RACING/Cheltenham Gold Cup: Life may begin at 40 but it can surely not get any better for Conor O'Dwyer after the veteran jockey and his mount War Of Attrition led home a famous Irish St Patrick's Day clean sweep in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
On a day that confirmed this festival as the most successful ever for Irish-trained horses, who eventually scooped a record haul of 10 winners over the week, steeplechasing's greatest prize of all still managed to provoke widespread incredulity.
Never before have Irish horses filled the first three Gold Cup places, and as the Grand National hero Hedgehunter harried War Of Attrition all the way to the line, with Forget The Past in third, it was hard to credit the heavily-backed Irish favourite, Beef Or Salmon, was actually all the way back in 11th.
"Mighty!" was the eventual reaction of War Of Attrition's dumbstruck trainer, "Mouse" Morris, while owner Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair joked: "Mouse isn't a very good trainer but he hasn't done too badly today."
However, in the midst of the statistical frenzy and the wild celebrations of a 15 to 2 winner, the calmest person of all appeared to be O'Dwyer. Since the jockey will reach the age of 40 in just three weeks' time, a prehistoric vintage in jump-jockey terms, maybe he was entitled to a certain wise calm, but age alone didn't seem to have bestowed any zen-like maturity on many of those around him.
A more likely explanation however is O'Dwyer's precious habit of only hitting the number one spot at Cheltenham when it really counts. Ten years ago he broke his festival duck in style with Imperial Call in another dramatic Gold Cup. Then came a pair of Champion Hurdles on Hardy Eustace. Compared to the likes of Tony McCoy, his career total of four victories at the festival is not huge, but what wouldn't McCoy give for the quality.
"I've got two of each now and I hope to come back next year for a third," grinned the hugely popular O'Dwyer, who unearthed two massive leaps from War Of Attrition in the straight to hold off the gallant runner-up by two and a half lengths.
Forget The Past was another seven lengths behind in third.
"This is even better than the first one," he added. "He did everything I wanted. I haven't thought of retirement. I would hate to be sitting at home watching someone else ride this horse."
Sure enough, bookmakers immediately installed War Of Attrition as a 5 to 1 favourite for next year's Gold Cup, but the presence of the absent 2005 champion, Kicking King, at 6 to 1 backed up Morris's desire to celebrate the moment and worry about the future some other time.
"This game can tame lions, never mind mice," declared the 54-year-old, who was winning his sixth festival race as a trainer to add to a pair of Champion Chase victories as a jockey in the 1970s.
"Let's enjoy the day and think about plans tomorrow."
The plan to actually run War Of Attrition in the Gold Cup had only been firmed up last week. With his owner sponsoring the Ryanair Chase on Thursday, the sort of tricky negotiation Morris's father, the former International Olympic Committee chairman Lord Killanin, might have understood had to be got out of the way.
"I was always going for gold," grinned Morris whose confidence in Ireland's newest chasing superstar was justified in style.
"He just oozes class and if he stayed I knew he would have some boot. He was only beaten a short head by Brave Inca in the Supreme two years ago and he was just inexperienced when he ran in the Arkle last year," he added.
After a disappointing festival in general, Willie Mullins was thrilled with Hedgehunter, who will now try to win the Aintree National again.
"I came close to taking him out but I couldn't find a reason not to run. I've never been so delighted to finish second. He's run a great race and Ruby (Walsh) has given him a brilliant ride," Mullins said.
"But that's a wonderful winner. I saw him win in November and I thought then he was a Gold Cup winner."
Sadly, after four attempts, Beef Or Salmon's chances of landing a Gold Cup look to have disappeared and his trainer Michael Hourigan acknowledged he may not run at Cheltenham again.
"I have to believe people now that he doesn't like it here. There are no excuses. He was off the bridle too early," he said.
With luck, War Of Attrition's best days may still be ahead of him, and the old jockey is determined to keep on the young champion for as long as he can. Certainly no one is going to be flashing bus passes at him just yet.
"I thought Conor gave him a peach of a ride - even if he is an old fella," cracked Morris.
Gold Cup Placings
1. War Of Attrition15/2
2. Hedgehunter16/1
3. Forget The Past9/1
4. L'Ami10/1
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