| Course: CHELTENHAM | Race date:15/03/06 | Race time:3:15 | Runners:12 |
| Race distance:2m | Going:Good | Winners time:3m 51.50s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newmill | Andrew J McNamara | John Joseph Murphy | 11-10 | 8 | 172 | 0 | 16/1 | 36 | 21.73 | 5.24 | 1.01 | 1 | ||
| Fota Island | A P McCoy | M F Morris | 11-10 | 10 | 162 | 0 | 4/1 | 6.4 | 4.82 | 1.87 | 1.12 | 2 | 9 | |
| Mister McGoldrick | Dominic Elsworth | Mrs S J Smith | 11-10 | 9 | 162 | 160 | 50/1 | 170 | 67.81 | 9.66 | 1.22 | 3 | 1½ | |
| Central House | R Loughran | D T Hughes | 11-10 | 9 | 162 | 0 | 7/1 | 10.5 | 7.73 | 2.41 | 1.5 | 4 | ½ | |
| Moscow Flyer | B J Geraghty | Mrs John Harrington | 11-10 | 12 | 163 | 0 | 5/1 | 7.8 | 6.19 | 2.19 | 1.5 | 5 | ½ | |
| Watson Lake | P Carberry | Noel Meade | 11-10 | 8 | 145 | 0 | 18/1 | 36 | 20.67 | 4.37 | 2 | 6 | 18 | |
| River City | Tom Doyle | Noel T Chance | 11-10 | 9 | 0 | 147 | 33/1 | 200 | 43.21 | 7.55 | 5 | UR | ||
| Kario De Sormain | T Majorcryk | J-P Gallorini | 11-3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 20/1 | 46 | 23.65 | 4.85 | 40 | UR | ||
| Fundamentalist | Carl Llewellyn | N A Twiston-Davies | 11-10 | 8 | 153 | 154 | 16/1 | 48 | 19.97 | 3.89 | 3 | F | ||
| Kauto Star | R Walsh | P F Nicholls | 11-10 | 6 | 0 | 167 | 2/1F | 3.4 | 2.99 | 1.54 | 2.96 | F | ||
| Dempsey | Andrew Tinkler | M Pitman | 11-10 | 8 | 0 | 154 | 14/1 | 36 | 16.8 | 4 | 15 | BD | ||
| Oneway | G Lee | M G Rimell | 11-10 | 9 | 0 | 157 | 40/1 | 100 | 41.86 | 7.2 | 4.1 | UR |
The carnage through the race, including the early departure of favourite and Grade1 Tingle Creek winner Kauto Star, added to the diminuition of this Grade 1 event.
The weakening of the race in the run-up swayed connections of NEWMILL to go for this race, rather than have another crack at Brave Inca in the Champion, and were rewarded with his career best performance as he stormed up the hill to beat Fota Island and Mister McGoldrick.
The three horses in the frame give ratings of around 160 to their runs and as such Newmill could easily be credited with a rating approaching 170, which puts the performance into perspective, shy of being able to hail him a legendary champion despite the visual impression of his success.
He is certainly most versatile, having mixed it with the best over hurdles and the key to himlooks to be having a good break between his races. He has gone well fresh and here his most anxious moment was being impetuous into the first, which he winged to pass Fundamentalist and pull the rest of the field along at a fierce pace. He steadied into the uphill turn past the stand, but the pressure was cranked up again down the back straight and when he wheeled downhill travelling strongly, all bar Mister McGoldrick were badly outpaced.
Nothing could land a blow going to the last and he stormed up the hill for a performance that none of his previous attempts suggested as his consistent efforts over both hurdles and fences left him officially rated some 10lb behind the third and improving second.
He could head to Punchestown after another good break and if this was no fluke, he will take all the beating.
Fota Island just could not find the pace when needed running downhill and it was only from the last that he squeezed out second to confirm form with Central House. He may be ten, but is not an overraced one. Like the winner, he had decent hurdling form with the likes of Hardy Eustace and Foreman. His trainer felt the ground was not fast enough for him, but he still looks more likely to add Grade 1 placings rather than a big win.
Central House could have done without the ground drying out against him, but gamely rallied after being outpaced,to be staying on up the hill. He has probably not quite run up to his good recent efforts in Ireland because of the drying ground. When he gets a bit of cut again, he should win more Graded races, and deserves another crack at this Grade 1 level.
Moscow Flyer had to avoid the grounded Kauto Star at the third, which certainly did not help the cause, but the 12-year-old travelled well enough down the far side before having to be niggled along in the packing field at the end of the back straight. He got most outpaced of the four who fought out second and stayed on gamely up the hill to nearly earn a last visit to the winner's enclosure. His retirement was announced immediately and while he has gone out beaten, he showed a fading champion's guts to give his fans soemthing to remember him by.
Kario de Sormain got rid of his rider at the first and Dempsey was brought down by Kauto Star at the third, but last year's Arkle third, River City was still very much in the mix, travelling well enough in the pack when getting rid of his rider at the last in the back straight. There was still a long way to go, but he was running a strong race.
Oneway exited separately at that fence, but he had just been niggled along and was at the back of the pack, albeit not five lengths off the leader.
Fundamentalist had lost his prominent position and was under strong pressure and beaten in sixth when taking a heavy fall two out. He still has to recapture his brilliant form from before his injury.
To some extent Kauto Star can be forgiven his fall, as it looked as if he guessed at it, taking off too early at a fence he approached looking right into the sun.(BJ)
Racing results courtesy of racing post. Please note that ever effort is made to ensure results are correct but I accept no liability for mistakes. The data is provided as a free service.
Please visit my Blog or sign up to my racing forum for the latest news and views.