O'BRIEN AT THE DOUBLE THANKS TO COOLANLY
                                                                                   
Fergal O'Brien recorded a 152/1 double on day one of the November Meeting at Cheltenham following 7/2 shot Coolanly's smart success in the concluding G2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.
 
Ridden by Paddy Brennan, registering a treble at Prestbury Park, Coolanly travelled smoothly throughout the two mile and five-furlong event and found plenty for pressure in the closing stages to score by three and a quarter-lengths from 9/4 favourite Pym in second.
 
Winning trainer O'Brien said: "I think Coolanly is probably a horse for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at The Festival. That was far enough for him today and he has had a hard race.

"He was a bit sore after he came back from the Persian War, so I have to give credit to everyone at home for getting him back here today.
 
"We will enjoy today and we might go for the Challow Hurdle because he won't have a penalty."
 
Paddy Power make Cooolanly a 33/1 shot for the G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at The Festival™ presented by Magners.

PYM'S DONE NOTHING WRONG, SAYS HENDERSON
 
The 9/4 favourite Pym, trained by Nicky Henderson, finished second behind winner Coolanly in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, the final race of Countryside Day.
 
Pym, a five-year-old by Stowaway, was stepping up in trip to two miles five furlongs for the first time. He was beaten three and a quarter lengths by 7/2 chance Coolanly.
 
Henderson said: "He ran a good race. It's his first time up in trip and he got the trip. He got beaten, but he's done nothing wrong.
 
"He'll stay at two and a half miles, and as Noel [Fehily, who rode him] said, he's still quite naïve about racing, rather than anything else, so we'll go again."