Monday, February 9, 2004
IRISH THOROUGHBRED NEWS
PRECIOUS PEARL WINS FOURTH HENNESSY
Florida Pearl returned to a hero's welcome when he won the EUR160,000 Grade 1 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup for a record fourth time at Leopardstown on Sunday.
A crowd of over 18,000 saluted the evergreen 12-year-old graduate of the Point to Point circuit, as he recorded his ninth Grade 1 success and brought his career earnings past the EUR1m mark with a three-length win over the gambled-on Le Coudray.
Owned by Archie and Violet O'Leary, Florida Pearl once again fully deserves to take his chance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and his trainer Willie Mullins said, "I enjoyed that more than any other win I have ever been associated with. I think I would have cried if he had been caught on the run-in."
"It says a lot about a horse that has been on the go since he won a bumper here in 1996 as a four-year-old. He will be running at his seventh consecutive Festival next month and that will be some achievement. He has not managed to win the Gold Cup and I am not saying that he will beat Best Mate, but after that performance he is perfectly entitled to take his chance."
PIZZARO WIN SECOND GRADE 1 CHASE
The Edward O'Grady-trained Pizzaro landed another nice prize when winning the EUR110,000 Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.
Sold at Goffs June National Hunt Sale for Ir10,000gns to Edward Hales in 2000 the now seven-year-old son of Broken Hearted stayed on well to deny the front running Mossy Green by a head to the delight of many in the vast Leopardstown crowd.
Pizzaro had earlier won the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse in early December and now heads for the Royal SunAlliance Novice Chase at Cheltenham where the step up to three miles is expected to suit.
BRAVE INCA CONTINUES ON WINNING STREAK
Brave Inca improves with every run and made a successful transition from handicapping to score a memorable victory for trainer Colm Murphy and jockey Barry Cash in the EUR80,000 Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle, winning from Newmill and Mariah Rollins.
The six-year-old son of Good Thyne has passed through the Irish Sales on a number of occasions, first as a foal when he was sold at Tattersalls (Ireland) November Foals Sale to Gerard Brady for Ir1600gns from his breeder D W Macauley. Less than 3 months later he was sold in the Goffs February Sale for Ir4,000gns, as a yearling Brave Inca was led out unsold later that year before he returned to Goffs June Sale in 2001 where he made Ir14,000gns.
The winner of two bumpers last season and two handicap hurdles earlier this term, Brace Inca was led into the winners' enclosure by a member of the seven strong Novices Syndicate. Their winner will now go to Cheltenham where the state of the ground will determine what race he contests.
OXX AND KINANE COMBINE TO WIN IN DUBAI
John Oxx and his new stable jockey Michael Kinane enjoyed their first success since teaming up in November when D'Anjou beat fellow Irish raider One More Round to win the Group 3 Al Fahidi Fort Stakes at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday.
As he left Dubai for Hong Kong, Kinane said, "That is a great start for John and me and hopefully it's going to be a trend for the rest of the year".
One More Round had come from off the pace to lead over a furlong from home but had no answer when Kinane produced D'Anjou to lead close home.
SCILLY ISLES WIN FOR PATRICKSNINETEENTH
The Irish-bred Patricksnineteenth was a decisive winner of the Grade 1 Tote Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday.
Bred by Mrs Jerry Rohan and purchased by Paul Webber at the Tattersalls Derby Sale in 2001 for Ir32,000gns, the son of Mister Lord scored a six-length success from L'Aventure to add to his bumper win at the track last season.
Patricksnineteenth is to be aimed at the SunAllinace Chase at Cheltenham where this still improving individual will have many supporters.
RHINESTONE BOUNCES BACK AT SANDOWN
Rhinestone Cowboy put the disappointment of the AIG Europe Irish Champion Hurdle behind him when winning the Listed Agfa Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
With owner's son JP Magnier in the saddle, the long odds-on favourite, a son of Be My Native, came from off the pace to win by two lengths from Garde Champetre and now heads to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle.
Trainer Jonjo O'Neill said, "He will be entered in the Coral Cup as well as being in the Stayers' Hurdle, but I think he'll be going the Champion Hurdle route."
