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Brilliant Warrior cut above his Arkle rivals

Gaelic Warrior proved a cut above his rivals when running out a brilliant winner of the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase.

In doing so Willie Mullins' charge was dispelling doubts over his ability to go left-handed as Paul Townend sat motionless aboard the 2/1 favourite turning in.

He had the leader Found A Fifty (13/2) in his sights from there, going the leader going to the last and surging clear on the climb to the line to win, unextended, by eight-and-a-half lengths.

Il Etait Temps (7/2) ran on late to take third with Matata (22/1) best of the British in fourth.

Mullins said of his winner, who was well-beaten when unseating Townend at the Dublin Racing Festival: “You could see what difference a hood made to him. He wasn’t trying to jump right and Paul could ride a race on him.

“I thought coming down the hill ‘what was I doing running him over three miles last season when he has that speed’. I think he has enough class now to do two miles and he’ll probably stick to that game now, although you could push him out to the Ryanair distance as well. He’s very adaptable.”

Winning owner Rich Ricci, who famously does not watch his horses when they race, said: “I obviously didn’t watch it but it sounded like it went smoothly, which was great to hear. The week is fine now, we’ve had a winner! I was fine with going for the Arkle. Ahead of Leopardstown, Willie really wanted to run him over two miles but we won that argument and it didn’t work out.

“We had a chat, I told him I was relaxed about two miles and it worked out very well. The right thing to do with him was probably go to Fairyhouse and Punchestown as they are right-handed tracks, to come here and have the decision justified is very rewarding. He’s a horse with immense ability, he has his quirks and if you saw him in the parade (ring) at Leopardstown, he can be a bit mad but that is wonderful.”

Townend, responding to the point that the horse was a fair handful before the race but settled once he got to the start, told ITV Racing: “He was. Once I got out of the shoot cantering down, he was much better. Keen, but better, and actually that was as good a ride as I’ve got off him in a race. He jumped a lot straighter, there were two fences he shifted right just to sort himself out. Stamina came into play today and we know he stays. I just pointed him the right way!”

On what it means to get an early winner, he added: “It’s a pressure week, there’s no ducking that. The monkey is off the back now and hopefully we can keep going.”

The jockey added: “The first lad (Tullyhill in the Supreme) ran disappointing so it’s nice to get one on the board. That’s the best ride I’ve got off Gaelic Warrior in a long time. He was very manageable once we got out on to the track. He was busy in the parade ring and busy in the chute but behaved himself in the race. His jumping was brilliant, and quite straight too. He shifted right at one or two to kind of correct himself, but I didn’t have to do much on him to be honest. He was very good. The rain came and turned it into a stamina test. Willie’s done an unbelievable job on him.”

Lossiemouth completes top-flight double for Warrior team

Mullins, Townend and Ricci completed a Grade One double as Lossiemouth sauntered to victory in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.

Stamina was the question mark over her as the 8/13 favourite stepped up to two-and-a-half miles for the first time and the rider had her anchored at the rear of the field through the early stages.

They were always going a stride slower than she's used to but cruised through to track the leader, Telmesomethinggirl (22/1) going to the last.

Soon past her rival, the dashing grey saw the trip out well, scoring by three lengths with Hispanic Moon (40/1), a stablemate of the runner-up, nine-and-a-half lengths back in third.

Mullins said: “She was great – she’s a Champion Hurdle mare, we all think. Once again, Paul was very cool on her and she can improve another year on, when she’s a bit older. Running like that, in that ground, she’s got everything “We made the right decision (not to go for the Champion Hurdle this year). She didn’t get a grueller like if she’d been in the Champion Hurdle, she’s only five and getting a grueller in the Champion Hurdle is not what you want.”

He added: “I think I was part of the big roar at the last myself! I never do that normally, but when she went for it I joined in and that isn’t normal for me. I don’t think we’ll go to France, I’d have thought it will probably be Punchestown for a mares’ race and then after that I’ll have a chat to Rich.

“It’s very very nice to have a treble on the first day. Of course we’re in a position where we are bringing a big team across, but they have to win and after the Supreme I was worried that it was going to be a day like it was on the first day a few years ago when we had no winners. Of course I’m very happy with the day, I can enjoy the rest of the week now.”

Ricci said: “Paul did exactly what he told us he was going to do, which was hang back and pick them off. He seemed in the perfect position the whole race and she is just fantastic. The plan is the Champion Hurdle next year, let’s see if she is up for it, she’s been wonderful to own and she’d be undefeated if she hadn’t run into trouble at Leopardstown last year. I’m delighted with her, we’ve been very lucky with our mares and she is brilliant.”

