BACHASSON BACK ON TRACK
Stayers’ Hurdle hope cruises to Naas victory
BACHASSON was cut to 25-1 (from 40s) by Paddy Power for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after making it three from three for the season with an all-the-way victory in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.
Dropping to two miles for the first time since his novice-hurdling campaign six years ago, Willie Mullins’ 11-8 shot Bachasson was sent straight to the lead by Paul Townend — and never looked back, winning by almost five lengths from Grand Roi.
Mullins said: “I thought it was a big ask bringing him back to two miles, but my backroom team overruled me. It’s one up for them!
“I thought after he fell in the Gold Cup in Cheltenham (in 2018) that he wouldn’t run again. But if we can keep him in that sort of form, who knows what will happen?
❒ PUNDITS and trainers were furious after a false start controversy in the 2m handicap hurdle.
The contest, already delayed by more than 15 minutes by Melly And Me running loose, turned into a farce after Shakeytry unseated Phillip Enright as the horses lined up. He then badly hampered Sean Says and Aarons Day.
But starter Derek Cullen still allowed the race to get under way, instead of calling a false start.
Remarkably, Oliver McKiernan’s Aarons day made up the lost ground and came second to Capileno Bridge.
McKiernan said: “It’s beyond belief that it could happen.”
Ex-jockey and Racing TV pundit Ruby Walsh said: “There is no way on earth Derek Cullen can start that race — that is shambolic.”
The stewards called an inquiry before referring the matter to the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.