NO DISGRACE IN LOSING TO A STAR LIKE DOUVAN —
THE l ast thing a jockey needs before racing at Cheltenham is outside dist r acti ons but I found myself yesterday in the position f amiliar to many people at the here, desperately seeking tickets.
You don’t get a hand- delivered envelope with a bundle of comps, rather you have to go begging, or in my case, launch an Irish charm offensive.
My Dad, Liam, was over and I had a bit of a job getting him into the parade ring but I said the right things to the people in charge and managed to source three — they were like gold dust.
I’d love to have returned from the track on a winner but the closest I got was seeing the backsides of Douvan and Ruby Walsh in the Arkle Trophy Chase as they surged clear up the famous hill.
I had to settle for second and was thrilled with Sizing John. I love him to bits, he’s such a gentle horse, who’s been unfortunate to bump into a horse of the calibre of Douvan.
That’s four times now, and we’ve come out second best each time. Maybe Douvan has ann engine that we’re probably not going to get the betterter off but at least we are re in their pitching.
Hi s class has prompted a lot of other people to duck Douvan and go elsewhere — just look at the field for the JLT Chase on n Thursday.
But to be fair to Mr and Mrs Potts, andd to Henry (De Bromhead), we have been taking him on, and making some sort of a race of it.
You have to feel sorry for Sizing John, as he puts everything into to his racing, as he did yesterday where he was foot perfect at his fences but your man is in a different league.
I matched Douvan everywhere earlier in the race but made a decision if I was going to finish second, I had to take a pull, which I did at tthe fourth last. We ggot to Douvan again on his inside coming down the hill but he pulled away. Still, there was no disgrace in coming second to a horse like that.
I wouldn’t be too hard on Supasundae’s run in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
He made a couple of jumping errors but when I needed him he jumped well.
I thought turning in, I was travelling well and he picked up, but not sufficiently smart ly enough to get placed.
Third was the best we could have hoped for as the first two were a class above the rest. Altior came by coming down the hill. I was travelling well and he went by me as if he’d only jumped in.
I imagine we’ll see Supasundae again, probably at Punchestown. His jumping could be slicker, and if that’s ironed out, he’ll be a force. Long term, I imagine he’ll go over fences.
There was carnage in the Ultima Handicap Chase where I rode Shanahan’s Turn. It was like a Grand National out there, 23 fences, which are always coming at you like a wall.
He ran well for a first circuit but ran out of puff and hasn’t quite recaptured his Galway Plate-wining form.
I didn’t have a ride in the Champion Hurdle and was rooting for Identity Thief, trained by Henry but it wasn’t to be his day.
For Annie Power to win was some training performance by Willie Mullins, and all credit to the man.
To run a horse in the World Hurdle over three miles, then two and a half, and then two is some feat. Has any other horse had a similar Cheltenham race profile? I can’t think of one off the top of my head.
Annie Power jumped out, made all, and was there to be shot at but Ruby knew what he had underneath him, and she won snugly in the end.
Consider the reaction if Faugheen had made all to win like Annie Power did yesterday. We’d all be raving about him.