MASSIVE IRISH ENTRY FOR AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL
Harbour Pilot and ante-post favourite Rince Ri are the two highest rated Irish-trained entries for the Grand National at Aintree in April.
A total of 30 Irish entries have been made for the race and include last year's winner Monty's Pass, Davids Lad, last season's Irish Grand National winner Timbera and Risk Accessor.
Irish-trained horses have a terrific record in the race with Ted Walsh's Papillon, Bobbyjo and Monty's Pass all winning in the last four years.
McCOY OUT IN FRONT
Following Charlie Swan's retirement in April, champion Tony McCoy, with 14 wins to date, is the most successful current jockey at the National Hunt Festival.
Since partnering Kibreet to success in the 1996 Grand Annual Chase, the record-breaking rider has gone on to land a further 13 successes, with his two greatest triumphs coming in 1997 when he partnered Mr Mulligan to land the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and took the Smurfit Champion Hurdle aboard Make A Stand. He was also leading rider in both 1997 and 1998, although in each of the two most recent seasons he has only managed one winner, landing the Cathcart on Royal Auclair in 2002 and the Weatherbys Champion Bumper aboard Liberman in 2003.
McCoy is closely followed by Mick FitzGerald, who has 11 successes to his name, and Richard Johnson with nine victories. But Barry Geraghty was the jockey to follow at the Festival last year, when he won an amazing five races to add to his only previous success.
This season, Jim Culloty could become only the fifth jockey in history to have won three renewals of the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup if Best Mate can land chasing's Blue Riband for the third year in succession.
The previous winners of The Daily Telegraph Award for leading National Hunt Festival rider are listed below, with current jockeys in bold. (On some occasions the winner was decided on the number of placed horses achieved):
2003 Barry Geraghty (5)
2002 Richard Johnson (2)
2001 Cancelled - foot & mouth
2000 Mick FitzGerald (4)
1999 Mick FitzGerald (4)
1998 Tony McCoy (5)
1997 Tony McCoy (3)
1996 Richard Dunwoody (2)
1995 Norman Williamson (4)
1994 Charlie Swan (3)
1993 Charlie Swan (4)
1992 Jamie Osborne (5)
1991 Peter Scudamore (2)
1990 Richard Dunwoody (2
1989 Tom Morgan (2)
1988 Simon Sherwood (2)
1987 Peter Scudamore (2)
1986 Peter Scudamore (2)
1985 Steve Smith Eccles (3)
1984 Jonjo O'Neill (2)
1983 Graham Bradley (2)
1982 Jonjo O'Neill (1)
1981 John Francome (3)
1980 Jim Wilson (3)
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's Managing Director, said: "Jockeys, both professional and amateur, play an integral part in the huge appeal and success of the Cheltenham Festival and are the heroes of the sport in their quest for winners."
EXTRA ENTRY FOR ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE CHASE
Due to an administrative error by Weatherbys, the following horse was excluded from the list of entries for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase:
DIRECT BEARING (IRE) 7 b g Owner - Dr Michael Smurfit; Trainer - Dermot Weld IRE
CHOCOLATE SWEET ON FESTIVAL CHANCES
This season has seen a resurgence in the career of Gloucestershire-based rider Robert Chocolate' Thornton, who had ridden 58 winners in the latest campaign before breaking a collarbone in an Exeter fall on January 20.
Thornton hopes to be back in action by the end of February, in good time to partner a string of fancied rides at the National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, March 16, 17 & 18.
A large part of Thornton's success this season has been due to his association with Alan King's Barbury Castle Stables in Wiltshire, providing the jockey with winners of the calibre of leading JCB Triumph Hurdle ante-post favourite Trouble At Bay, bonusprint.com Stayers' Hurdle contender Crystal D'Ainay and Bear On Board, who figures prominently in the betting market for the Martell Cognac Grand National at Aintree.
Thornton has also tasted victory in the Grade 2 Tote Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham in December on Rigmarole for trainer Paul Nicholls.
But the horse whom Thornton, 25, is most looking forward to riding at the Festival next month is the novice chaser D'Argent, set to run in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase. The seven-year-old has won all three of his starts over fences, with each victory coming at Warwick. D'Arent's latest success there was in the Roscoe Harvey Memorial Novices' Chase on January 10, when he proved 26 lengths too strong for Tyneandtyneagain, subsequent winner of the valuable Skybet Chase at Doncaster.
