FORTUNE FAVOURED THE brave — and the bookies — as the balance tilted one way and then veered dramatically in the opposite direction on a dramatic day three at Cheltenham.
Two hot Irish fancies, Felix Yonger and Annie Power, were turned over and the crown finally slipped on superstar stayer Big Buck’s as the feature Ladbrokes World Hurdle went to rising star More Of That.
A star is born as another says farewell
The World Hurdle was billed as a straight shootout between Willie Mullins’ wondermare Annie Power, unbeaten in her 10 starts, and the ageing Big Buck’s, returning in search of a remarkable fifth win in the race.
But it was Jonjo O’Neill’s More Of That who stayed longest up the hill, pipping Annie Power to deliver a knockout blow for the bookies.
“We were able to breathe the biggest sigh of relief in many a year,” Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said.
Big Buck’s finished down the field in fifth and afterwards trainer Paul Nicholls confirmed that his 11-year-old, whose remarkable career CV includes 18 straight wins over hurdles, was being retired.
Mullins and Walsh draw a rare blank
Punters’ fortunes at Cheltenham are closely aligned with Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh and today’s blank will have hit many in the pockets.
Felix Yonger was sent off the 7/2 favourite in the opener but could only finish fourth as AP McCoy broke his Festival duck on board 7/1 shot Taquin du Seuil.
It got a little bit better afterwards with Fingal Bay, the 9/2 favourite, winning the Pertemps Final and then the fancied Dynaste taking the Ryanair Chase honours at 3/1.
Another win to savour for Robbie
Robbie McNamara made sure to enjoy his first-ever Cheltenham success in the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper yesterday and he added another today, winning again in the colours of Dr Ronan Lambe on board the Jim Culloty-trained Spring Heeled.
It was a poignant moment for McNamara whose cousin JT McNamara was seriously injured in the same race, the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase, at Cheltenham 12 months ago.
Big winners: David Pipe and Tom Scudamore
It was a superb day for trainer David Pipe and jockey Tom Scudamore who celebrated a double, including sweet redemption for Dynaste in the Ryanair Hurdle.
Beaten by Irish raider Benefficient as a novice here 12 months ago, their rangy grey was produced after the final fence and overhauled Shark Hanlon’s Hidden Cyclone to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
Later it was Ballynagour who got up to win the Byrne Group Plate, a third victory in the last five years for Pipe in this race.
We know who we’ll be looking out for next year.
Big loser: AP McCoy
To get off the winner of one Championship race is bad luck. To get off the winner of two? Well, that’s just brutal.
We know that JP McManus has a strong stable in his famous green and gold hoops but the point was underlined emphatically today as lightning struck twice for champion jockey AP McCoy.
Two days after choosing MyTentOrYours over Champion Hurdle winner Jezki, McCoy was outdone again by Barry Geraghty as he picked up the ride on More Of That and stormed up the hill to win the World Hurdle.
Tweet of the Day
Just because it’s an obvious joke doesn’t mean it’s not funny.
Pics of the day
It was St Patrick’s Day at Cheltenham today — they use slightly different calendars in the Cotswolds — are punters got into the spirit.
Full results
1.30pm — JLT Novices’ Chase: 1. Taquin du Seuil (7/1) 2. Uxizandre (33/1) 3. Double Ross (11/1)2.05pm — Pertemps Network Final: 1. Fingal Bay (9-2F) 2. Southfield Theatre (20-1) 3. Pineau de Re (33-1) 4. Trustan Times (33-1) 5. Jetson (11-1)2.40pm — Ryanair Chase: 1. Dynaste (3-1F) 2. Hidden Cyclone (10-1) 3. Rajdhani Express (18-1)
3.20pm — World Hurdle: 1. More of That (15/2) 2. Annie Power (11/8F) 3. At Fishers Cross (9/1)
4.00pm — Byrne Group Plate: 1. Ballynagour (12-1) 2. Colour Squadron (5-1F) 3. Tatenen (33-1) 4. Johns Spirit (9-1)
4.40pm — Kim Muir Handicap Chase: 1. Spring Heeled (12-1) 2. Cause of Causes (13-2) 3. Roberto Goldback (16-1) 4. Balnaslow (9-1)
Blinkers on — here’s what’s coming up tomorrow
There’s plenty to look forward to on the fourth and final day of the 2014 Festival.
Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh will bid to make a novice hurdle treble when last year’s Champion Bumper winner — and this year’s Irish banker — Briar Hill goes up against King Palace in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
And then after that we have the Festival’s blue riband race as Barry Geraghty and Bobs Worth bid to retain the Gold Cup. Can Silviniaco Conti, Irish challenger Last Instalment or one of the others deny him?
