Reporter: Andy Gibson
This was a very fast run race compared with the County Hurdle that followed immediately afterwards. At the second hurdle this Triumph Hurdle winner was around two seconds quicker compared with the County Hurdle winner Wilful when comparing the pair from their respective first hurdles. He maintained a similar advantage over the handicapper jumping two out before Wilful gradually reduced the gap to finish ‘upsides Apolon De Charnie’ at the winning post.
Accoring to the market he had the seventh best chance of the Willie Mullins horses in this race. This was his first start for Mullins since coming over from France. He comprehensively reversed his French form with Proactif and also travelled like a really nice horse throughout. There did not appear to be any fluke about this ultimately comprehensive victory.
He seemed to be going as well as any and perhaps better as the field made their way down the hill and into the home straight. He was briefly outpaced by the eventual third juvenile to finish but stayed on as well as any to snatch second spot on the line. This was a tremendous effort and perhaps his connections will feel a little hard done to as they were only beaten by a Willie Mullins seventh string trading at 50-1.
I thought he was given an excellent ride and was in the right place to attack on the approach to the final hurdle. He was still going well when hitting the front just before the final hurdle and he then stayed on strongly to hold on for an excellent third place finish.
She was held up towards the back and on the wide outside. Similar tactics have been employed by these connections before on the final day of a Cheltenham Festival. She found herself short of room on the run down to the final hurdle and then had to be switched to make his challenge. I would strongly suggest that she had time to hit the front if he had been good enough. He looked very green on his hurdles debut for the Mullins yard last time out at Leopardstown in early February and he may have more to offer with this experience under her belt.
Given the name of his connections, it was rather surprising to see him ridden in such a way as to lose his generous looking 123 rating for the sake of the less than 4k he earned for his connections with this fifth place finish. His new 140 rating may make life a lot tougher for him in the short term. He was held up in last position and also had to be switched to the inside to make his challenge in the latter stages. Two reasons why he can be marked up on his three and a half-length losing margin.
He raced towards the rear before making late headway on the outside. After briefly being outpaced on the approach to the final hurdle he then stayed on nicely again from the last to the line.
After being supported down to 4-1 she did easily best of those to race prominently throughout. I suspect we may see more from her on another day when the Gordon Elliott yard is in better form.
