From exiled trainer Jonjo O'Neill to Ruby Walsh, English winners had a touch of Irish, writes FRANK McNALLYat Cheltenham
AMONG THE more notable non-runners at this year’s festival is the new Minister for Sport, or anybody else representing the Government. Leo Varadkar does have a good excuse, being in India. But the absence of any other notables from Fine Gael or Labour is in sharp contrast with life under the ancien regime, whose leaders used to be all over Cheltenham like a rash.
A few of the diehards are still here. Former agriculture minister Joe Walsh was among the first to congratulate Michael O’Leary on his Wednesday victories. Charlie McCreevy was in the parade ring too. Jim McDaid has also been spotted and so has Albert Reynolds. But they all look a bit like spectres at the feast at this particular Cheltenham, which is on the brink of being Ireland’s most successful ever.
The new Coalition partners were never quite such enthusiastic racing fans as Fianna Fáil anyway. And it appears as though even the attractions of being in proximity to a good news story cannot now tempt them. No matter that Ireland’s breeders, trainers, and jockeys are shining a light for a depressed economy. The sport’s taint of association with past excesses may be too much for the new Government to bask in the glow.
It was still a strong glow yesterday, even though, after the thrills of Wednesday, day three of the festival proved a slightly more subdued affair. Noble Prince, trained by Wexford man Paul Nolan, brought the number of Irish victories for the week to 10: equalling the record of 2006. Thereafter the travelling challenge wilted a bit, as it traditionally does on Cheltenham Thursday, although there are seven more races today to rewrite history.
The colourful Nolan described his relief at belatedly joining the party. “It’s great to see lads you know doing well,” he said, “but it’s great to be among them too.” Then, with a flourish, he added: “It’s better than heading to jail, as I call it, with the long-face brigade.” “Jail” is his expression for the stables of the losing horses and their connections. And his explanation to British journalists about what this week’s successes mean to Ireland might have needed translation too. “We want it,” he said with a feeling, using the verb in the sense that a farmer praying for rain would. “Need” is the nearest English equivalent.
Noble Prince also marked a belated first success this week for one half of the four most feared initials in racing, AP JP. They usually come together, since AP (McCoy) is retained to ride the many horses owned by JP (McManus). But in this case, he was at a rare loose end and it was Derry-born but Dublin-resident owner Des Sharkey who benefited, cheered by a large extended family.
McCoy later added a second win, on Albertas Run, when among the obstacles he had to negotiate was a protester who ran on to the course with a banner protesting against race sponsors Ryanair.
In fact, horse and jockey had passed the man – at about 30 miles an hour – before they noticed the potential Emily Davison, who had kept a (just about) safe distance from the galloping hooves. But dismissing the protester, Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary said: “He has to be a bit of an idiot to run out in front of AP on Albertas Run.” The man was later arrested by police.
Albertas Run, incidentally, goes down in the record books as an English win, coming from a stable near Cheltenham. The fact that his trainer is one of the most famous Irish racing personalities of all time – the exiled Jonjo O’Neill – is neither here nor there. Like Eoin Morgan in cricket, Jonjo is helping to keep the old enemy viable. And based on this week’s evidence, it needs all the help it can get.
Indeed, as he nervously awaited the start of yesterday’s big race, the English owner of hot favourite Big Buck’s, Andy Stewart, suggested as much. “If Ireland played us at bingo at the moment, they’d win,” he said, fretting about the challenge from across the sea.
In the event, Big Buck’s, in the safe hands of Ruby Walsh, held off all rivals to win the World Hurdle for the third time, cheered on by Irish and British punters alike, who had backed him to very short odds. It was one of several bad results for the bookies, as the pendulum swung back to the punters, at least until today.
St Patrick’s Day encouraged the usual outbreak of crimes against fashion, especially among the English, who seem to take the event to their hearts. But Rose-Anne Galligan from Kildare stole much of the attention with an almost-tasteful outfit incorporating floppy top hat, bodice, short skirt, and knee-high dancing socks.
She blamed some friends for putting her up to it. After which dare, she had logged on to Amazon, typed in “Irish leprechaun outfits (female)” and paid £20 for the ensemble. And amid strong competition, it certainly caught the eye.
Rose-Anne made up for some of the aforementioned non-runners by being a runner in more ways than one. It emerged under questioning that she is the current Irish 800m champion. As which, she competed in the Europeans last year, running a personal best of 2.01.76. She now hopes to beat Sonia O’Sullivan’s national record of 2.00.68, perhaps at the World Championships in Korea later this year. Her outfit was a day too late for the best-dressed lady competition. But if Cheltenham had a combined best-dressed- lady-over-five-furlongs event, Ireland might have had yet another shoo-in this week.