Cheltenham – Day Two: Faugheen maintained his unbeaten record as he posted an impressive success in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old swept to the front after three out in the hands of Ruby Walsh and pulled clear of the opposition with the minimum of fuss.
Cole Harden and Creepy had taken the field along until the third-last, where 6 to 4 favourite Faugheen was going ominously well with his main market rival Red Sherlock hot on his heels.
Faugheen made a mistake both three out and at the second-last but he flew the final flight and powered up the hill to win as he liked, making it four wins from four over hurdles and giving Mullins and Walsh their third winner of the meeting.
Ballyalton battled on stoutly to claim the runner-up spot ahead of Rathvinden, who was a further half-length adrift.
Walsh said: “He had a look at the second-last and I upped the revs. Willie said all along that there was a lot under the bonnet and he was right. He’s a smashing horse.”
Mullins said: “He looks a fair sort. We always thought he was a chaser in the making and I’d prefer to go chasing with him next year.
“We’ll just see what next season brings. When he blundered at the third-last, I thought maybe that was it. But he picked up and went away. He looks a bit above average.
“We weren’t sure which race to go for as we had a good one for the two-mile race and a good one for the three-mile, so he just slotted in here really.”
Asked to compare Faugheen with his Supreme victor Vautour, Mullins added: “Vautour is a different level.”
Winning owner Rich Ricci said: “He’s beautiful, he jumped very well. He’s been a very difficult horse to keep right, Willie and the whole team have done a magical job to keep him right. He’s great for the future.”
Ian Williams believes runner-up Ballyalton will be even more proficient when he is sent chasing.
The trainer said: “I’m absolutely thrilled. He was clearly beaten by a very good horse.
“You could draw a line through his last run at Cheltenham, and he’s had a nice break since then.
“He’s a chaser, not a hurdler, and we’ll just have to decide whether to go over fences at the end of this campaign or after he’s had a summer break.”
Mullins said of third-placed Rathvinden: “He ran well but missed the break and was never in a position to challenge.
“Paul (Townend, jockey) just said he didn’t think he was at home on the quicker ground.”
O'Faolains Boy came up trumps in a titanic duel with Smad Place for the RSA Chase to give jockey Barry Geraghty his third success in the race.
The seven-year-old horse (12 to 1) found just a little more when it mattered to take the Grade One by a neck for the Rebecca Curtis team. Irish challenger Morning Assembly finished third.
Corrin Wood made most of the running, but his challenge weakened at the top of the home straight once the pace accelerated.
Several horses came to grief as a consequence of the heightened tempo, but Ballycasey, the 13 to 2 joint-favourite, appeared in a vigilant mood as he was nudged into the lead three fences from home.
Ruby Walsh’s companion suddenly began to tread water, though, as fellow market leader Smad Place leapt purposefully towards the head of affairs two out.
But O’Faolains Boy was never far away, and a crisp jump at the last then put Geraghty in pole position.
An absorbing tussle ensued, but Curtis’s inmate grasped the moment with a lunging drive inside the final 150 yards.
Geraghty said: “He just ran in snatches a little bit. He didn’t jump as well as he did in Ascot.
“I was never happy and never thought I’d win, but in the last mile he started to come alive a little bit. He got there, slightly under sufferance
“There’s improvement in him. He didn’t feel as good today as he did at Ascot for some reason and he didn’t sparkle, but he’s still won.”
Nico de Boinville and Whisper just saw off Tony McCoy on Get Me Out Of Here in a thrilling race for the Coral Cup.
There was nothing between them up the hill, but it was Whisper (14 to 1), trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Dai Walters, who prevailed by a short head. Bayan was two and a quarter lengths away in third, with Smashing fourth.
The pace was set by Son Of Flicka, the winner in 2012, and Clondaw Kaempfer, as 28 horses set off for the highly-competitive handicap hurdle.
