Roche reluctant to champion

Martinstown Interview Christy Roche: Those of you holding ante-post vouchers on Martinstown, the long-time ante-post favourite for the Wetherbys Champion Bumper, should probably look away now. The horse's trainer is not exactly going to fill you with confidence.

It's not that Christy Roche doesn't think Martinstown is good. It's just that he doesn't know how good, and Cheltenham isn't normally the kind of place that rewards the unproven.

"From the first day he won he has been hyped by the press as a Cheltenham horse. I've never got that carried away," says the Curragh trainer. "He won his two races and won them well but we have yet to find out if he is the real business and we won't find out until Wednesday."

In fairness to the hack pack, it wasn't difficult to start enthusing about the little chestnut with the spectacular cruising speed when he won at Naas in October and Fairyhouse a month later.

Even four months in advance, Martinstown screamed potential Cheltenham winner and in the race the Irish consider to be to our own festival benefit. And then there was the name, too. JP McManus wouldn't name a horse after his Kilmallock home unless it was exceptional, right?

"The name isn't significant. He was named very early in life," Roche explains. "He came to me at two, one of some stores JP bought, and I broke him in. Then he went to Enda Bolger who schooled him for point-to-points even though he never ran. Then he came back to me."

Roche's matter-of-fact attitude still hasn't threatened Martinstown's position in the ante-post market despite a long absence from the track, the emergence of the awesome Willie Mullins squad for the race and the suspicion Jonjo O'Neill could present a real threat to Irish domination of the middle-day finale.

"Refinement, I'm told, is a very good horse," says Roche who doesn't appear overly threatened by the strength in depth of the Mullins team.

"When I was riding I used to hate it when Aidan (O'Brien) had four or five runners in a race. To me, it meant he wasn't sure. But when he ran one, he knew what he had," he grins.

In fact the longer one talks to Roche the more some confidence in Martinstown's chance starts to seep back in. One negative Roche won't entertain is the diminutive five-year-old is some precocious one-trick pony with little future beyond today.

"I ran Joe Mac to be second in the race and he only barely got two miles in bumpers. But this horse is a different type. He is more in the Youlneverwalkalone mode and there is no problem with stamina. He is from the same family and they all seem to mature late, usually from five to six rather than four to five," he says.

Roche's teenage son Padraic rode Martinstown in his two races to date but not surprisingly it is the leading flat professional Fran Berry who takes over now. Roche snr doesn't underestimate the value of jockeyship in this race.

"It's a huge advantage to have a pro, especially one who has been riding through the winter as Fran has been doing. He is sharp, rides well from the rear and nothing fazes him on the big day. He proved that when he rode my first Cheltenham winner (Khayrawani in the 1999 Coral Cup)," he declares.

Significantly, it was a couple of months ago when Berry was first provisionally booked for the Martinstown ride, a sign perhaps Roche's desire to play things down now is a sign of nervous anticipation as the big event comes closer.

Of all the races at the festival this is one that usually presents the Irish with a winning opportunity. It may have been a while since you've seen Martinstown but don't be surprised if you like what you see now.