McCoy finds winning way at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Festival: Noble Prince gave Tony McCoy his first winner at this year’s Cheltenham Festival and little over an hour…

Cheltenham Festival:Noble Prince gave Tony McCoy his first winner at this year's Cheltenham Festival and little over an hour later the champion jockey was back in the winner's circle with Albertas Run.

Albertas Run, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, won the Ryanair Chaseto mark his 201st win of the season. It was back-to-back success in the race for Albertas Run and a great performance of stamina by horse and jockey.

O’Neill’s charge, a 6-1 chance, bounded up the hill to hold Kalahari King (7-1), with Rubi Light (16-1) third.

A racegoer somehow managed to get on the track but thankfully no horses or jockeys were hurt.

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Poquelin, sent off the 2-1 favourite, was surprisingly one of the first beaten, while Kalahari King came from the rear of the field to make his bid.

McCoy had the race in control and took the last with a handy lead and kept on to score by a length to complete a double on the day.

Big Buck'screated history by winning his third consecutive Ladbrokes World Hurdleunder Ruby Walsh in the big race of the day.

In what was by far the biggest battle he has faced, Walsh decided to keep his mount close to the pace in a change in tactics to previous years.

Tom Scudamore played the waiting game on his big market rival Grands Crus and Big Buck’s (10-11 favourite) jumped the last with a one-length advantage.

The gap narrowed halfway up the running, but Grands Crus began to flatten out inside the final 100 yards as the Paul Nicholls-trained stayer retained his crown by a length and three-quarters.

Big Buck’s becomes the first horse ever to win the race for a third consecutive year.

In the opening race of day three Noble Princegave McCoy his first winner of the festival by taking the J ewson Novices' Chase.

Wishfull Thinking (7/2 favourite) made a bold bid to make all of the running for the in-form Philip Hobbs team, but McCoy never had him too far off his radar.

Noble Prince, trained by Paul Nolan, jumped the last better than his main rival and the 4-1 shot pulled away on the run-in to score by four lengths, with Loosen My Load (11/2) another five lengths away in third, to give Ireland's 10th winner of the meeting.

McCoy said: "It's much easier riding horses that are going well than those that are not. I haven't ridden many horses for the Nolans, but Dave Roberts (agent) got me this. His form was pretty good behind Realt Dubh in the (Irish) Arkle and the better ground helped him today, being by Montjeu.

"I'd forgotten I only needed one more for my 200th winner of the season."

Nolan added: "This is one of the best days of my life. I'm delighted for the owner and I'm grateful he brought the horse to me. AP (McCoy) was great on him - he crept round and when we wanted a big jump at the last we got one.

"McCoy had to keep squeezing him but he just kept finding. He was foot-perfect and although he got shuffled back a bit he finished well up the hill.

"You don't wish horses to make mistakes, but when they are upsides like that at the last I was quite pleased when the other horse (Wishfull Thinking) didn't jump it cleanly.

"There was no way we were ever going to go for Arkle or the RSA, this was his race. He is just a pure galloper. Hopefully we will have a few more of these days."

Cheltenham Festival regular Buena Vista(20-1) recorded an impressive repeat win in the Pertemps Finalwhen leading from pillar to post.

Competing at his seventh successive Festival, David Pipe’s 10-year-old led his rivals a merry dance. Given a brilliant ride by young Conor O’Farrell, he defied a 5lb higher mark than 12 months ago.

Paul Carberry made stealthy headway on Son Amix but he could get no closer after the last, eventually going down by four lengths. Sivota closed late to finish third, another head away, while top weight Knockara Beau was fourth.

O’Farrell said: “I’m speechless. I just can’t thank Mr Pipe and the owners enough to give me the chance. I was just a passenger on him. He knows his way round here better than anyone.”

Holmwood Legendsprang a 25-1 surprise to lift the Byrne Group Plateat Cheltenham for trainer Pat Rodford and 3lb claimer Keiran Burke.

The winning combination had finished second with Sparky May on Tuesday and went one better with the 10-year-old, who had too much fire-power the opposition.

Carrying a 5lb penalty for a success at Sandown on Saturday, Holmwood Legend came through to lead two out and go on to beat the pacesetting Aimigayle (25-1) by three and a half lengths.

