FLOORING PORTER FLOORS ALL RIVALS
John Anthony reflects on a fantastic Third Day of racing
TURNER NOVICES’ CHASE
Bob Olinger was gifted the Turner when 5-6 Favourite Galopin Des Champs partnered company with Paul Townend at the final fence with the race in the bag. Galopin Des Champs appeared to be holding a decisive advantage at the time.
The winner was left home 40 lengths clear of Busselton with another 28 lengths back to El Barra in third.
Winning trainer Henry de Bromhead said: “We looked well beaten, obviously. I was surprised to see him off the bridle as early as he was. I thought he jumped reasonably well; he got into one at the top of the hill, I think the fourth-last, he just put down at that and walloped that, but was ok and came back on the bridle.
“We still have to work on the jumping. But I thought on the first circuit he jumped really well. But I didn’t think I’d ever see a horse have him look like that, I have ever to say. I never thought I’d see a horse do that to Bob. And obviously, we all want to win but we don’t like to win like that, but it’s great to win, of course. It’s all work in progress - it’s only his third race over fences, and he’s won a Grade Three, a Grade One… it’s fantastic, but you don’t like to win a race like that.”
PERTEMPS FINAL
Third Wind (25-1) scored by a neck from 11-2 Co-Favourite Alaphilippe.
It is a second Festival success for trainer Hugh Morrison – 20 years on from his first with Frenchman’s Creek in what is now the Ultima Handicap Chase.
Jockey Tom O’Brien was also enjoying his second Festival victory. He previously scored on Silk Affair in the 2009 running of what is now the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Winning trainer Hughie Morrison said: “I watched the head on on the screen and it was six of one and half a dozen of another. We came here really relaxed for a day out. We couldn’t win off this mark two years ago.
“The ground was perfect for him as it was genuine soft ground. Haydock was bottomless the other day and he can’t handle that. On his day he is a very good horse. He is a cracking horse.”
RYANAIR CHASE
Allaho (4-7 Favourite) repeated his success of 2021 to win the Ryanair Chase again. The eight year becomes the second dual winner of the contest following Albertas Run (2010 & 2011).
It was a 1-2 for trainer Willie Mullins as Janidil comes home the 14-length
runner-up with Eldorado Allen another three-quarters of a length back in third.
Mullins said: “Paul was good on the horse and the horse was good. This year people were keeping an eye on him and they werent going to give him an easy time out in front. He just showed them he can jump and gallop them into submission. We didn’t have any negative things about him. I was just worried would himself and Paul gel over the first few fences. I’m very happy with him.
“I don’t know what the form book says but 12 months ago I was standing in awe of him. This year I was suppose we were used to it now. Last year it was just an awesome performance and a very good performance this year.
“You know me I like to stick to what works so I’d be planning for the
Ryanair next year and I wouldn’t be backing him ante-post for any other races yet. I might go back to two at Punchestown with him we will see.”
STAYERS’ HURDLE
Flooring Porter (4-1) won the Stayers’ Hurdle (3m) for the second year in succession, scoring by two and threequarter lengths from Thyme Hill with 2019 winner Paisley Park staying on to take third, another nose behind.
It was a fourth success at The Festival for trainer Gavin Cromwell.
Jockey Danny Mullins was winning his second race at The Festival, having also been aboard Flooring Porter in 2021.
Cromwell said: “What can you say. I know everything went perfectly to plan and he behaved himself at the start, he’s really grown up now. We set out to make the running and he was foot perfect everywhere and Danny was fantastic on him. We jumped the third last and he filled the horse up and he’s made it look easy really. I was worried as to whether he’d get done for a turn of foot but Danny kept his cool and he knew what he was doing – he knew what he had underneath him.
“I wasn’t too bad about the start to be honest nerves wise and I was pretty confident that it was going to be ok. The horse has just really matured and we got him there good and early and he’s really behaved himself since he came here.
“Danny is so good with those frontrunners, he seems to have a serious clock in his head and he’s a real horseman. It’s there for everyone to see and Flooring Porter hasn’t been straightforward, he’s just gone with him straight away and he’s just a proper horseman. He seemed to get a soft
lead again and we’ll take it.
“He’s just an older and wiser horse this year and he’s so slick over his hurdles. Long or short he’s as quick over his flights and he was taking ground out of everything.”
FESTIVAL PLATE
Cheltenham specialist Coole Cody (22-1) won his fourth race at the home of jump racing
The 11-year-old took the honours by six and a half lengths from 7-2 Favourite Imperial Alcazar with another nose back to Spiritofthegames in third,
It was a second Festival win for trainer Evan Williams – 14 years after High Chimes in the 2008 Kim Muir Handicap Chase.
It Is also a second Festival win for jockey Adam Wedge, following on from Lisnagar Oscar in the 2020 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.
Williams said: “It sums him up that performance. He is 11 years of age and he has got so many miles on the clock but he will sit back and kept fighting all the way for you. He is a remarkable horse. This track should be all wrong for him as he jumps right-handed. He is not a particularly brilliant jumper but this is a place is a tough place for tough horses. He is a tough horse. It helped him losing the lead if you look back at the tap. Brendan Powell has come over and held his racing line which was beautiful race riding and good luck to the boy but that helped us as it just spurred him on. They didn’t go by him and they gave him a chance and if you get into a fight with this fellow there is only going to be one winner.”
RYANAIR MARES’ HURDLE
Love Envoi (15-2) became the first British-trained winner of the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
The six year old got the better of 50-1 Ahorsewithnoname by a length and a quarter with another length and a half back to Grangee in third,
It was a second Festival victory for trainer Harry Fry and a first for jockey Johnny Burke.
Fry said: “She just doesn’t know when she’s beaten and she’s had a brilliant campaign, winning five on the bounce. It’s funny, Unowhatimeanharry came here on the back of an unbeaten season and these horses just don’t know what it is to lose a race.
“T in you just thought ‘we’re right where we want to be’ and after a good jump at the last we knew she’d stay up the hill.”
KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE
Venetia Williams saddled her eighth Festival winner as 40-1 chance Chambard won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase.
Chambard beat 5-1 Joint-Favourite Mistrer Coffey by two and a half lengths with Didero Vallis (66-1), also trained by Williams, another length away in third.
It was a first Festival victory for amateur jockey Lucy Turner, 29. Her father, Philip Turner, was Venetia's head lad for 24 years but is now retired.
Williams said: “It was amazing to watch and such a thrill. I’m so pleased for David (Shaw, owner) because he’s been so patient with this horse and at the ripe old age of 10 now he’s finally showing the form we thought he might be capable of. I’m so pleased for Lucy too.
“I’m delighted for the guys with Didero Vallis as well, because he hasn’t been putting his best foot forward of late and if you’re going to put blinkers on you wait for the Cheltenham Festival. He ran in the Grand Military and didn’t go a yard – he was having a laugh!”