Twiston-davies strikes gold at Cheltenham
THE hottest seat in jump racing suddenly became a whole lot more comfortable for jockey Sam Twiston-Davies yesterday after he drove Caid Du Berlais to a pulsating head victory in the £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
It was a result to break the heart of colleague Richie McLernon on Jonjo O’Neill’s Johns Spirit who, jumping the last, looked like he was about to become only the sixth horse to be a dual winner of this prestigious prize which signals the start of the core jumps season.
But it was also an outcome to show why eight-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls turned to the 22-year-old rider to be his new stable jockey in April.
Coming only 40 minutes after Twiston-Davies had produced a ride of persistent determination to urge Nicholls-trained Grand National prospect Sam Winner to a length and a half win in the Murphy Group Handicap Chase, there was little wonder Twiston-Davies punched the air with delight as he was led back to the winner’s enclosure and wore smile as wide an open ditch.
The No 1 jockey berth at the Nicholls’ stable is not easy to fill. Confidence visibly ebbed from one previous holder of the post, Sam Thomas, and Daryl Jacob struggled to fill the boots of Ruby Walsh last season.
Even Twiston-Davies, flushed with the confidence of youth, admitted that he had felt under scrutiny as the Nicholls’ team failed to hit the target as often as is expected in recent weeks.
Twiston-Davies, who next Saturday is due to ride his father Nigel’s Champion Hurdle hope The New One at Haydock, said: ‘You get a lot of scrutiny. You are riding for a champion trainer who’s had so much success.
‘You half think if he doesn’t have the success because I am there, is it my fault?’
O’Neill, meanwhile, could only reflect on a big prize that seemed almost in his grasp.
He said: ‘Johns Spirit has run a blinder. He has not done everything right but it was a sickener watching it.’