No victors at Cheltenham
Point-to-point champion, Barry O’Neill from Kiltealy, had three rides and had a good week. He was an excellent third of 16 in the National Hunt Chase on the opening day on Sizing Tennessee (8/1), and was sixth of 24 in the Foxhunters on Grand Vision (14/1), both for Colin Tizzard.
J.J. Slevin (Caim) had six rides and a good week. Five of them were for Joseph O’Brien and four of them on the closing day. His best effort was third of 23 behind Paul Nolan’s horse in the Martin Pipe on Early Doors (9/1); he was fifth of 23 in the finale on Three Stars (12/1) for Henry De Bromhead, and he was also fifth of 20 on Tower Bridge (33/1) in the Albert Bartlett.
Wexford can lay strong claims to Robbie Power, son of former showjumping star Con from Fethard and mother, Margaret, of the Latta family from Enniscorthy area. Robbie did not enjoy the Cheltenham he hoped for with Our Duke not showing in the Gold Cup, and his best from eleven rides was his second on Supasundae behind Penhill in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
British-based Daryl Jacob had eleven rides for the week but his best effort came in the very first race on Tuesday when Terrefort (3/1f) was second to Shattered Love in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Daryl is retained rider for Simon Munir and Simon Souede but missed out on their big winner of the week, Footpad, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Ruby Walsh in The Arkle.
Jacob finally broke a barren spell at Kempton on Saturday when winning the £35,000 handicap chase on Kildisart (5/1), one of just two rides.
Tom O’Brien had just three rides at the Festival on Thursday and Friday, his best being fourth of 22 on Ballyalton (16/1) behind Davy Russell on The Storyteller.
However, he picked up four winners in the three days prior to heading for the Cotswolds, a double at Plumpton on Monday and singles at Sedgefield on Tuesday with his only ride, Pineapple Rush, and at Huntingdon on Wednesday with That’s A Given.
Paul Rothwell from near Bunclody has good reason to be happy with this year’s Cheltenham. Summerville Boy, winner of the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and the impressive second place by Black Op to Samcro in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, were both sired by Sandmason, at his Lacken Stud.
Under-rated by many, he is currently available at a €1,000 covering fee, and has an excellent winners to runners strike rate. He covered just twelve mares in 2015 and his crop will include the full brother to Summerville Boy. After this success, Sandmason is sure to be in much greater demand from now on.
Far from the glitz and glamour of Cheltenham, Pat McDonald was back in full flow on the bread and butter all-weather circuit and he got back into full swing with four winners in the week.