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| Cheltenham Irish-Bred Entries 2007 |
Spotlight on Irish-Bred Horses at Cheltenham 08/03/07
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Part of Cheltenham’s magic is that it’s not just the major owners and trainers who dominate the event, the less high-profile players - particularly from Ireland - also get their chance in the limelight. There will be many contenders crossing the Irish Sea next week hoping to be part of The Festival dream and three of those are listed below.
Charles Byrnes
It is 15 years since Charles Byrnes first took out a training licence
and victory at Cheltenham would be the culmination of an excellent
season for the handler, based at Ballynoe, near Ballingarry in Co Limerick.
Byrnes has gained an increasingly high-profile in Ireland in recent
years - landing a gamble at Leopardstown in January 2004 when Dromlease
Express took the Pierse Hurdle and Cloudy Bays won the Leopardstown
Chase in a big-race double. The shrewd Byrnes, 43, has gone from strength
to strength and his Cheltenham team is headed by the dual Grade 1-winning
chaser Cailin Alainn (meaning beautiful girl), a leading contender
for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
John Murphy
Last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Newmill may be the
highest-profile horse to race under Rules for John Murphy, but he has
had many smart performers pass through his yard at Highfort Stud near
Inishannon, close to the West Cork coast. Classified, who finished fourth
at Kildorrery on his only point-to-point outing, King Lucifer, Double
Symphony, Take Control and top Flat horse Papal Bull are others to have
been sold by Murphy, along with many top showjumpers. Newmill, an Ir£24,000
four-year-old purchase from the Goffs Land Rover Sale, is not the only
big hope Murphy has for Cheltenham. Convincing, winner of the Grade 2
Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out, is a live contender
for the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Michael O’Brien
Training success at the highest level is nothing new to Michael O’Brien,
64, who enjoyed his first Festival victory 14 years ago when Shawiya
landed the Triumph Hurdle and had another victory 12 months ago with
Kadoun in the Pertemps Final. Co Kildare-based O’Brien first made
an impression in Britain in 1980 when sending over Bright Highway to
land a rare double in what is now the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham
and the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. Those victories are all the more
remarkable given that O’Brien, a former champion jump jockey in
America, has been confined to a wheelchair since breaking his back in
a fall in the Carolina Cup in March, 1974. O’Brien’s strong
Festival team will include last year’s Gold Cup third Forget The
Past, an ex point-to-pointer owned by Sean Mulryan, and top novice hurdler
De Valira, who carries the colours of his patriotic Co Cork-based owner
Donal Mac A’Bhaird and was bred by vet Sean O’Sullivan at
his Corrin Stud in Fermoy. In
Compliance, who beat Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition in the Grade 1
Punchestown Chase in December, has been another flagbearer for the stable
this year.
IRISH BREDS - Some Key Facts
- At the last five Cheltenham Festivals, 58 of the 107 races (54.2%) were won by Irish-bred horses with 32 of the 50 Grade 1 races (64%) falling to Irish-breds in the same period.
- Recent Irish-bred Festival winners include such stars as Best Mate, Kicking King, War Of Attrition, Brave Inca, Hardy Eustace, Moscow Flyer, Newmill, Black Jack Ketchum, Istabraq, Kingscliff, Looks Like Trouble, Florida Pearl, Fundamentalist, Rule Supreme, Back In Front, Total Enjoyment, Like-A-Butterfly, Flagship Uberalles, Monsignor, Pizarro, Spot Thedifference, Hairy Molly and Thisthatandtother.
- As in 2005, the winners of all three of last year’s Festival showpieces - War Of Attrition, Newmill and Brave Inca - were Irish-bred. For good measure there were Irish-trained 1-2-3s in both the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.
- All three could have been bought at the sales in Ireland for a combined total of under Ir£27,000. War Of Attrition cost Ir£2,000 as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland, Brave Inca was an Ir1,600gns foal from the same venue while Newmill was an Ir£24,000 four-year-old from the Goffs Land Rover Sale.
- This is a golden era for Irish racing and past winners Brave Inca and Hardy Eustace head a superb team bidding to land the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle for Ireland for a fourth successive year. No less than 12 of the remaining 20 Champion Hurdle entries are trained in Ireland and include 2006 runner-up Macs Joy, John Carr’s stable star Sublimity, Noel Meade’s pair Iktitaf and Harchibald and the great mare Asian Maze, trained by Tom Mullins.
