Davy Russell's Cheltenham priority is to help Lord Windermere defend his Gold Cup title on Friday and the former champion jockey got his eye in with a vengeance over the weekend as Fine Rightly capped a Naas double in the Grade Three novice chase.
The 20-1 outsider Fletcher later scored for Russell in a handicap hurdle and that double added to another pair of winners at Gowran on Saturday – from just two rides – which brings the Corkman to 49 winners in Ireland this season.
In fact the one loser Russell rode over the weekend was the Leinster National favourite Owega Star who finished out of the money behind Miss Xian who edged out Bother Clei by a nose in a thrilling finish to the €50,000 feature.
However the Grade Three highlight went to Fine Rightly whose Co Antrim based trainer Stuart Crawford was enjoying a second Graded success, but a first where his runner passed the post first.
Fine Rightly previously secured a Grade Two bumper in the stewards room at Navan last season but there was no arguing over his latest victory which came after the 11-10 favourite Noble Emperor fell at the third fence.
Barry Geraghty was quickly on his feet and able to watch Russell power Fine Rightly a length ahead of the Gigginstown pair, Rule The World and Azorian.
Crawford has a couple of Cheltenham hopefuls in Montana Belle (Champion Bumper) and Muirhead (Foxhunters) and isn’t ruling out other festival targets with Fine Rightly.
“The thing with him is he’s a proper winter ground horse so if we get a wet Spring we could keep him ticking along,” he said. “He’s a fantastic jumper and his pedigree is all staying but he has the speed for that distance – on that ground.”
Sandra Hughes’s four-strong Cheltenham team is headed by the World Hurdle contender Lieutenant Colonel and there’s no doubt the stable is in form after a 1-2 in the Listed novice hurdle where the favourite Phil’s Magic edged out Prince Of Scars.
Fabulous horses
“I’m not surprised. They are two fabulous horses. Phil had the form coming here so I fancied him but the other fellah is a big baby who’s going to be something special over fences,” Hughes said.
Phil’s Magic carries the same colours as the good chaser Lyreen Legend and it is over fences that his future lies too.
“I love him and he’s going to be a hell of a chaser,” said jockey Johnny Burke who’s looking forward to his first Cheltenham festival. “He got in under the last and had every chance to finish second but he really battled back.”
The Francis Flood team took a chance on running Miss Xian in the Leinster National from 6lbs out of the handicap but she bravely edged out Bothar Clei in a driving finish.
Gordon Elliott’s strong Cheltenham team is headed by Gigginstown’s Don Cossack in Thursday’s Ryanair and the combination secured a confidence booster in the three mile maiden hurdle with Captain Von Trappe.
