On a day when Irish-trained horses won five of the seven races on the Cheltenham card, the star performance came from Pied Piper, who gained revenge on old rival Knight Salute in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle on Saturday.
All to play for heading to the last in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle but it is Pied Piper who draws clear in great style, with the four-year-old justifying odds-on favouritism for the @jackkennedy15 and @gelliott_racing partnership ?? pic.twitter.com/94sh6ikgmr
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) October 22, 2022
The two horses met in the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in April and could not be separated as the race was declared a dead heat.
However, Knight Salute, trained by Milton Harris, was subsequently awarded the race in the stewards’ room as his opponent was deemed to have caused interference on the run to the line.
On this occasion there were no such fine margins as the Gordon Elliott-trained Pied Piper strode to a two-and-three-quarter-length triumph under Jack Kennedy as the 5/6 favourite.
Knight Salute was the runner-up at 9/2, just outperforming Joseph O’Brien’s Bella Scintilla by a head.
Elliott said: “We were looking forward to a bit of improvement coming over here and we thought it was a nice race to start him off in. Jack gave him a lovely ride and it worked out well.
“He won well and has got a lot stronger since last year. I loved the way he put his head down and galloped to the line. I’m very happy.
“He is a nice horse. We are going to dream for a while (of the Champion Hurdle), but it is a hot division and he is going to have to keep improving.
“We will go to Down Royal for the WKD in two weeks and on to Christmas, all being well, from there.
“He’ll be trained like a Champion Hurdle horse, but it is a very, very hot division and he’s going to have to improve, but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Elliott continued: “If you look at the way he jumps his hurdles, he is going to be a chaser down the road – he’s one to look forward to.
“We bought him at the Horses In Training Sale last year and he’s getting stronger every day. There’s a big Flat handicap in him as well, you know?
“I would imagine we will keep him over timber this season.
“He is way stronger than he was last season. With those juveniles, that is what you want – a bit of scope. If he keeps going the way he is going, we’ll be happy.”
Harris offered no excuses in defeat for Knight Salute.
He said: “Nature of the beast, isn’t it?
“It is sport. There’ll be another day. I wouldn’t shy away from him again. He ran a good race. I’d love to offer an excuse, but I don’t have one. He hasn’t let us down.”
Elliott again
Later in the day the same Caldwell Construction colours were carried to success by the Elliott-trained Chemical Energy in the three-mile novice chase. All three runners were Irish-trained and the 4/1 winner was the outsider of the field.
It's rare to see a Willie Mullins-trained runner at this meeting and those who took the tip were rewarded when the champion trainer's sole representative Dads Lad (7/2) won a two-mile handicap chase under Brian Hayes. Runner-up Effernock Fizz ran another cracker for handler Cian Collins.
Dads Lad is too strong for Effernock Fizz in the @888sport Handicap Chase, asserting after the final fence in the hands of @BrianHayesb to score for trainer @WillieMullinsNH ?? pic.twitter.com/VaQzawbrMH
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) October 22, 2022
Following his double here on Friday, Co Meath trainer John McConnell kept up the momentum by taking the bumper with impressive scorer Encanto Bruno (2/1).
Bruno lands a knockout blow!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 22, 2022
Encanto Bruno dishes out a thrashing in a competitive-looking Spirax-Sarco Engineering Sustainability Open National Hunt Flat Race @CheltenhamRaces #TheShowcase
That's five Irish-trained winners on the day! ?? pic.twitter.com/MgFUeADxo6
Also on the mark was Co Limerick father-son combination Charles and Philip Byrnes with Shoot First (9/4 fav) in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle qualifier.
??Gamble landed!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 22, 2022
Shoot First justifies strong market support to win the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle @CheltenhamRaces for Charles Byrnes and Philip Byrnes #TheShowcase pic.twitter.com/ZbEbc32s9X
??? "I'm absolutely delighted for Philip - it's his first time riding here so it's a great feeling."
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 22, 2022
Charles Byrnes confirms that Shoot First is on track for the Pertemps Final back @CheltenhamRaces in March. pic.twitter.com/fal5Vks90C
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