- Hairy Molly last year became the 13th Irish-bred winner in 14 runnings
of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. The only exception, Missed That, was
a graduate of Irish point-to-points. Winners have included horses who
have progressed to perform at the highest level such as Pizarro, Monsignor,
Florida Pearl, Alexander Banquet, Montelado and Dato Star.
- Two out of three black-type winners so far during the 2006/2007 jump season in Britain and Ireland have been Irish-bred. These include Grade 1 winners Aran Concerto, Beef Or Salmon, Brave Inca, Cailin Alainn, Hardy Eustace, Hide The Evidence, Iktitaf, In Compliance, Mister Top Notch, Monet’s Garden, Schindlers Hunt, Silverburn, The Listener and Wichita Lineman.
- Irish-bred horses have won nine of the last 10 runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and - with many of the leading contenders for this year’s race - there is every chance that that total can be added to next Friday.
IRISH POINT-TO-POINTS
The Best Pointer To The Future
There has been no better system for picking a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in recent years than looking for an ex Irish point-to-pointer. Time and again Ireland’s point-to-points have proved the perfect grounding for top-class staying chasers of the future.
Indeed, victory for War Of Attrition last year meant that seven of the last nine runnings of the Gold Cup have gone to an ex Irish point-to-pointer. For good measure, last year’s third Forget The Past also learnt his trade between the flags in Ireland.
"War Of Attrition ran in one point-to-point, when he fell at the last. It’s a far better preparation for jumping than bumpers. His jumping is very good now and that’s what you need in the best races," said trainer Mouse Morris.
War Of Attrition followed in the steps of the great Best Mate, who won the Gold Cup from 2002 to 2004, Looks Like Trouble (2000), Cool Dawn (1998) and Mr Mulligan (1997), all previous Irish point-to-point runners who progressed to land Cheltenham’s most sought-after prize.
And a string of ex pointers will be on show next week. Ten-time Grade 1 winner Beef Or Salmon will be hoping to finally come good at Cheltenham while Forget The Past and Our Vic will also be going for championship glory.
The younger pretenders include the Paul Nicholls-trained Denman, a red-hot favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, and his stablemate Gungadu, a warm order for the four-mile National Hunt Chase. Indeed such a big fan is Nicholls of the sport that he himself owns two point-to-pointers in training in Ireland.
Kazal, a leading contender for the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle, finished third on his only point-to-point outing, the exciting novice chaser Snowy Morning ran six times between the flags while the highly-touted Mad Fish will bid to continue the outstanding record of ex Irish pointers in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
Other notable point-to-point graduates include recent Racing Post Chase winner Simon, the great Florida Pearl, Grand National heroes Monty’s Pass and Bindaree, Royal & SunAlliance Chase victors Hussard Collonges and Lord Noelie, as well as the Irish Grand National winners Davids Lad, The Bunny Boiler and Timbera.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners Don’t Grow on Trees They grow them
in point-to-point fields in Ireland!
Recent Cheltenham Gold Cup Winners
2006 *War Of
Attrition (Pointed in Tipperary)
2005 Kicking
King (IRE) (A non Irish Point-to-Pointer won the Cheltenham
Gold Cup!)
2004 *Best Mate (Pointed in Galway & Waterford)
2003 *Best Mate (Pointed in Galway & Waterford)
2002 *Best Mate (Pointed in Galway & Waterford)
2001 No Race
2000 *Looks Like Trouble (Pointed in Cork)
1999 A non Irish Point-to-Pointer won the Cheltenham Gold Cup!
1998 *Cool Dawn (Pointed in Limerick, Waterford, Cork & Sligo)
1997 *Mr Mulligan (Pointed in Tipperary, Meath & Kildare)
*None of the above Gold Cup winners managed to win a maiden first time out!
For Irish point-to-point form since 2000 and a wealth of other information about the sport, please look at www.p2p.ie
IRISH POINT-TO-POINT FORM OF SOME LEADING CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CONTENDERS
Arrive Sir Clive (IRE) - Philip Fenton
Won only start at Kildorrery on February 19, 2006.
Beef Or Salmon (IRE) - Michael Hourigan
Won by a distance at Clonmel ridden by Davy Russell on February 18, 2001
Classified (IRE) - David Pipe GB
Won at Kildorrery on February 25, 2001.
Denman (IRE) - Paul Nicholls GB
Trained by Adrian Maguire to win by 12 lengths at Liscaroll on March
20, 2005.
