FAKIR SHOWS IRISH POWER
moment. Our horse is FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES tough and he fought all sounded an ominous the way to the line. pre-Cheltenham “He never really runs warning with a battling a bad race. He has come victory in the Grade 1 up a little short at Betfair Ascot Chase. times, but he runs with
The 9/4 favourite’s his heart on his sleeve.” win from 25/1 outsider JP McManus’s Irishbased Two For Gold, was his jockey Mark third at the top level. Walsh, dedicating the
But the Irish raider win to his uncle, Michael rates a few pounds shy Walsh, who passed away of the best in his during the week, added: homeland, as evidenced “I was confident before in three defeats by he made a mistake at Willie Mullins’ Allaho – the second-last. including an 11-length “The second is a humbling in the Ryanair tough horse who stays Chase at Cheltenham galloping so he had to last March rally but, in
He’s tough and
- in the runs with his fairness to past 12 heart on his him, he did.” months. sleeve... Meanwhile
So the at Haydock result – a length-and-aquarter-upwards Park, The Galloping Bear overhauled top beating of the home weight Bristol De Mai to defence, which included land the William Hill past victors Dashel Grand National Trial for Drasher and Waiting rookie trainer Ben Patiently – makes Clarke. chastening reading for The gambled-on 9/2 British runners ahead of favourite does not hold next month’s National an entry for Aintree on Hunt Festival following April 9 and Dorsetbased a 23-5 drubbing at the Clarke, who took hands of the Irish in out a licence in
2021. September, said: “If you
Winning trainer see him again this Joseph O’Brien, who will season it will be in the return Fakir D’Oudairies Irish National.” to Cheltenham for the ■■TeaHUPOO was Ryanair Chase in 25 slashed from 20/1 to 8/1 days, said: “It was nice for the Champion Hurdle today to run in a Grade 1 at the Festival after where we wouldn’t meet cantering home by 11 Allaho – as good a lengths in the red Mills two-and-a-half-miler as Trial Hurdle at Gowran there is around at the Park.