Cheltenham Festival reports, replays and reaction: The Real Whacker edges Ballymore thriller

The Real Whacker edged out 5/4 favourite Gerri Colombe to win a thrilling Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.

Trained in Yorkshire by Patrick Neville, the 8/1 chance was freewheeling in front throughout the contest and jumping the last he had taken the measure of nearest pursuer Bronn.

However Jordan Gainford was conjuring a tremendous late rally from the eventual runner-up and he started to gain ground hand over fist.

Gerri Colombe would have been in front in another stride but the line came in time for the gallant winner who held on by a short-head under an elated Sam Twiston-Davies.

“It was a fantastic race, it’s always a privilege to be asked to ride in these races,” said the delighted winning rider. “I was lucky to ride him in the Dipper, let alone today as well. Paddy Neville, all the way through, has been a great supporter. He said he was in wicked good nick and fair play, he was absolutely spot on.

“He races in a great manner – although he’s in front and he’s doing a lot of the hard work you’re able to get the breathers in everywhere you want. With his jumping he’s always filling himself up, my God it feels like a long way up the run-in!”

Neville, who is based in Leyburn, said: “It was a long run to the line, but he toughed it out and he’s a lovely horse. The ground was a bit soft for him and we were dreading that, but he jumped well and it worked out “I was happy with the rhythm he was in and Sam kept him out for the better ground. We made that plan earlier on today and it worked.

“He’s won three times now here – I don’t think I’ll run him anywhere else! I trained in Ireland for 15 years and had a couple of good winners, but the last couple of years were tough as I just couldn’t get the owners. Hopefully it will work out better over here.”

Considering future plans, the trainer added: “If we can keep him one piece, we’ll come back here next year for the Gold Cup “I was toying with the Gold Cup this year, but we probably made the right decision for the horse because he’d only run six times before today. We’ll see how he comes out of this. We might put him away for the summer or we might go to Punchestown and we might go to Listowel in the autumn as it’s one of my favourite tracks.”

Gordon Elliott admitted his disappointment in defeat, but retains plenty of faith in the narrow runner-up.

He said: “We’re disappointed, you always want to win but you can’t take anything away from the winner, he jumped out and went along in front the whole way. They were probably playing cat and mouse and then looked up and the winner had gone but there’s no taking away from him, the best horse on the day won and there was no excuse. Jordan is a bit disappointed but he gave him a great ride. He’s only young and he’s going to have loads of days. We won’t lose faith in Gerri yet.

“He hit the second last on the first circuit and got a bit close to that but apart form that he wasn’t too bad. I’m disappointed but that’s the game we’re in. He’s been beaten a short head in a Grade One and a stride after the line he was up by a neck. I’d say it’s very difficult for the jockeys with the whip rules, it will be playing on their minds.”

Impaire Et Passe ran out a brilliant winner of the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, leading home a one-two-three for Willie Mullins in the process.

The choice of Paul Townend and sent off at 5/2, the five-year-old sauntered to the front turning for home and from there it was only a question of guess the winning distance.

The answer was nine lengths with Gaelic Warrior (9/2) passing Champ Kiely (13/2) to claim the forecast spot.

Hermes Allen was all-the-rage in the betting and sent off favourite but he was beaten two out and eventually finished fifth.

Impaire Et Passe runs in the ‘double green’ colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede – who were on the mark on day one with El Fabiolo in the Arkle.

Munir said: “He’s been working very, very well and he won his races in Ireland well but he was going up in distance and the ground was another question mark. To win by six and a half lengths on his fourth run is breathtaking. It’s very exciting. It was quite a deep race, Champ Kiely, Gaelic Warrior, Hermes Allen from England – all horses with good form lines. It was competitive, Willie was right to go for the Ballymore and not the Supreme.

“He’s really a blank canvas, that was the fourth run of his life, he’s won by six and a half lengths and came over the last in the lead. The sky’s the limit at the moment – the dream is very much alive.”

Mullins said: “That was good, I was very impressed. When he got through, the change of pace coming down the last – wow. I think that was just his fourth run of his life so there’s improvement there. I’m looking at him as a chaser, but you have to ask yourself would you stay hurdling? You have to look at Champion Hurdles and things.

“Yesterday I was telling Michael Buckley (owner of Constitution Hill) that we were going to have go off and shop again to buy one to beat him, but maybe we have one here. His jumping is great, so maybe we have one.”

He added: “Gaelic Warrior, we took out his ear plugs out on the way to the start and he didn’t settle as well as Patrick (Mullins) wanted him to. Patrick did say he could go up to three miles, so maybe he’s a chaser down the line.

“Champ Kiely surprised me by staying on so well. Danny (Mullins) said he hung terribly down the back, we’ll see if he had a problem, but he’s another who will make a nice chaser down the line.”

Elliott one-two as Delta delivers again

Delta Work defended his Glenfarclas Chase title as Gordon Elliott won the Cheltenham Festival cross-country feature for the fifth time in seven years. Last year Delta Work had to play the role of pantomime villain as he spoiled the retirement party of Tiger Roll by edging out the dual Grand National winner in a thriller.

