Two run out at Cheltenham
GOING OFF THE RAILS
running against a rail. Poor Jane Mangan lost a Cheltenham Festival winner (Oscar Delta in 2013 jinked and ran off the course at the same point) but we have lost a race and for one of racing’s great supporters in Paul and Clare Rooney who I feel bad for losing a winner.”
Skelton did have some compensation as the victory of Sam Red brought up the fastest century of winners ever by a National Hunt trainer.
Aside from the controversy, racegoers, who had queued 10 deep to get into the track before the gates opened at midday, gave the popular Lil Rockerfeller a hero’s welcome after he took the Matchbook Novices’ Chase in the hands of Wayne Hutchinson.
“He is our stable star and he doesn’t let us down,” said winning trainer Neil King about the gelding who had won on the Flat at Glorious Goodwood in August. “He will learn masses out there today. I thought his last three jumps were the best and they were the three where it mattered.”
Irish-trained runners dominated last season’s Cheltenham Festival and started where they had left off by filling the first three places in the Ballymore Hurdle.
Victory went to the Barry Geraghtyridden Canardier for trainer Dermot McLoughlin who was celebrating his first winner at the track.
“We came to find out if he liked the course,” said McLoughlin. “He clearly did and I hope to bring him back for the Festival, for something like the Coral Hurdle.”