JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
WILLIE Mullins and his team will surely have taken immense satisfaction from winning their fifth Triumph Hurdle in a row with stable debutant Apolon De Charnie - even if his 50/1 success came as a shock to many.
It was 12 months ago in this very race that the back-to-back dual-nation champion trainer pulled off a phenomenal training feat with hurdling debutant Poniros at 100/1, and the authorities subsequently moved to cut off the option to run a hurdles newcomer in the race.
That decision wasn’t universally popular, including within the Closutton camp, so managing to repeat the feat with a horse never seen on a British or Irish racecourse before - and who had never won a race over hurdles before - demonstrates that however the game may change, the result can still be the same for this record-breaking team.
Patrick Mullins reckons he hasn’t ridden a juvenile hurdle winner since C’Est Ca in his mother’s colours back at Fairyhouse in 2008, and he’s rarely a visitor to these four-year-old-only hurdles races, but expect him to be back for another crack at this prize next season.
He got a sweet tune from his highly-genuine French hurdle second for owner Ed Ware and finished a length and a half in front of the Skeltons’ smooth-travelling Maestro Conti and Adam Nicol’s Minella Study. Selma De Vary was next best of the Irish in fourth under Paul Townend - they were done no favours on the turn for home by the runner-up.
“Only 50-1 this year and not 100-1 – I’m so disappointed!” quipped Willie Mullins after his seventh win in the race.
“At least I could stand in the stand and shout ‘go on my son’, which was obviously the biggest thrill, to have Patrick riding it. I could see three or four of mine all in with chances and was trying to watch them all, but I’d be watching for Patrick one way or another – whether he had a chance or not – and every time I looked at him I was very happy.
“He came through to win the race at the last, then the other horse [Minella Study] kept going and I thought we were beat, but I loved the horse’s attitude. When he heard the Cheltenham roar, he put down his head and was very brave.”
The Grand National-winning rider, who has now joined Jamie Codd on a record 10 victories for an amateur rider at the Cheltenham Festival, added: “He was fantastic. He’s not very big, but he just caught my eye.
“ I don’t usually watch the juveniles at home, but he caught my eye and I got a dream run everywhere.
“I’m very proud of my father. I’ve never seen him doubt himself as much as he has this winter. You get a lot of advice from people about what you’re doing wrong, but he sticks to his guns and gets it right most of the time.”
Apolon De Charnie, who was making his third career start here after a second in France last November behind beaten 7/2 favourite here Proactif (seventh), was introduced at between 12/1 and 33/1 for next year’s Champion Hurdle.
Dan Skelton, trainer of Maestro Conti (second)
“He ran a very good race and I’m very proud of him. My instinct was if our horse had produced a big jump at the last maybe he would have won, but the way Patrick was going I’m not convinced that was the truth. I’d say he’ll make a fine horse going forward and I’ll probably run him at Aintree.”
Adam Nicol, trainer of Minella Study (third)
“Ryan [Mania] jumped off and the first thing he said was we’ve got a Grade 1 horse on our hands. He gave him a great ride. They are only juveniles, still babies and I love the fact I gave him that 90-day break as he’d been busy before that – we’ve looked after him. Touch wood he’s a relatively sound horse, so hopefully we’ll have a lot of good days to come out of him. Willie had nine in the race and he’s only put one in front of our horse - Willie has more runners today than I’ve got in my yard!”