So close to victory
Flanagan pipped in Gold Cup finish
THE BIG focus was on the second Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown where many of the big guns were getting a chance to show their Cheltenham credentials in eight Grade 1 races.
The Wexford connections had their share of success, but Seán Flanagan was just pipped by Ruby Walsh in the €225,000 highlight, the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup.
Trainers have been frustrated this year by the lack of suitable soft ground for their horses, and many were still concerned by the going at Leopardstown.
There was a host of withdrawals, especially on Sunday when ‘firm’ appeared in the going for the chase course, and the Gold Cup field was reduced from ten to just four.
Flanaganwason5/6favourite, the Noel Meade-trained Road to Respect, and made a brave bid from the front. Ruby Walsh on the Willie Mullins-trained Bellshill (2/1) was stalking and, after a prolonged duel up the straight, Flanagan went down by a short head.
A few sketchy jumps, especially at the third last, may have proved costly for Road to Respect. Both will now be renewing rivalry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Jamie Codd made the trip up from the point-to-point at Ballinaboola for the bumper and made up a lot of late ground to take second on Gordon Elliott’s Bigbadandbeautiful (8/1) behind Santa Rossa (3/1), while Paul Nolan’s only runner, Mon Lino, at a massive 50/1, was fourth in the Grade B handicap hurdle, less than three lengths behind the winner.
On day one, there was success for four exciting short-priced favourites, but the Wexford flag was carried by Nolan and Codd.
Nolan’s string has been in consistently good form for some months now and he had a thrilling success in the €85.5k Grade B Goffs handicap chase with Quamino (14/1), with Bryan Cooper conjuring a great finishing burst to get up by half a length from Jack Kennedy on Gordon Elliott’s Dakota Moirette (11/1).
Nolan said: ‘Today was a very important day and I’m delighted his jumping was very good. He’ll be entered in the novice handicap at Cheltenham and we’ll see if he gets in.’
The Grade B €87.5k bumper saw a great battle to the line between two Wexford riders who are among the top point-to-point men in the country.
Jamie Codd had to be strong on hot favourite Envoi Allen (4/6f), trained by Gordon Elliott, to hold off a determined Barry O’Neill on Joseph O’Brien’s Meticulous (20/1), by a length and a quarter.
This was a third bumper win for Codd and Envoi Allen which began his career exactly a year ago at the Wexford Hunt point-to-point meeting at Ballinaboola.
Ironically, he was ridden that day by O’Neill for trainer Colin Bowe. His impressive ten-length success that day was reflected in the £400,000 paid for him at the sales a couple of weeks later.
He is now favourite for the Cheltenham bumper, but a decision on running has yet to be made.
J.J. Slevin was second on Us And Them for Joseph O’Brien in the Grade 1 Arkle Chase, well beat- en by stable mate, Le Richebourg (11/10), but he was well clear of the third and picked up a cool €25k for his efforts.
There was just one other meeting in Ireland, at Down Royal on Tuesday. Nolan’s Cresus De Grissay (9/2jf) was a comfortable winner of the three-mile handicap chase under Bryan Cooper, despite drifting in the betting.
Slevin followed up his previous weekend double at Cheltenham and Naas with a win on Curious Times (16/1) for Stuart Crawford, seeing off favourite, Black Tears (5/4), for Kennedy and Elliott.
On the flat in Britain, P.J. McDonald had three nice priced winners - on With Caution (11/2) for Jim Tate at Lingfield on Wednesday; Devil’s Angel (13/2) at Newcastle next day for Jedd O’Keeffe; he went to Lingfield for one ride on Galitello (5/1) for Mark Johnston on Saturday and won by a nose.
Pat Dobbs has been having a lean enough time of it in the U.A.E. but he collected a £94,000 first prize on Thursday at Meydan, aboard Drafted (7/4) for regular trainer, Doug Watson.