Elliott and Cromwell off the mark at Cheltenham
It took three days and 17 races but there was finally a Meath winner at this year's Cheltenham Festival as Longwood-based trainer Gordon Elliott saddled the hotly fancied Teahupoo to victory in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle today.
Then after waiting so long for one, a second winner came along in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir as Gavin Cromwell's well-fancied Inothewayurthinkin stormed to an eight length victory.
In the Stayers Gavin Cromwell's remarkable servant Flooring Porter produced another stunning Festival run to claim second place behind Teahupoo to make it a 1-2 for Meath.
Seven-year-old Teahupoo could only finish third behind veteran stablemate Sire Du Berlais when sent off the 9-4 favourite 12 months ago, but made no mistake today in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Sent off the well-backed 5-4 favourite having not been seen since claiming a second Hatton’s Grace in December, he was ridden with plenty of confidence and also plenty of daylight as he charted a wide path on his latest trip to the Cotswolds.
Kennedy inched his mount into contention two out and although not fluent at the penultimate flight, he was hot on the tail of Flooring Porter as the business end approached.
Fellow Irish raiders Home By The Lee and Buddy One were also in the mix on the long run to the last but Teahupoo soon cemented his dominance and having jumped the final flight with a narrow advantage, he was not for catching in the closing stages as he sprinted clear of the gallant Flooring Porter.
After saddling 23 runners and having to settle for eight placed horses, Summerhill man Elliott was clearly delighted to get into the winner's enclosure.
“He’s best fresh so we said we’d come straight here. It’s great to get a winner. They’ve been running well, just hitting the crossbar, they’ve had no excuses but to win the Stayers’ Hurdle is unbelievable and I’m delighted for the whole team," he told ITV Racing.
“It’s difficult to tell myself to stay patient when you don’t have a winner, it’s been a long couple of days but they’ve been running well. We’ve got one now. This was always going to be our best day, this was one of our biggest guns.
“I was a little anxious when he missed the second-last and then he probably got there too soon because he had to give him a squeeze.
“I think he’s a stronger horse this year and saddling him I thought he’d grown.
“He’ll stay hurdling, we’ll never say never but at the moment he’ll stay hurdling. There are some nice races at Aintree and Punchestown for him so we’ll have a look at those.”
Cromwell was equally pleased with the performance of his stable star.
"I’m delighted with the run, obviously you hate standing in the second place but that’s just the nature of the beast and I don’t think we could have done anything any differently.
“It was a very game performance, he was headed and tried all the way to the line. He was a good second and the winner is a worthy winner.
“We’ll have to consider going to Aintree, we’ll digest this first and we’ll see.
“He’s been a warrior and please God he’s not finished just yet.”
Cromwell's Inothewayurthinkin carried top weight in the Kim Muir, but made very light work of the handicap to claim an easy and impressive win.
Jockey Derek O’Connor kept his mount hidden in rear for the first three-quarters of the contest before coasting his way to the front and ease on for victory in facile style.
“I thought going past here [mid-race] that it was going to take an awful lot of luck," said Cromwell
"He was so far back. He was jumping very big and slow and wasn’t helping Derek. But he is a cool customer, Derek. I don’t think it was too hard to take him back, to be fair - he’s a lazy enough type of horse, he got shuffled back very quick, but Derek didn’t panic.
“[His jumping was] big and slow, he wasn’t very economical. He has quality and scope, but I would just like to see him jump a little bit slicker.”
Cfromwell said he was “pretty” confident about the distance on this ground, adding: “I know we’ve never gone this far, but he’s always shown signs that he’s capable.
“He is [a very laid-back horse at home], that’s a positive for him going forward.”
On how his horses have been going this week, Cromwell said: “Good, Flooring Porter ran a cracker. [The ground] has suited some and didn’t others. On the whole a good day; every day with a winner is a good day.
“This is a special place and it’s nice to win here any time of the year. This season we've tried to target some of the bigger pots over here and it’s worked with some horses.
It’s so important to get a winner here.”
Elliott's 8/1 shot Where It All Began was fourth with Cool Survivor 13th and last as Fakir D'Alene pull up.
There was disappointment for Elliott in the Mares Novice as fancied 5/6 favourite Brighterdaysahead had to settle for second behind Golden Ace.
On a day dominated by British trainers Bective Stud's wait for a first winner goes on as 17/2 shot Zanahiyr was 12 and a half lengths back in fourth behindGrey Dawning in the opening Turners Novice Chase.
Cromwell's 12/1 shot Letsbeclearaboutit was eighth under Dunshaughlin jockey Keith Donoghue.
In the Pertemps John McConnell's Anna Bunina was about 10 lengths back in seventh behind winner the Alex Ferguson part-owned Monmiral.
Elliott's 15/2 shot Cleatus Poolaw disappointed in ninth while his other charge Farouk D'alene pulled up before the last.
Alex Ferguson was back in the winner's enclosure in the next race the Ryanair Chase when Protektorat held off favourite Envoi Allen to win. Elliott's Conflated ran a decent race to take third almost seven lengths behind the winner. Fil Dor under Donoghue was seventh for Elliott.
Outside of Elliott's 13/2 shot Saint Felicien which was brought down when in touch four out, Meath horses weren't given much of a chance in the Plate Handicap.
That's how it transpired with Elliott's Embittered and Mars Harper, both 80/1, finished 11th and 13th respectively, while McConnell's Hereditary Rule (125/1) was 17th. Elliott's Riaan was pulled up two out at odds of 20/1.