"I've been very impressed with D'Argent this season," said Thornton. "He's improved with every run and I think he will be going to Cheltenham with a real good chance. Whether or not he can beat Therealbandit, I don't know, but he's definitely going there with a good chance."
It is now almost seven years since Robert Thornton last entered the winner's enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival. On the opening day in 1997, Thornton, then just 18 and riding as an amateur, won both the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase on King Lucifer and the Pertemps Final on Pharanear.
The two winners were trained by David Nicholson, to whom Alan King was then assistant. For good measure the jockey went on to land a treble at Aintree's Grand National meeting that year.
"Those two Cheltenham wins have always been very special to me and are among the highlights of my career," adds Thornton. "It was also great when I finished third on Strong Promise in the 2000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup. It will be nice if I can have a few more winners at Cheltenham this year."
LEADING CURRENT JOCKEYS AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
Tony McCoy 14
Mick FitzGerald 11
Richard Johnson 9
Barry Geraghty 6
Carl Llewellyn 6
Paul Carberry 5
Mr Marcus Armytage 3
Jim Culloty 3
Tony Dobbin 3
Thierry Doumen 3
Andrew Thornton 3
Ruby Walsh 3
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TOTE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP JOCKEYS
Pat Taaffe 4 (1964, 1965 and 1966 Arkle, 1968 Fort Leney)
Tommy Carberry 3* (1970 and 1971 L'Escargot, 1975 Ten Up)
Aubrey Brabazon 3 (1948, 1949 and 1950 Cottage Rake)
Dick Rees 3 (1924 Red Splash, 1928 Patron Saint, 1929 Easter Hero)
* In 1980, Tommy Carberry was first past the post on Tied Cottage, who was subsequently disqualified for failing a dope test. Master Smudge was then installed as the winner.
Jim Culloty is going for a third successive Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup win on Best Mate this year.
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL SMURFIT CHAMPION HURDLE JOCKEYS
Tim Molony 4 (1951 Hatton's Grace, 1952, 1953 and 1954 Sir Ken)
Steve Smith Eccles 3 (1985, 1986 and 1987 See You Then)
Ron Smyth 3 (1941 Seneca, 1942 Forestation, 1948 National Spirit)
Charlie Swan 3 (1998, 1999 and 2000 Istabraq)
Jimmy Uttley 3 (1968, 1969 and 1970 Persian War)
Fred Winter 3 (1955 Clair Soleil, 1959 Fare Time, 1961 Eborneezer)
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE JOCKEYS
Pat Taaffe 5 (1960 and 1961 Fortria, 1964 Ben Stack, 1966 Flyingbolt, 1970
Straight Fort)
Robert Earnshaw 3 (1983, 1984 and 1985 Badsworth Boy)
Tommy Carmody 2 (1978 Hilly Way, 1986 Buck House)
Dave Dick 2 (1962 Piperton, 1965 Dunkirk)
Mouse Morris 2 (1976 and 1977 Skymas)
Frank Bonky' Nash 2 (1967 and 1968 Drinny's Double)
Bill Smith 2 (1972 and 1974 Royal Relief)
THE SMURFIT CHAMPION HURDLE / TOTE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP DOUBLE
1929 Dick Rees (Champion - Royal Falcon, Gold Cup - Easter Hero)
1930 Tom Cullinan (Brown Tony/Easter Hero)
1932 Ted Leader (Insurance/Golden Miller)
1933 Bill Stott (Insurance/Golden Miller)
1935 Gerry Wilson (Lion Courage/Golden Miller)
1949 Aubrey Brabazon (Hatton's Grace/Cottage Rake)
1950 Aubrey Brabazon (Hatton's Grace/Cottage Rake)
1953 Tim Molony (Sir Ken/Knock Hard)
1961 Fred Winter (Eborneezer/Saffron Tartan)
1995 Norman Williamson (Alderbrook/Master Oats)
1997 Tony McCoy (Make A Stand/Mr Mulligan)
No jockey has ever ridden the winners of the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup at the same Festival.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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