THERE is very little that Davy Russell does not know about Cheltenham. He rode his first Festival winner in 2008 and has scored every year since then, but victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase can be just as sweet.
Furthermore, success on Gordon Elliott’s 12/1 chance Bless The Wings yesterday showcased his sublime skill as a horseman on the opening day of Cheltenham’s two-day meeting.
Bless The Wings had failed to complete on both outings this season. However, he was second in the cross country at the Festival in March and was given a canny ride this time, keeping closer to the pace as Enda Bolger’s My Hometown cut out much of the running from Kingswell Theatre.
More Of That looked a light of other days when pulling up with a circuit to go. Seizing the initiative with only the final two hurdles to jump, Bless The Wings surged clear and was always holding last year’s winner Cantlow, with Josies Orders keeping on to complete a 1-2-3 for Ireland.
“I wanted to do something a bit different on him,” smiled the veteran jockey. “We kept him interested and Gordon has done a fine job. There is nothing like winning races here and I remember being brought over as an infant. It’s wonderful.”
FEATURE
The feature race of the December meeting was the Grade 3 Unicoin Group Handicap Chase over the full Gold Cup distance.
It went to Colin Tizzard’s Robinsfirth, who came with a perfectly-timed run under Robbie Power to account for Shanroe Santos.
A good second at Haydock last time, Robinsfirth was sent off at 7/4 and always looked to be travelling well as Harry Cobden asked Southfield Theatre to attack his fences up front.
The horse responded but had no answer when Power moved the winner alongside, quickly pulling two lengths clear as Shanroe Santos stayed on steadily in second. The big disappointment was Harry Fry’s 6/4 favourite Wotzizname, who was quite unable to join issue in the closing stages.
“He’s always been a promising horse and the key has been Colin’s patience with him,” Power remarked. “He did well at Haydock and got everything right today.”
TENNESSEE TIME
Tizzard’s Sizing Tennessee, in the familiar colours of the late Ann and Alan Potts, let himself down with a couple of spills of late but made no mistake in the four-runner Horse Comes First Novices’ Chase over the extended three miles and a furlong.
Apart from two minor errors he was always in control and allowed market rival Duel At Dawn to take it up after the 16th before cruising past under Bryan Cooper and beating him by six lengths; they were the only two to finish.
The fall and the ‘unseated’ had made punters nervous and Sizing Tennessee went off at 2/1 – not a bad price on his earlier form and this will have given him plenty of confidence. Bryan Cooper received a two-day for hitting the horse in the wrong place.
Noel Fehily has a good record for trainer Anthony Honeyball and improved it further when 9/2 joint-favourite Ms Parfois proved too good for Theatre Territory in the mares’ handicap chase sponsored by CF Roberts.
Tara Mac came to grief on the far side, bringing down Timeforwest and impeding Twenty Eight Guns, but all had plenty to do as Theatre Territory and Sam Waley- Cohen eased alongside Sparkling River. Fehily was making ground and took it up between the last two, Ms Parfois keeping on well to hold the rallying Theatre Territory with Song Saa a fairly distant third.
“She’s a young mare with a good attitude and stays very well. She can keep improving,” Fehily said of the winner.
The handicapper has had a tricky job with Robert Walford’s Smaoineamh Alainn, who ran only in bumpers - and without success - for her previous handler, but scored over hurdles for Walford last term and followed up on her reappearance at Wincanton.
She was rated 129 in her first handicap, the Catesby Handicap Hurdle, and made it look lenient by pulling nicely clear of the consistent Remiluc on the run-in with Champagne City third. Remiluc has form against the talented Old Guard and this looks a form-line to follow.
Enda Bolger’s My Hometown cut out much of the running from Kingswell Theatre.
The opening novices’ hurdle looked a well-contested affair and Dickie Johnson’s followers were happy enough as Warren Greatrex’s 5/2 chance Western Ryder obliged, holding 2/1 favourite Lalore by two lengths.
The closing three-mile handicap hurdle looked like going to gallant little Sykes until Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Arthur’s Gift, given a fine ride by young Tom Humphries, burst between horses to complete his hat-trick at 6/1.
Top notches another win
Credit is due to all concerned for moving the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase from Huntingdon (abandoned on Sunday) to Thursday’s Taunton card, though only four took part. Victory went to Nicky Henderson’s 4/9 favourite Top Notch, who had to be firmly pushed out to account for stable-companion Josses Hill.