Relief unites the punters at Cheltenham
The first victory of day two of this year’s Cheltenham Festival came early. Very early. It was 6.10am when the phone buzzed into action. Normally this is an unwelcome development. Not yesterday. Not when the news was the wind that had threatened the card has receded sufficiently to allow racing go ahead.
After a positive precautionary inspection, we were good to go. Fast forward seven and a bit hours and we are off and running, in front of an attendance of 59,209. Top Irish trainer Gordon Elliott had endured a tormenting Tuesday, and the opening race didn’t improve his mood as 3-1 favourite Battleoverdoyen failed to land a blow. Other Irish eyes were smiling, though, as City Island, ridden by Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle hero Mark Walsh, gave his Kildare trainer Martin Brassil his first Festival success.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said the man who trained 2006 Grand National victor Numbersixvalverde. “You need good horses to bring here and we found one.”
Things got a little better for Elliott in race two, as 15-8 favourite Delta Work ran creditably to finish third to British horse Topofthegame. Team Britain dominated the feature race, the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, with home favourite Altior winning for a fourth successive Festival and the Willie Mullins-trained Min faring best of the Irish, back in fifth. That left Britain 6-5 ahead in the battle for the Prestbury Cup, but Team Ireland took over from there, winning the last three races.
Grand National hero Tiger Roll provided the first of them, the 5-4 favourite bringing the house down with his fourth Festival triumph when powering to victory in the Glenfarclas Chase.
“I was never so happy to win a cross-country,” winning owner Eddie O’Leary said. “Don’t mind those graded races! Winning here is remarkably difficult at the best of times, but to come back here and win four times in three different races is extraordinary. He’s an amazing horse.
“I’ve had four favourites in the first two days beaten out of the park, they’re all running shite and then your man comes out and I’ve never seen an easier winner round here.”
Tiger Roll is trained by Elliott, who ended a day that started poorly with a double after Envoi Allen became the fourth successive winning favourite by capturing the finale, the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
“Two hours I was on the ground and now I have two winners, it’s unbelievable,” he said It was a poignant success for winning jockey Jamie Codd, whose brother Willie died suddenly 13 months ago. “We’ve had a tough year,” the Wexford jockey said as he struggled to fight back tears. I lost my brother last year and it’s been a tough year. He’s up there looking down on us today and I hope he’s very proud. It’s brilliant to have Mam and Dad here. William was a big supporter of mine, he was here two years ago and, God, I wish he was here.”
The penultimate race, the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, saw a first official Cheltenham winner for Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien as Band Of Outlaws landed the spoils.
“I’m delighted,” the 25-year-old said. “It’s nice to get a winner.” Roll on day three.
