West Cork jockey Gavin Sheehan delivers 16-1 success at Cheltenham on You Wear It Well
You Wear It Well and Gavin Sheehan win for trainer Jamie Snowden and owner Sir Chips Keswick.
DUNMANWAY'S Gavin Sheehan registered his third Cheltenham victory as You Wear It Well claimed the inaugural Jack De Bromhead Mares Novice Hurdle in fine style at 16-1.
On a frustrating day for punters there was plenty of shocks as Sire Du Berlais won the Stayers Hurdle at 33-1 while there were surprise defeats for warm favourites Mighty Potter and Shiskin earlier on the card. The challenging ground conditions ensured the bookmakers fought back with the festival concluding this afternoon with the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
It was certainly a frustrating day for Cork Jockeys as both Paul Townend and Davy Russell failed to find a winner despite plenty of good rides all afternoon. But a beaming Gavin Sheehan saved the day and his many legions of fans on Leeside could see he was travelling beautifully throughout the race.
Sheehan said: “She was brilliant, and it was massive for the team. Everyone at home are fantastic and she is a diamond.
"It’s tough to win here and it’s my third festival winner. The ground is soft, but she is very talented. The trainer is brilliant and there is a Grade 1 race over at Fairyhouse which might be a nice race to run in. The lads were discussing about what race to go for, but we went down this route which is fantastic. There were a few friends came over from Cork, so they are going home happy after that anyway."
Earlier, Sire Du Berlais ground down Dashel Drasher late on in the Stayers’ Hurdle as the big-race outsiders fought out a thrilling finish to the Cheltenham Festival’s Day three feature. At one stage it looked as if Flooring Porter was about to join the Festival immortals and secure his third straight victory in the race while the favourite Teahupoo and Davy Russell were promoted to second after a stewards' enquiry. It was a super result for Gordon Elliot who is enjoying a great festival.
Elliott said: "After a hurdle or two I knew he was in a good rhythm. Of course, it’s a surprise, but Sire Du Berlais can do that – he’s either first or last. He stayed on well up the hill in fairness to him and Mark (Walsh) gave him a brilliant ride. It’s great to win the race. We were beaten a short head in a Grade One yesterday (with Gerri Colombe), but it’s a great game and it’s great to be here.
"We couldn’t get him qualified for the Pertemps Final. It just didn’t work out for us with ground one day and he probably didn’t look that well handicapped. He doesn’t do anything too exciting as he minds himself, but that’s why he’s still going at his age. I thought Teahupoo would win. He travelled into it and ran well."
Envoi Allen bounced back to his very best to win his third race at the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive success in the Ryanair Chase. A winner of the Champion Bumper and Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the festival previously, the nine-year-old jumped with fluency throughout and galloped up the hill for a fine win, with the Joe Donnelly-owned Shishkin a fast finishing second. But this was another emotional victory for the De Bromhead team and a second for Blackmore, while it was the eighth Grade 1 success of Envoi Allen's dramatic career.
Blackmore said: “He's an incredible horse, he has a phenomenal engine. We were always hoping he'd do something like that and he was electric. He jumped really well today and was a much happier horse than the last day.
Finally, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the feature race on the final day with Galopin Des Champs and Paul Townend holding a massive chance of victory. This brilliant horse looked like being a runaway winner of the Turners Novice Chase at last years festival when disaster struck at the last fence.
However, he has looked imperious all season and enjoyed a brilliant victory in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. All the pressure is on Townend, but he has seen it all before and will be an extremely tough nut to crack. The opposition is led by the defending champion A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore who has been very popular with punters. But a clear round of jumping for Townend can deliver a famous Gold Cup victory for Galopin Des Champs.
