Sport

Sheltering books his place

RACING/PUNCHESTOWN REPORT: Sheltering and Heezapistol booked their passages to the Cheltenham Festival when winning at Punchestown…

Mon Jan 21 2002 - 00:00

RACING/PUNCHESTOWN REPORT: Sheltering and Heezapistol booked their passages to the Cheltenham Festival when winning at Punchestown on Saturday on ground that rode quite testing.

Successful in a recent point-to-point Sheltering had no difficulty in justifying odds-on favouritism in the Doherty Hunters Chase in the hands of the champion amateur Philip Fenton.

The 1 to 3 favourite had a bloodless victory by a distance in a race in which only four of the 10 starters completed and is now 3 to 1 favourite (from 7 to 2) with Cashmans of Cork for the Christies' Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.

"I am delighted with that run as he wouldn't like the ground as soft as that," remarked winning trainer Edward O'Grady after watching the 10-year-old capture his 11th race on the course.

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Heezapistol also jumped well when getting back on the winning trail in the Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle in the hands of champion jockey Ruby Walsh.

In front soon after halfway, the French-bred 5 to 1 chance quickened from the second last to beat last months Leopardstown heroine Newhall by three and a half lengths as the hot favourite, Hyderabad, faded out of contention.

Heezapistol is a 20 to 1 chance for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham with both Cashmans and Ladbrokes and his trainer Willie Mullins confirmed that the horse would be rested until the Cheltenham race.

Ruby Walsh followed up half an hour later on An Modh Direach (5 to 1), trained by his father, Ted, in the Bourke Handicap Chase in a desperate finish.

Ted Walsh then made it a quick double of his own when the favourite, Native Leisure (9 to 4), followed up a course and distance success earlier in the month with young Garry Hutchinson aboard in the Kilteel Handicap Hurdle.

•Nicky Richards will break new ground next Sunday when he sends The French Furze for the Grade One AIG Europe Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The French Furze has found just one too good for him in his four outings this season, most recently beating all but Rodock in the Grade Two Red Square Reloaded Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.