Regarding this year’s Champion Hurdle, Ricci said: “Hindsight is wonderful, we had a plan and we stuck to it. Hopefully we’ll be able to go for it next year, we’ve won the Mares’, it’s a Grade One so we are delighted.”

Henry De Bromhead, trainer of the second, third and fourth (Lantry Lady) said: “It was incredible. They all ran really well and I’m delighted with them. They are owned by big breeders and it’s brilliant to get them Grade One Black Type.

“It was brilliant to see the way that Telmesomethinggirl travelled into the straight, but obviously the winner is very good and all credit to her as she was brilliant. She’ll probably be covered now this year.

“It was a brilliant run from Hispanic Moon. She was bought as a broodmare but they wanted to race her and she’s won a Grade 3 and a Listed race and now she’s placed in a Grade 1. Langtry Lady is the one for the future, definitely. That was only her third start and Jack (Kennedy) said she just got a little bit lost at the start. She’s probably a three-mile mare in time, so I’m delighted.”

Steel floors Power in Supreme

Slade Steel landed the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle for Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead.

Second to Wednesday's Gallagher Novices' Hurdle hotpot Ballyburn on his latest start, the six-year-old was sent off a well-backed 7/2 chance and was always travelling sweetly close to the pace.

He went to the front going to the last but was followed through by eventual runner-up Mystical Power (10/3) and that rival was in front a few strides after the flight.

However, Slade Steel rallied strongly under Blackmore and soon regained the initiative to win, going away, by a length-and-a-half.

Firefox (11/2) was back in third, 11/4 favourite Tullyhill faded out of contention after leading to the turn for home, while Nicky Henderson's Jeriko Du Reponet pulled up having tracked the pace to the top of the hill.

“I’m delighted with him, Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team – they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and we need to just avoid him, so that’s what we did and it’s worked out really well for us,” said De Bromhead.

“It’s lovely to see young horses like him coming through, we’re very fortunate the support we get from everyone and thankfully we get the odd result. Cheltenham is an amazing, special place. We’ve had a lot of luck here and it’s a cliche, but it’s our Olympics and we’re lucky to be able to take part. You definitely breathe a sigh of relief (after having a winner). We’ve never won the Supreme before so I don’t know this feeling, but it’s good. When you’ve had one winner you want two, but we’re delighted to get one. He was one of our big hopes coming here and it’s great for the team.”

He added: “He has a high cruising speed, definitely. He just jumped a little bit slow today. He can be a bit lairy in front, so I’d say Rachael wouldn’t have minded being joined after the last. He looked to be going so well going to the last there was hope that it could happen (fight back on the run-in), I’m not saying I knew it would happen but there was hope he would get back.”

Blackmore – who in 2021 became the first woman to be crowned top rider at the Festival – said: “It’s unbelievable, I obviously love this place and it’s just amazing to be coming here, riding these brilliant horses. Henry trains them every year to come here and the way he does it is incredible.”

Mystical Power’s trainer Wille Mullins said: “He looked like he had come to win the race, but the winner just outstayed him. I’d say the winner was probably idling when he hit the front. It’s exciting that he was able to run so well on that ground, he will be much better on a better surface, we think. He’s come a hell of a long way since he made his debut in Ballinrobe.”

Mullins was also responsible for the unplaced favourite and added: “Tullyhill was disappointing. Paul (Townend) wasn’t happy with him from halfway, even going down to the start he wasn’t the usual Tullyhill. Asian Master ran a great race and he gave young Thomas Costello a great spin and he gave him every chance to win, I was very happy with him and Supersundae also ran well.

“You’d obviously like to get number one on the board sooner rather than later, but it’s great for Henry and great for Robcour.”

Classico strikes for Britain

The home team registered their first success of the week as Chianto Classico ran away with the Ultima Handicap Chase.

The well-backed 6/1 chance was always cantering under David Bass and set sail for home on the final bend.

Twig (28/1) and Meetingofthewaters (6/1) also went smoothly through the race and went in pursuit but Kim Bailey's charge was soon putting daylight between himself and the chasing pack.

At the line he had four-and-a-half lengths in hand of his rivals with Famous Bridge (25/1) back in fourth.

Bass said: “It meant a lot, it’s actually quite a good feeling to win here. It’s a privilege to ride these horses. It’s hard to win here though – 2020 was the last time and it’s been too long.”

Bailey said: “I thought at one stage ‘oh no, David is getting too brave’, but he jumped for fun and was cantering coming down the hill wasn’t he? David has been confident the whole way through, so he was right. He was absolutely adamant from day one he was riding this horse (instead of Trelawne). He adores the horse and says he’s a complete terrier, and he’s done that today like a terrier.

