Classy Samcro slays rivals to set festival poser for Elliott
Trainer ponders his Cheltenham target Edwulf springs 33-1 shock in Irish Gold Cup
During a weekend packed with Cheltenham Festival pointers, perhaps the biggest clue of all was delivered yesterday when Samcro destroyed his rivals in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Gordon Elliott’s unbeaten sixyear-old started the 4-6 favourite in a strong field and his supporters never had a moment of doubt as he travelled well and jumped slickly before powering clear after the final flight.
There was no great pace early and plenty of the 11 runners still held a chance as they turned into the home straight, but jockey Jack Kennedy looked to have everything covered on the hot favourite.
Paloma Blue escaped from the pack and gave Samcro something to chase but he was always equal to the task and showed plenty of gears to settle the race.
Elliott said: “I’m delighted with him. He’s opened up a lot of doors and I’d say we can go any road with him now. He’s a good horse and we’re lucky to have him.
“Nothing fazes him. He just does what he has to do – eats, sleeps and drinks. He was never out of his comfort zone – a bit like myself.
“He was bought to be three-mile chaser, and that’s what he is, but, to be honest, he showed a lot of class there and he could be anything. I don’t know where we’ll go at Cheltenham, I’ll have to ask the boys and see. Coming here I would have said we’d be going for the Ballymore but the way he did that, I’d say he could go for any race.”
Kennedy said: “He couldn’t do any more. He jumped great and travelled well. It doesn’t really matter what you do with him. He’s a dream to ride. He settles away and he’s always there whenever you want him.”
There was a major surprise in the Unibet Irish Gold Cup when 33-1 chance Edwulf, trained by Joseph O’brien and ridden by amateur Derek O’connor, got up close home to beat Outlander by a neck.
The fact that Edwulf is racing at all is surprising and that he could win a Grade One just two races after breaking down in the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival is remarkable.
O’brien said: “It’s a credit to everyone involved – the staff at home, the vets at Cheltenham last year and J P [Mcmanus, owner], who gave him all the time in the world.
“It’s been a long road to get him back from where he was at Cheltenham, when we thought he was gone. Derek is an unbelievable horseman. Horses just jump unbelievably well for him and he gets on great with this fella.
“We’ll see how he comes out of this first and we’ll think about Cheltenham then. It’s not too often you get a horse good enough to run in the Gold Cup so if he’s well, I’d imagine he might go there.”
At Taunton yesterday, Richard Johnson was stood down after injuring his knee in a fall from Mahlervous. “He was uncomfortable, but walked out of the course,” said clerk of the course Jason Loosemore.