As to be expected there were many in with chances coming to the final flight, and it was De Boinville, a 5lb clamer noted for his riding of Sprinter Sacre in his work, who had Whisper in the right position to deny Get Me Out Of Here, who has now finished second at four Festivals.
Cross-country specialist Balthazar King defied top weight with a narrow victory over Any Currency in the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase.
Winner of this specialist contest in 2012, the Philip Hobbs-trained 10-year-old just denied Any Currency by a short head after a mighty tussle in the hands of Richard Johnson.
Big Shu, the winner 12 months ago, was two lengths away in third with Duke Of Lucca fourth.
Yorkshire toasted its first festival winner of the week when Hawk High swooped in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Trained in Great Habton by Tim Easterby, the Trevor Hemmings-owned four-year-old sprang a 33-1 surprise under Brian Hughes.
Hughes had been criticised in certain quarters for his ride aboard Attaglance in a Listed race on Tuesday, but timed things nicely here.
Clarcam’s fall two flights out caused plenty of mayhem, a consequence of which saw Orgilgo Bay gain a definitive lead. But Hawk High was not to be denied as a tidy jump at the last sealed the deal.
Katgary, who had been hindered by Clarcam’s fall, stayed on to take second spot, three-quarters of a length in arrears. Orgilgo Bay was third, while Keltus was also a slightly unlucky fourth.
“Delighted,” Easterby said. “It’s the best place in the world to have a winner. He’s a very decent horse and he needs a confident ride. He won on heavy at Warwick but he didn’t seem to handle anything right at Haydock. I don’t know why.”
Hemmings added: “The jockey suited the horse. We were delighted to get Brian Hughes, who rode him very well.”
Silver Concorde came with a wet sail up the hill to claim the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. Robbie McNamara had the Dermot Weld-trained 16-1 shot not too far off a good pace set by Black Hercules and delayed his move until after the turn for home. The six-year-old was always travelling well and quickened to the front when given the office by McNamara.
Silver Concorde bounded up the hill to beat the Willie Mullins-trained 7/2 favourite Shaneshill by a length and a half with Joshua Lane a length and three-quarters behind in third.
Weld said: “He did it well. He’s a very decent horse and I knew the drying ground would suit him well. Robbie’s a master craftsman and rode a beautiful race.
“This horse has had his problems. He’s taken time to come to himself as he was big and immature, but he’s got there. He’ll make a super hurdler, but there might be a few races to win with him on the Flat first.”
CHELTENHAM RESULTS
1.30
1 Faugheen (R Walsh) 6-4 Fav
2 Ballyalton (W Kennedy) 20-1
3 Rathvinden (P Townend) 11-2
NR: Royal Boy
2.05
1 O'Faolains Boy (B Geraghty) 12-1
2 Smad Place (R Thornton) 13/2 Jt Fav
3 Morning Assembly 9/1 (D Russell)
2.40
1 Whisper (N De Boinville) 14/1
2 Get Me Out Of Here (AP McCoy) 12/1
3 Bayan (D Condon) 11/1
4 Smashing (A Lynch) 25/1
Some bookies also paid out on 5th place which went to favourite Del' Arca at 8/1
3.20
1 Sire De Grugy (J Moore) 11/4F
2 Somersby (D Elsworth) 14/1
3 Module (P Brennan) 20/1
4.00
1 Balthazar (R Johnson) 4/1
2 Any Currency (I Popham) 10/1
3 Big Schu (P Carberry) 3/1 Fav
4 Duke of Lucca 25/1
4.40
1 Hawk High(B Hughes) 33/1
2 Katgary(D Jacob) 8/1
3 Orgilgo Bay (M Bolger) 16/1
4 Keltus (N Scholfield) 25/1
5.00
1 Silver Concorde (R P McNamara) 16/1
2 Shaneshill (R Walsh) 7/2 Fav
3 Joshua Lane (B J Geraghty) 33/1
4 Black Hercules (PW Mullins) 13/2