But this time around he was the people’s favourite, with the 10-year-old was sent off the heavily-backed 11-10 market leader. Kept in the perfect place throughout by Keith Donoghue, he edged his way to the lead shortly after jumping the Aintree fence for the final time.

Delta Work was soon joined at the head of proceedings by stablemate and 11-4 second-favourite Galvin and it was soon obvious the classy Elliott duo were the only ones with a real chance of taking home the first prize.

Matching strides approaching the last, Donoghue always looked to be holding on to that little bit more than Davy Russell aboard Galvin and so it proved in the closing stages as Delta Work came home with a two-and-a-half-length advantage.

Donoghue was picking up his fourth victory in the race having steered Tiger Roll to success in 2018, 19 and 21, while both the winner and runner-up will now head to Aintree for the Randox Grand National.

Betfair make Delta Work 14/1 from 20/1, while Galvin is 16/1 from 25s for success in Liverpool on April 15.

Elliott said: “I love the cross-country race. It was great to have the one-two and see Galvin run a great race because he will come on for it. I’m pleased for Keith who is having his best ever season, but Jack (Kennedy, injured stable jockey) is a team player and he’s here lending his support. Jack will be back on these horses when he’s passed fit to return “Both horses will now go for the Grand National. I hoped it would be Delta’s day, to be honest, but really I don’t care what wins as I just love having winners.”

Langer Dan, second to Galopin Des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe, had his day in the Festival sun by landing the Coral Cup.

Sent off at 9/1 for the Skeltons, he was chasing the leader Camprond (20/1) going to the final flight along with eventual runner-up An Epic Song (16/1).

The trio then proceeded to fight out a thrilling finish up the punishing Cheltenham hill with the Langer Dan going on to score by a head with a neck back to Camprond in third.

Dan Skelton said: “He’s a great horse to train because he puts it all in when it matters. The best thing that happened is that they shut the door on him two out which meant battle was renewed, and he likes that because he had to get out of jail as if it was another race.

“What this horse has got is heart. He’s all heart and it’s part of him. He comes alive in the spring, but we’ve got more chances to come. Compared to Wille Mullins we’re in the foothills, but we strive to get better and our team is stacked with talent.”

There was a very special conclusion to day two of the Cheltenham Festival when 18-year-old John Gleeson steered John Kiely’s A Dream To Share to a thrilling Weatherbys Champion Bumper success.

The 85-year-old Kiely has won many big races throughout a long and distinguished career in the training ranks, but one notable omission was a victory at the Festival. He found the perfect ally to fill that void in the unbeaten five-year-old, who was bred and previously owned by ITV and RTE presenter Brian Gleeson and his wife Claire. He headed to Prestbury Park on the back of a win at the Dublin Racing Festival last month, and with new owners, having been snapped up to run in the colours of JP McManus.

But the 7/2 chance remained the mount of the younger Gleeson who produced a ride befitting a man with much more experience than his tender years and someone experiencing the white-hot atmosphere of the Festival for the first time.

Rounding the home bend, he had Patrick Mullins and the 16-5 favourite Fact To File in his sights and it was not long before he was asking his mount for an effort – quickening smartly in the rain-sodden ground to breeze past his old rival and confirm Leopardstown form in a win to remember.

Kiely said: “I was always happy with the horse all the way through, he’s been a nice horse since day one but I was concerned about the ground today to be honest. I knew the horse was tip-top but I was worried about the ground so I’m delighted with the way it worked out. Just with the ground I worried that he’d get there too soon, but the young man was fantastic. He’s been coming in every morning to ride him. He’ll muck out and he’ll do everything, I just hope he keeps his feet on the ground now.

“I’ve been coming here since 1976 and we had the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle in 1993 with Shuil Ar Aghaidh (trained by his brother, Paddy). I’m 86 in May, I gave up riding three years ago with Covid. I’ve spent my life in racing, you never think as a youngster you’d get to be in this hallowed spot. This horse is named well isn’t he, they named him on Christmas day as a family, A Dream To Share, it’s lovely.”

The winning rider said: “I can’t believe how smoothly it went, to be honest. Did that just happen? I can’t believe it. We kind of set out to keep it simple. The ground was a bit poached everywhere, but we thought on the outside it was a bit better. The ground is quite holding, so we decided to take our time and he did it so well. I followed Patrick and it worked out so perfectly.

“Just to be here at the Festival, it’s unreal. To have a winner for John Kiely at the Cheltenham Festival – that man is so good to me and I can’t thank him enough. To Mr McManus as well, for letting me keep the ride, I’m very grateful.

“It’s very special. We’re a small team at home, but we try our best to get to the big stage and to win is unbelievable. I’ve known John for as long as I can remember and I ride this horse every day before going into school. I’ve had to park the books for a week, but it was definitely worth it! My mum named the horse on Christmas Day a couple of years back and my dad gets a great kick out of it.”