MICHAEL VERNEY’S DAY 3 RACE READS
1.30 GRADE ONE JLT NOVICES’ CHASE 2M 3F 198YDS
FAVOURITE Terrefort was prominent from the off and disputed the lead with Bigmartre while Shattered Love was close up and Invitation Only settled on the inside for Paul Townend.
Benatar pulled hard throughout and didn’t make it easy for Jamie Moore before eventually finishing third – a game performance given the energy expended – as Invitation Only slipped back through the field before progressing well to the fourth last when slipping badly on landing and quickly pulling up.
Jack Kennedy was cruising on the mare Shattered Love and she strolled to the front turning the home bend despite hanging slightly left when mounting a serious challenge.
Eventual second Terrefort was in hot pursuit but there was only one winner as Kennedy gave a squeeze and drew clear by seven lengths, despite a mistake at the last, to finish as one of the most impressive winners of the Festival.
2.10 GRADE THREE PERTEMPS NETWORK FINAL HANDICAP HURDLE 2M 7F 213YDS
JUMPING boldly from the off, Sykes went to the front in a seriously competitive affair and ensured an honest pace was set before being joined by Connetable.
Matt Griffiths and Harry Cobden went hammer and tongs at the head of affairs but coming around the home bend there were several in with chances as the Gordon Elliott pair of Delta Work and the sweetly-travelling Glenloe took it up with Who Dares Wins.
Glenloe looked the more likely winner and led narrowly before the last until a blunder saw him lose his hind legs and be headed by Delta Work.
Barry Geraghty threw the kitchen sink at Glenloe in the final 100 yards as he rallied and came upsides Delta Work but an inspired Davy Russell would not be denied in a head-bobber as Connetable (third) and Taj Badalandabad (fourth) stayed on gamely up the hill to bely their big prices.
2.50 GRADE ONE RYANAIR CHASE
2M 4F 166YDS
ALL the talk before the off was of a fairytale finish for popular veteran Cue Card – making his seventh Festival appearance – or the back-to-back bid of Un De Sceaux, but neither materialised.
Cue Card hit the front early and jumped exuberantly as odds-on favourite Un De Sceaux settled in behind, but with Paddy Brennan starting to niggle away at Cue Card down the back straight, Paul Townend strode through to the front with Brennan pulling his mount before the 12th to the groans of the crowd.
Jumping big and bold, Un De Sceaux had the remaining four runners under pressure, all apart from Balko Des Flos that is with Russell travelling sweetly and creeping up on the leader.
The Gigginstown runner led and was going best with two to jump before striding clear. A mistake at the last was taken in his stride as last year’s Galway Plate winner drew clear of Un De Sceaux to score by four and a half lengths for trainer Henry de Bromhead to give Michael O’Leary a first winner in the race he sponsors.
3.30 GRADE ONE SUN BETS STAYERS’ HURDLE 2M 7F 213YDS
THE feature on day three didn’t disappoint with a dramatic finish proving that course form at the Cotswolds is everything as two of last year’s Festival winners fought it out at the death.
As is normal in his races, Sam Spinner went to the front from flag fall with Joe Colliver sending Jedd O’Keeffe’s favourite forward, while 2017 Coral Cup winner Supasundae was handy in midfield and Penhill disputed last place with the held-up L’Ami Serge.
Let’s Dance fell at the ninth as the field tightened the further they went and coming around the home bend there were more in with a chance than without.
Jumping the second last a blanket could have been thrown over the majority of the field as several threw down a challenge but last year’s Albert Bartlett Hurdle winner Penhill travelled marginally best under Townend.
Power was upsides on Supasundae between the last two fences and was pushed along approaching the last holding every chance but the brilliant Penhill outpaced him before scoring by two lengths, with course specialist Wholestone maintaining his remarkable form around Cheltenham with third place.
Bacardys was staying on stoutly and could have made the frame were it not for a fall at the last while Colin’s Sister and long-time leader Sam Spinner completed the top five.
4.10 GRADE THREE BROWN ADVISORY & MERRIEBELLE STABLE PLATE HANDICAP CHASE 2M 4F 166YDS
THE home challenge may have struggled to get into the winners’ enclosure on day three but it wasn’t for the want of trying in this contest as they trained eight of the first nine home but found one wellhandicapped raider too strong.
Splash of Ginge gave a bold frontrunning display from pillar to post but The Storyteller was always travelling strongly for Russell and edged into second approaching the penultimate fence before hitting the front in the final 100 yards.
He drifted right on the run-in but was galvanised by his treble-winning jockey to score by a length and three quarters, with King’s Odyssey third and Ballyalton back in fourth.
4.50 GRADE TWO TRULL HOUSE STUD MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE 2M 179YDS
THE front-running Maria’s Benefit – bred by former Kilkenny All-Ireland-winning hurler Charlie Carter – took up the lead form the off with Cut The Mustard close by and the pair tried to dictate affairs from the off.
Odds-on favourite Laurina was held up towards the rear under Townend and had a smooth passage the whole way around, unlike Russell’s mount High School Days which was still in contention when badly hampered by the fall of Dawn Shadow three out and quickly pulled up.
Laurina cruised up going around the home turn with Countister closely behind but there was only one horse in the race as Townend said ‘go’ and even had the time to glance at the big screen between the final two hurdles.
The mare wasn’t fluent at the last but she coasted home by 18 lengths from Cap Soleil (second) and Champayne Lady (third), which edged out Maria’s Benefit (fourth).
5.30 FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHALLENGE CUP AMATEUR RIDERS’ HANDICAP CHASE 3M 2F
HISTORY beckoned in the lucky last as Irish raiders threatened to go through the card and take each of the seven races for the first time in Festival history and it looked a distinct possibility for long stages.
Second favourite Squouateur made an awkward mistake at the first as Missed Approach, eventual fourth Double Ross and Pendra disputed the lead for long stages with the 4/1 jolly Mall Dini settled in midfield and jumping beautifully.
Wild West Wind blundered and unseated at the fifth as Missed Approach took it up alone with a circuit to go but the pack was tightly grouped behind with several travelling well and Squouateur (third) eased back into contention.
It looked Mall Dini’s to lose at the second last with Patrick Mullins in cruise control but Missed Approach was game and despite hitting the last, Warren Greatrex’s eight-year-old stayed on powerfully with Noal McParlan a length and a half to the good at the finish.