“He’s as hard as nails, he’s not very big but he’s got so much ability and is so agile, he always has been. When Aiden Murphy and I bought him, we said we’d bring him here, but I never thought it would actually happen! We’ve been knocking at the door for a while, so it’s great for everybody that we got it today. It’s huge for team, having a runner at Cheltenham is what it’s all about. Today has been the plan for a long time, we trained him for today.”

On Bass, he joked: “I’m not sure he’s that special, we’ve been trying to get rid of him for ages. We’ve got nothing in common, I’m not a vegan anyway! He’s been a huge supporter of the yard and we’ve been together for 11 years now. He’s a do-or-die pilot and I thought he was quite reserved today!”

There was, however, a sad postscript to the race as it was confirmed Highland Hunter had suffered a fatal injury.

Trained by Fergal O’Brien, the grey was formerly with Paul Nicholls, where he was the favourite horse of the late Keagan Kirkby, whose funeral procession he led last week. O’Brien posted on X: “Absolutely devastated. Thanks for the messages we’re already receiving and those to come.”

Cross far too classy in NH Chase

Corbett's Cross proved a cut above his rivals in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase.

Derek O'Connor - claiming a fifth Festival success - rode the seven-year-old for trainer Emmet Mullins and he had something of an armchair ride on a horse whose prep run at Fairyhouse could hardly have gone much worse, having fallen after being bumped by a rival.

It was all plain sailing on this occasion, however, the 15/8 shot cruising up on the outside of front-running Mr Vango at the top of the home straight and effectively leaving 7/4 favourite Embassy Garden with little hope of bridging the gap after a superb jump at the second last.

He was safe and accurate at the final fence too and powered up the hill to beat his main market rival by 17 lengths, with another eight and a half back to Mr Vango, who held on for third.

Mullins said: “It was a great honour and a privilege for The Jockey Club to name the race after Mrs Mullins, granny, and it’s extra special to win it.

“We were always very hopeful, and I suppose he had the form in the book to be second in the Arkle today. That’s a special test, but Derek got him into a great rhythm and he showed his true colours. The ground was a bit of a worry, even though he’d won on heavy, but having Derek was a big advantage. Last year (when he ducked out at the last) is long forgotten now and it was great it all came together so impressively. I’ve no plans, and we’ll just enjoy today. He won that easy enough, but any race over three miles and six is going to leave a mark on a horse. He’s entered in the Irish Grand National, but I think it will come too soon. We’ll have to have that discussion but it’s unlikely, although I’ve done stranger things. “

Winning jockey Derek O’Connor said: “It was a super performance. Emmett has done a wonderful job. He has prepared him to perfection. We had a mishap in Fairyhouse and I’d take the blame. I made the decision during the race to go for a gap, and it closed on me and we had a mishap. It was a bad preparation and it was my fault, but Emmett has recouped it and he turned up here in great shape.

“Last Thursday morning we had a schooling session and it was just like you’ve seen today - beautiful to watch. He schooled in the hood - I’m not sure what the reasoning for the hood was; maybe to get him to relax while he’s racing, but it all helped and his performance today was brilliant.

“It was a very simple race today. With a small field like that, a great bunch of riders and horses with a lot of experience - it’s meant to be for novices but to get into the race you had to have run over the trip and completed a certain amount of times, and the riders have to have a certain amount of experience, so it is a better quality race than it used to be, and has a higher standard of horses and jockeys. It was actually a very good race today.

“It’s not for me to say [whether this might be a springboard to Grade One races] but I think that was a very good performance. Top drawer. Today was important and got us off to a good start. Whatever happens for the rest of the week, happens.”

Morning stars in Boodles

Lark In The Mornin belied a market drift to storm to victory in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Joseph O'Brien's charge was a long-time ante-post favourite for the race but worries over the testing ground saw him start at 9/1. However, his backers never had a moment as he cantered to the front after the second last.

J J Slevin grabbed the stands' rail and his partner found plenty to beat Eagles Reign (80/1), Ndaawi (12/1), Harsh (40/1) and Miss Manzor (18/1) as Irish-trained horses dominated the finish.

O’Brien said: “We were worried about the ground. We had a pretty strong view that he wanted better ground but I thought J J gave him a fantastic ride and found the best of the ground.

“He saved ground all the way and he had plenty left in the locker jumping the last.

“I’m delighted for everyone connected with the horse, to have a winner here is very special.

“We thought he was coming here with a live chance but so much rain fell we actually had a conversation whether to run or not, luckily we did.”

Slevin added: “All along, we knew this was the plan. We know how difficult it is to have winners at the Festival but Jospeh told me better to have him in the last five than the first five, and that I’d know how he was coping with the ground after the first mile.

“I got a fright when he got to the front so early. It was a bit too soon, but he stayed on well up the hill. I said last week I would be happy to have one winner and that’s my first here since Band Of Outlaws.”

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