NINA Carberry rides any course well but she is particularly impressive at Cheltenham, where Josies Orders won his second cross-country in quick succession yesterday.
Starting at a well-backed 11/4 and sporting the colours of J.P. McManus, Enda Bolger’s seven-year-old clearly loves the near four miles of the Glenfarclas-sponsored event and came with a perfectly-timed run to challenge and pull away from the gallant Sire Collonges with Peter Maher’s Ballybroker Bridge a very good third.
One or two old faithfuls, favourite Any Currency and Uncle Junior among them, failed to give their running this time but Valadom was bounding along happily in the lead until Sire Collonges finally took his measure.
He looked the winner but Josies Orders, even under the altered terms, loomed alongside and settled a short, sharp argument. “I just let him do his own thing but the sun is a problem and both horses were brave to jump the last,” Carberry said. “Enda’s done a great job with this horse and we’ll be back at the Festival if we can only keep him sound.”
Venetia Willams is no stranger to long-priced winners and 11-year-old Aachen scored at 12/1 in the valuable Grade 3 Handicap Chase.
SUPERB RIDE
Given a superb ride by young 5lb claimer Charlie Deutsch, Aachen jumped magnificently in the lead and went well clear again after a breather with a circuit to go. He was following up a victory at Wincanton but still had only 9st 9lb. Wonderful Charm kept on for second but was beaten 17 lengths trying to concede 31lb, with Mon Parrain a fair third. It will be interesting to see where Aachen goes but he will surely be raised the better part of a stone.
Blaklion, still challenging when coming down three out at the Paddy Power meeting, made handsome amends in the opening Harrison James And Hardie Novices’ Chase.
Always nicely placed, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ 3/1 chance took over from Fletchers Flyer approaching two out and kept on well for Ryan Hatch to beat Onenightinvienna by two and a half lengths.
The 5/2 favourite Minella Rocco blundered so badly early on that Barry Geraghty pulled him up after the sixth, while Paul Nicholls’ Vicente, successful when Blaklion came down, was only fourth of the remaining five. Paddy Power made Blaklion a 16/1 chance for the RSA Chase at the Festival.
There was great sadness in the Martin Keighley camp when Hayjack broke a leg in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle won by Fergal O’Brien’s 16/1 chance Lord Landen. However, everyone was happier just over half an hour later as the in-form Solstice Star, 8/1, also ridden by Killian Moore, made it four off the reel in the CF Roberts Electrical Services Handicap Hurdle.
FALSE START
There was a false start here as the tape failed to rise and the jockeys had to duck under it. There was also quite a delay before the starter indicated a false start to the flagman, with Solstice Star one of those to jump the first flight.
However, all was well and in the race itself he led or disputed before keeping on too strongly for Mad Jack Mytton and Kayf Blanco, giving Moore his first Cheltenham success. Ben Pauling’s A Hare Breath, very short at 11/8 after a facile win here last time, did not jump well and could manage only fourth.
Philip Hobbs has shown patience with long-distance hurdler So Fine, who was absent for some 18 months before returning to finish tailed off at the Paddy Power meeting last month. All of the old ability came flooding back as the 33/1 shot, twice short of room, burst through to take the handicap hurdle in the hands of young James Best. In a complete skinner for the books, he was followed home by According To Trev at 66/1 and Billy Dutton at 16/1.
There was drama in the closing stages of the concluding novices’ hurdle when the Paul Nicholls-trained Politologue jinked on the run to the last and unseated Sam Twiston-Davies when still in the front line.
Dan Skelton’s British point-to-point winner North Hill Harvey (4/1) stayed on well under a patient Harry Skelton ride to beat Baden and the favourite Drumlee Sunset (5/4) who had gone for home two out.