Thursday, April 29, 2004
COWBOY SCORES BY SEVEN LENGTHS
Rhinestone Cowboy was given a rapturous reception in a packed winner's enclosure after amateur J P Magnier brought the eight-year-old on steadily to come from behind and beat stablemate Iris's Gift by seven lengths in the Grade 1 Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers' Hurdle.
Trainer Jonjo O'Neill was full of praise for Magnier's ride and said: "J P has never done anything wrong on this horse so I don't know why he has had stick from some people. He gave it a great spin today because the horse was getting a bit silly halfway through the race, he was just idling and fluffed one as a result.
"They went a decent gallop all the way and he got the trip well which was the worry beforehand."
Rhinestone Cowboy was also declared for tomorrow's Emo Oil Champion Hurdle but O'Neill said: "At this stage he would be very unlikely to run although we could change our minds if he was bucking and kicking in the morning."
Iris's Gift was bidding to supplement wins at Cheltenham and Aintree and O'Neill added: "He ran a great race but we have probably just gone to the well once too often with him. He'll be going over fences now."
There was a dramatic conclusion to the Grade 1 Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase when Colca Canyon fell at the last fence, bringing down 8/11 favourite Kicking King and leaving the two-mile event at the mercy of Say`Again, trained by Paul Nolan.
"We had a lucky escape from the carnage at the last and whether we would have won anyway I really don't know," said Nolan. "He had a bit of trouble early in his career so I've never wanted to run him on fast ground. He's better with a bit of juice in the ground and this was beautiful today.
"We might try and pick up a bit of prize money on the Flat now as he's only rated about 65."
The veteran Wotsitooya bagged a valuable prize when holding off Timbera to take the EUR55,000 Castlemartin Stud Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase under Davy Russell by two and a half lengths.
"He's 12 years of age and I wondered if there were many more races in him," said winning trainer Michael O'Brien. "He should have won a good race at Limerick earlier in the season but got disqualified when they went the wrong way so this was some compensation. Davy gets on really well with the horse."
O'Brien felt Essex was an unlucky loser when third in the Grade 1 Colm McEvoy Auctioneers Champion 4YO Hurdle earlier in the day.
"He missed the third last and I think would have just about won but for that," said O'Brien. "A couple of his owners come from Galway so we are planning to send him there for an amateur race on the first day of the Festival."
Willie Mullins was full of praise for jockey Ruby Walsh after he brought home Ballyamber to a 20-length success in the Masterchef's Hospitality Novice Chase.
"That was a brilliant tactical ride from Ruby," said Mullins. "Our horse is a front runner but so were four or five other ones in the race so we sat behind and Ruby knew they couldn't keep up the fast pace.
"I don't know where we'll go now but I think we'll keep him to two or two and a quarter miles."
Today's crowd at Punchestown was 18,234, up 4 per cent on last year's figure of 17,400.
O'NEILL LOOKS FORWARD AFTER CHERUB SUCCESS
Hours after signing up champion rider Tony McCoy as stable jockey, Jonjo O'Neill celebrated a Grade 1 success on the third day of the Irish National Hunt Festival when Cherub took the Colm McEvoy Auctioneers Champion 4YO Hurdle in a photo from Made In Japan.
The winner was still a maiden before today's race although had finished an excellent fourth to Made In Japan in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"He ran a nice race first time at Kempton, then looked like he'd win at Sandown when Tusk beat him before running well at Cheltenham," said O'Neill.
"He let us down a little bit last time at Aintree, where a couple of mine ran a bit below par and he didn't scope 100 per cent clear afterwards. He was in great form afterwards and the plan was to come here. He's also still a novice for us (in Britain) next season."
The trainer is delighted to have secured McCoy's services and said: "It's great to have first call on Tony and it's all systems go," added O'Neill. "He's the magic man to have on your side, he's mad keen, a great man for work and loves a challenge. I'm thrilled to bits to have him. Of course I'd love to be champion trainer, it's a matter of if we could ever get there - we just need more winners."
Enda Bolger's remarkable record in the Quinns Of Baltinglass Chase for the La Touche Cup continued when J P McManus's Spot Thedifference led home a 1-2 from Shady Lad for the stable in the famous 4m 2f contest over Punchestown's unique banks course.
It was a seventh successive victory for the trainer, who saddled Buailtes And Fadas to score last year and Risk Of Thunder to take the previous five renewals.
"That was a great spectacle and much better to have five in with a chance than one coming home clear," said Bolger. "It's great for Spot Thedifference because he has not won for three or four years and he ran a great race at Aintree. I was happy to see the ground dry out for him.
"There is a banks race at next year's Cheltenham Festival and I'm sure J P would like to have a look at that."
The judge called a dead-heat in the opening Jondol Furniture Handicap Hurdle in which Boleyknowsbest, trained by former jockey Robbie Burns, and Kelly's Craft, trained by Willie Mullins, shared the honours.
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