Another red letter day for Walshes

Like so many times before, Ted Walsh colourfully summed it up best: "When your luck is in, your cow will calf - and have a bull as well!"

It's just as well he was there because Commanche Court's dramatic success in yesterday's Heineken Gold Cup had everyone else struggling for a suitable description.

Every sports scribbler in Christendom revelled in the majesty of Papillon's Aintree National victory. Then we reached into the reserves to cope with the unlikely Grand National double, completed by Commanche Court at Fairyhouse. But yesterday stretched incredulity to its maximum.

It had nothing to do with Commanche Court's talent or his worthiness to pick up the £72,000 first prize. It was just that everything seemed to conspire to allow the fairytale finish. Ted and Ruby Walsh had done it again.

In truth, Commanche Court looked as if Fairyhouse may have just knocked a slight edge off him but he has always been tough and adaptable, and adaptability was the prime requirement in a remarkable last half mile.

Micko's Dream was far from done with as he approached the third last fence, but it was the veteran Dorans Pride who looked the most likely winner as the pair stretched some lengths clear of a pack led by the English favourite, Stormyfairweather. Commanche Court had been scrubbed along by Walsh jnr from two fences earlier but events conspired to suit him.

Micko's Dream took a crashing fall and brought down Dorans Pride. Stormyfairweather swerved to the inside to avoid the melee but Commanche Court had no where to go and ended up jumping the prone Micko's Dream.

"Whatever chance I thought he had I figured had gone there," said Walsh snr afterwards but then Mick Fitzgerald on Stormyfairweather took centre stage.

Riding for all he was worth, Fitzgerald failed to notice a marker rail and had Addington Boy's rider Adrian Maguire screaming at him on his inner to take evasive action. Fitzgerald later admitted he was about to take the wrong course and got a two-day suspension for his trouble.

Somehow the field managed to navigate their way back to the track but as Ted Walsh said: "It was a farce of race then. The lads could have had a cup of tea, they were going so slow." They didn't finish slowly, though, and while Addington Boy looked an unlucky loser, it was Commanche Court who finished the best.

"It's sod's law," said Addington Boy's trainer Ferdy Murphy. "Mick is a top class jockey and doesn't make mistakes too often. The result isn't very good for me but great for racing.

Dorans Pride's trainer Michael Hourigan reported Dorans Pride to be fine and said: "He was running some race and was very unlucky. He'd have won, but we'll see him again in the autumn." But again it was Walsh who had the final word.

"With the Heineken in mind, you wouldn't work a horse over three and a half miles the previous Monday, but you have to be lucky in this game. The result tells me nothing about the horse but it doesn't matter in a Grade One, £120,000 race," he beamed.

Adrian Maguire was later stood down for the rest of the day when taking a fall from Grass Island in the Emo Handicap Chase, joining on the sidelines Conor O'Dwyer, who rode in the first and then stood himself down. O'Dwyer can't ride again until Monday.

The handicap chase did provide consolation for Hourigan, however, when Amberleigh House pounced late under a patient Philip Carberry ride to beat Monnaie Forte and Cockney Lad.

What's Up Boys took advantage of the absence of Youlneverwalkalone to add the Stanley Cooker Champion Hurdle to his Coral Cup success at Cheltenham and also repeat his course bumper win of December '98. The favourite, Sackville, could only manage fifth. "It's not bad considering he hasn't eaten since he got here on Monday," said trainer Philip Hobbs.

Kimberley just failed to land a gamble in the handicap hurdle when beaten a length by Ojay, but the winner's enclosure was full of happy connections when Liss A Paoraigh landed the Paddy Power champion bumper for John Kiely.

An estimated crowd of 26,000 bet £1,728,156 with the bookmakers while a total of £588,130 on the tote was a new track record.