's Champion Hurdle.
Russell was also in double form when Tiger Cry powered up the hill to land a second Grand Annual for his trainer Arthur Moore. It contributed to a good final day of the festival for Ireland as Cheltenham 2008 wound up with a third victory of the day for the raiders when Tom Hogan's 50 to 1 shot Silver Jaro stayed on up the hill too well for Russell's well fancied mount Psycho.
There was no fairytale result in the new mares hurdle for Sweet Kiln who trailed home 11th behind the 20 to 1 outsider Whiteoak. The winner short-headed Tony McCoy's mount Refinement on whom the champion jockey crucially appeared to ease up on just before the line. Afterwards McCoy got a four-day ban from the stewards for his use of the whip.
Paddy Flood was another Irish jockey in trouble with the stewards after Venalmar's gallant runner-up effort to Fiveforthree in the Ballymore. He received a six day suspension for his use of the whip during the desperate finish.