The gambled-on 9-2 favourite Beautiful Sound stayed on well for third, a further length and three-quarters away third, with Consigliere (20-1) fourth.

Juniorran out a wide-margin winner of the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cupto give David Pipe a second winner of the day.

Pipe stated in the lead-up to the meeting that he thought the Royal Ascot winner was his best chance of the meeting, and so it proved.

Deal Done was a long way clear with half a mile to run under Robbie McNamara but a mistake at the third-last seemed to knock the stuffing out of him.

Jamie Codd, who won the race two years ago on Character Building, refused to panic and joined the leader turning into the straight before powering clear to

score by 24 lengths as a well-backed 100-30 favourite.

Faasel, a stablemate of the winner, ran on to be second to fill the same spot as he did 12 months ago, while Deal Done hung on for third from Galaxy Rock.

Pipe said: “He’s won at Royal Ascot, the Cheltenham Festival and it’s the National next. He’s got the right attitude and he stays forever.

“Jamie has given him a fantastic ride. The one going off in front (Deal Done) probably helped us, and Faasel has run a cracker. It’s great when a plan comes off.”

Henry Cecil was the toast of departing punters at Cheltenham as the Flat maestro saddled the Lorna Fowler-ridden Platoto land the St Patrick's Day Derby.

The multiple Classic-winning trainer was making his first ever visit to Prestbury Park, having been invited as guest of honour, and was keen to support this charity contest run in aid of Cancer Research.

Plato, a winner at Newmarket last summer, was sent off the well supported 6-4 favourite for the one-mile-five-furlong heat, but appeared to have his work cut out as Fool’s Wildcat held a big lead turning in.

But broadcaster Fowler did not panic and her mount picked up well once meeting the rising ground to beat Nemo Spirit by a length and a quarter.

Cecil, who has battled cancer himself, was immediately congratulated by jumps legend Martin Pipe, and said: “I’m not exactly a National Hunt trainer yet, but that was great fun and it’s for a very good cause.

“I think they have raised over £150,000 and it gives everyone hope who is affected by this terrible disease. If you have hope and you feel positive, it makes the body feel better.

“I didn’t really expect him to win, Lorna gave him a terrific ride.”

1.30 Jewson Novices' Chase
1 Noble Prince (A P McCoy) 4-1
2 Wishfull Thinking (R Johnson) 7-2 Fav
3 Loosen My Load (A E Lynch) 11-2
11 ran
Also: 33-1 Radium 4th

2.05 Pertemps Final
1 Buena Vista (Conor O'Farrell) 20-1
2 Son Amix (P Carberry) 16-1
3 Sivota (R Walsh) 9-1
4 Knockara Beau (Jan Faltejsek) 33-1
23 ran
Also: 6-1 Fav Chartreux

2.40 Ryanair Chase
1 Albertas Run (A P McCoy) 6-1
2 Kalahari King (G Lee) 7-1
3 Rubi Light (A E Lynch) 16-1
11 ran
Also: 2-1 Fav Poquelin 4th

3.20 World Hurdle
1 Big Buck's (R Walsh) 10-11 Fav
2 Grands Crus (T Scudamore) 7-2
3 Mourad (P Townend) 8-1
13 ran
Also: 50-1 Cross Kennon 4th
Non Runner: 5

4.00 Byrne Group Plate
1 Holmwood Legend (K Burke) 25-1
2 Aimigayle (C Bolger) 25-1
3 Beautiful Sound (J M Maguire) 9-2 Fav
4 Consigliere (T Scudamore) 20-1
20 ran
Non Runner: 3

4.40 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase
1 Junior (Mr J J Codd) 10-3 Fav
2 Faasel (Mr R Mahon) 20-1
3 Deal Done (Mr R P McNamara) 20-1
4 Galaxy Rock (Mr J T McNamara) 18-1
24 ran

5.15 St Patrick's Day Derby
1 Plato (Lorna Fowler) 6-4 Fav
2 Nemo Spirit (Rodger Sargent) 14-1
3 Super Collider (Frostie Kelly) 6-1
12 ran
Also: 4-1 Devil To Pay 4th