Tony McCoy is as far removed from Gavin Sheehan in profile and experience as his Co Antrim birthplace is from Sheehan's west Cork roots yet both decided the quickest way to Grade 1 Cheltenham success was resolutely from the front.
For McCoy, the forty year old legend about to retire within weeks, Uxizandre's 16-1 Ryanair Chase rout was a possible last festival hurrah: Sheehan, 22, had never before scored at jump racing's greatest meeting but secured a 14-1 Ladbrokes World Hurdle victory on Cole Harden which confirms the former conditional champion among the leading new boys in the British jockeys room.
"This is what dreams are made of; it's very, very special," said the ecstatic Dunmanway native who's star has risen alongside Cole Harden's trainer Warren Greatrex. "It means everything, especially from a yard I lost my claim with. Warren has gone from strength to strength and I've improved having a boss like that and riding good horses like this."
McCoy can hardly quantify the numbers of good horses he's ridden in the last two decades so there's an irony in how the World Hurdle will now always be a rare blank in McCoy's big-race record. The outsider At Fishers Cross ran an honourable fourth behind the Paul Nicholls pair, Saphir Du Rheu and Zarkandar, who chased Cole Harden from a long way out, although no one could peg him back.
“It makes a big difference Gavin knows him: he’s the real deal. We’ve just won a Grade 1 and beat the best which for a small yard breaking through is brilliant,” said an emotional Greatrex who rode just 13 winners himself during an undistinguished riding career.
If the World Hurdle has always been tricky for McCoy, the Ryanair in contrast has been a notably happy hunting ground with back to back wins on Albertas Run (2010-11) before a revitalised Uxizandre guaranteed his jockey’s last festival will be a successful one.
It brought the rider’s overall Cheltenham tally to 31 and understandably emotions were mixed.
“I will miss riding a horse like this which runs away with you all the way and jumps like a stag. It has to happen at some point so it’s a bit sad,” McCoy said. “Cheltenham is all about winning and while I came to the week with a few chances I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I was happy coming down the hill. He kept looking at the television cameras on his inside so I knew he had a little bit for himself.”
Trainer Alan King credited the addition of a visor for Uxizandre’s jumping being straighter and praised the rider: “AP is phenomenal, the winners, the dedication, the commitment - he’s quite remarkable.”
It was a first Ryanair success for JP McManus, and a second win for the champion owner this week after Cause of Causes on Tuesday. But he knew McCoy was the festival focal point.
“We spoke about it last week and he said if I can get him away, he loves it out in front on his own he’d give them a good run for it,” said McManus who joked about “cloning” in order to replace his long-time retained jockey. “We never signed a contract and we’ve never had anything but respect. I’m so pleased he’s had a winner on his final Cheltenham and that we provided it.”
Don Cossack could finish only third as Micheal O’Leary’s ambition to win the race he sponsors will have to be sustained for another year.
A slight mistake six out didn’t help the Irish favourite and Don Cossack was involved in an incident at the second last where he was checked by Johns Spirit and in turn hampered another Irish hope, Hidden Cyclone. Johns Spirit’s rider Richie McLernon was afterwards handed a four day ban for careless riding.
It was the outsider Zaidpour who finished best of the half-dozen Irish trained hopes in the World Hurdle but that was in a distant eighth behind Cole Harden. It was Paul Nicholls, though, who appeared most frustrated after a mistake at the second last compromised Zarkandar’s chance.
“It’s great for the lads that have won the race but we were unlucky with Zarkandar. He was travelling really well and that mistake cost him,” Nicholls said. “Ask Noel (Fehily) what he thinks - the horse was travelling so well and then that happens.”
The festival’s most successful ever trainer, Nicky Henderson, has had a largely frustrating week to date but Call The Cops answered the call in the Pertemps Hurdle, beating Unique De Cotte.
