CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL NEWS: GAELIC WARRIOR MAKES IT THIRD TIME LUCKY AT THE FESTIVAL WITH SUCCESS IN MY PENSION EXPERT ARKLE NOVICES’ CHASE
Tuesday 12th March
Having finished runner-up at The Festival in both 2022 (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) and 2023 (Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle), Gaelic Warrior made it third time lucky when successful in today’s My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase.
Winning jockey Paul Townend, responding to the point that the horse was a fair handful before the race but settled once he got to the start, told ITV Racing: “He was. Once I got out of the shoot cantering down, he was much better. Keen, but better, and actually that was as good a ride as I’ve got off him in a race. He jumped a lot straighter, there were two fences he shifted right just to sort himself out. Stamina came into play today and we know he stays. I just pointed him the right way!”
On what it means to get an early winner, he added: “It’s a pressure week, there’s no ducking that. The monkey is off the back now and hopefully we can keep going.”
The jockey added: “The first lad (Tullyhill in the Supreme) ran disappointing so it’s nice to get one on the board. That’s the best ride I’ve got off Gaelic Warrior in a long time. He was very manageable once we got out on to the track. He was busy in the parade ring and busy in the chute but behaved himself in the race. His jumping was brilliant, and quite straight too. He shifted right at one or two to kind of correct himself, but I didn’t have to do much on him to be honest. He was very good. The rain came and turned it into a stamina test. Willie’s done an unbelievable job on him.”
Willie Mullins, trainer of Gaelic Warrior, told ITV Racing: “You can see what a difference a hood made to him, he wasn’t inclined to jump right and Paul could ride the race on him. I was sort of asking myself as he was coming down the hill, ‘what were we doing in three-mile races last year with him?’
“I think he has enough class now to do two miles, and he will probably stick at that game now, after that performance.”
On whether he could come back for the Champion Chase next year, Mullins said: “He could do that, but you could spin him to the Ryanair distance – he’s very adaptable.”
On his 95th Cheltenham Festival winner, he added: “I’m delighted to get that first one, it just steadies the whole thing.”
The trainer added: “After the first race, where I thought we had it won jumping the last but just got outstayed, it’s a huge relief. I’m delighted because in the parade ring I thought he was going to get very upset - he was wound up as they went around, Paul [Townend] got him out on the track and he settled down once he got out away from the crowd. I think the application of the hood has made him so much easier to ride - Paul said he was a dream ride.
“He settled in lovely in behind the horses, like a normal horse - that’s fantastic.
“We were talking about going for the Arkle in Leopardstown, and we changed our minds at the last minute and left him in the two-and-a-half-mile race, and then we just felt, after what happened, we’d put the hood on and see what happened when we schooled him at home. That was good. Then we thought, Facile Vega could go to the other race - we always thought he had a little speed, although we used to run him over three miles, but now I think he’s found his calling. He looks like a Champion Chaser, he could be a Ryanair horse, and he has won over three miles as a novice, like Galopin Des Champs did. He’s very adaptable.
“It is very satisfying; we’ve been watching at home all the time and thought he’d nearly be a guaranteed Cheltenham winner the last two years and it hadn’t worked out. Now it has done on a big day in the Arkle.
“Getting that first winner steadies the whole thing. A lot of nerves, a lot of chances, and after the first race I was wondering whether we might get another day like we did here two years ago.”
Jack Kennedy (rider runner-up of Found A Fifty), said: “He ran a cracker, everything went fairly smoothly for him, Gaelic Warrior was just better on the day.”
Danny Mullins (rider of 3rd Etait Temps) said: “He just got under a few, that heavy ground with his size maybe limits his scope. But on a bit of good ground, he’ll give them a fright again.”
Sam Twiston-Davies (rider of 4th Matata) said: “Finishing fourth, you obviously wouldn’t see people smile as much, but I had a really enjoyable time, he tried hard, obviously a very good race and bumped into a very good winner.”
Daryl Jacob (rider of 5th Hunters Yarn) said: “I was outpaced the whole way, I couldn’t really find a rhythm, I was very slow at some of the fences. I was taken off my feet early doors, probably wants 2 ½.”
Brendan Powell (rider of 7th JPR One), said: “Slightly disappointing, but I think it’s probably ground that he wouldn’t be in favour of. He probably wants better ground.”
2.10pm My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y
1 Gaelic Warrior 2-1 Favourite
2 Found A Fifty 13-2
3 Il Etait Temps 7-2
10 ran
Distances: 8½, 4¾
Time: 4m 8.36s
29th winner at The Festival for jockey Paul Townend
95th winner at The Festival for trainer Willie Mullins
21st winner at The Festival for owner Susannah Ricci
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Ireland 2
Great Britain 0