Dun Doire (IRE) - Tony Martin
Won one of four starts in 2004, scoring at Oldcastle on March 28 that
year.
Forget The Past (GB) - Michael O’Brien
Won at Maralin on May 3, 2003.
Fota Island (IRE) - Mouse Morris
Fell on debut at Kilfeacle in January 20, 2002, before winning by 20
lengths at Nenagh a week later.
Fundamentalist (IRE) - Nigel Twiston-Davies GB
Ran six times in 2003, winning last three starts, finally at Templemore
on October 26, 2003.
Glasker Mill (IRE) - Henrietta Knight GB
Won only start by five lengths under Derek O’Connor at Maralin
on November 13, 2004.
Gungadu (GB) - Paul Nicholls GB
Ran four times for owner Paul Barber. Finished third first time out at
Lemonfield on March 7, 2004, and then went on to score at Athlacca
three weeks later. The following season he won by 20 lengths at Dungarvan
on January 23, 2005, and by a neck at Kildorrery on February 20, 2005.
Colman Sweeney was on board for his three victories.
Hi Cloy (IRE) - Michael Hourigan
Ran three times in 2002, winning at Naas on March 18.
Idle Talk (IRE) - Donald McCain Jnr GB
Ridden by Colman Sweeney to win at Carrigtwohill on February 1, 2004.
Imperial Commander (IRE) - Nigel Twiston-Davies GB
This imposing individual looked a high class prospect when winning a
4yo winners race at Summerhill by eight lengths on his debut in April,
2005.
Joaaci (IRE) - David Pipe GB
Won at Knockanard on February 13, 2005.
Kazal (FR) - Eoin Griffin
Made an eyecatching debut when finishing third to The Luder in a 4yo
maiden in Kilmallock on April 3, 2005.
Kill Devil Hill (IRE) - Paul Nolan
Finished second on only start at Cloyne on March 14, 2004.
Knowhere (IRE) - Nigel Twiston-Davies GB
Won only start at Farmaclaffley on February 21, 2004
Lord Of Illusion (IRE) - Tom George GB
Finished second to Therealbandit at Lismore on March 3, 2002.
Mad Fish (IRE) - Willie Mullins
Easily beat Stewarts House on his only run in a 4yo maiden at Punchestown
on February 12 last year.
Mister Top Notch (IRE) - Davy Fitzgerald
Finished second at Dungourney on November 6, 2004
Native Jack (IRE) - Philip Rothwell
Most recent success came in Open at Ballindenisk on December 4, 2005.
Our Vic (IRE) - David Pipe GB
Won 4yo maiden at Oldcastle on March 24, 2002
Simon (GB) - John Spearing GB
Won only start by eight lengths at Ballysteen on April 25, 2004.
Scotsirish (IRE) - Willie Mullins
Won only start at Loughbrickland on April 9, 2005.
Snowy Morning (IRE) - Willie Mullins
Three seconds, two wins - at Clonmel (May 8, 2005) and Ballon (January
29, 2006) - and a fall from six outings in point to points
Spot Thedifference (IRE) - Enda Bolger
Point-to-point regular who finished second at Nenagh in January, 2004,
and his most recent success came at Lemonfield on March 2, 2003.
Standin Obligation (IRE) - David Pipe GB
Won final three starts, last of them at Tinahely on February 20, 2005.
Whyso Mayo (IRE) - Ray Hurley
Prolific point-to-pointer whose latest pointing success came at Aghabullogue
on January 8 last year.
BOUGHT IN THE IRISH SALE RING
Many of this year’s Festival contenders were sold in the sale ring in Ireland, either at Goffs or Tattersalls Ireland. They include expensive purchases such as the veteran Rhinestone Cowboy, who was bought by Paul Shanahan for Ir£82,000 at the 1999 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, but many of those bidding for top honours could have been picked up very cheaply.
Last year’s Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle winner Brave Inca cost just Ir1,600gns as a foal while the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition cost only Ir2,000gns at the same age. He is one of six of the last seven totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winners to have been sold at Irish sales.
Horse
Cost Age Sale
ARAN CONCERTO
euros40,000 4yo 2005 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
ARANLEIGH
euros30,000 3yo 2005 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
ARRIVE SIR CLIVE
euros35,000 3yo 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
BEEF OR SALMON
Ir£6,500 4yo 2000 Goffs Land Rover
Ir5,400gns 3yo 1999 Tattersalls Ireland August
BILLYVODDAN
euros90,000 3yo 2002 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
BLACK JACK KETCHUM
euros50,000 3yo 2002 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir21,000gns foal 1999 Tattersalls Ireland November
BOYCHUK
euros36,000 3yo 2004 Goffs Land Rover
euros12,500 yearling 2002 Goffs February
BRAVE INCA
Ir£14,000 3yo 2001 Goffs Land Rover
Ir4,000gns yearling 1999 Goffs February Sale
Ir1,600gns foal 1998 Tattersalls Ireland November
CENTRAL HOUSE
Ir£28,000 4yo 2001 Goffs Land Rover
CHIEF DAN GEORGE
Ir£17,000 yearling 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
CORNISH REBEL
Ir£110,000 4yo 2001 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
COUNTING HOUSE
euros180,000 yearling 2004 Goffs Orby
DEGAS ART
euros18,000 yearling 2004 Goffs February
ENQUIRING MIND
euros14,000 foal 2002 Goffs November
FAR FROM TROUBLE
Ir12,000gns foal 1999 Tattersalls Ireland November
FIVEFORTHREE
euros6,000 foal 2002 Tattersalls Ireland November
FLIGHT LEADER
euros31,000 4yo 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
FOTA ISLAND
Ir£38,000 4yo 2000 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir20,000gns 3yo 1999 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
GEMINI LUCY
euros20,000 3yo 2003 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
HAIRY MOLLY
euros6,200 4yo 2004 Tattersalls Ireland February
HARDY EUSTACE
Ir£21,000 4yo 2001 Goffs Land Rover
HI CLOY
Ir14,000gns yearling 1998 Tattersalls Ireland November
JOAACI
Ir£4,400 yearling 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
KILL DEVIL HILL
Ir£9,000 yearling 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
KNOWHERE
Ir£18,500 3yo 2001 Tattersalls Ireland August
KINGSCLIFF
Ir2,400gns foal 1997 Tattersalls Ireland November
LENNON
euros12,000 3yo 2003 Goffs Land Rover
MAD FISH
euros16,000 yearling 2003 Tattersalls Ireland November
MISTER TOP NOTCH
euros600 4yo 2003 Tattersalls Ireland August
MONET’S GARDEN
Ir£35,000 3yo 2001 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
MON MICHEL
euros58,000 yearling 2004 Goffs Orby
MOUNTAIN
euros30,000 yearling 2004 Goffs Orby Sale
NATIVE JACK
Ir4,200gns yearling 1995 Tattersalls Ireland November
NEWMILL
Ir£24,000 4yo 2002 Goffs Land Rover
NIL DESPERANDUM
Ir£14,000 4yo 2001 Goffs June NH
O’MUIRCHEARTAIGH
Ir£16,000 yearling 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
PATCHES
Ir1,200gns foal 1999 Tattersalls Ireland November
RACING DEMON
Ir£8,100 yearling 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
RHINESTONE COWBOY
Ir82,000gns 3yo 1999 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir16,000gns yearling 1997 Tattersalls Ireland September
SCHINDLERS HUNT
euros28,000 4yo 2004 Goffs Land Rover Sale
SCOTSIRISH
Ir£15,000 foal 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
SIR JIMMY SHAND
euros19,000 yearling 2002 Tattersalls Ireland January
SIR REMBRANDT
Ir£9,000 4yo 2000 Tattersalls Ireland October
SNOWY MORNING
euros25,000 3yo 2003 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir10,500gns foal 2000 Tattersalls Ireland November
SPOT THEDIFFERENCE
Ir8,200gns 4yo 1997 Goffs Land Rover
TIDAL BAY
Ir£5,800 foal 2001 Tattersalls Ireland November
TIDAL FURY
euros48,000 foal 2002 Tattersalls Ireland November
TOT O’WHISKEY
euros13,000 3yo 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
TUMBLING DICE
Ir20,000gns foal 1999 Goffs November
TURPIN GREEN
euros35,000 4yo 2004 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir£31,000 yearling 2000 Tattersalls Ireland November
Ir8,500gns foal 1999 Tattersalls Ireland November
TURTLE DUBH
euros17,000 3yo 2004 Goffs Land Rover
WATSON LAKE
Ir£70,000 3yo 2001 Tattersalls Ireland Derby
Ir11,000gns foal 1998 Tattersalls Ireland November
