Cheltenham

cheltenham 2007 / 2007 news /

The Racing Post Plate 15/03/07

1st (14) Idole First 12-1
2nd (16) Palarshan 28-1
3rd (15) Mariah Rollins 20-1
4th (5) Le Volfoni 16-1
23 ran
Also: 7-2 Fav Opera Mundi
NR: Mr Boo

O'Keeffe Guides Idole First to Second Victory 15/03/07

The Venetia Williams-trained Idole First, winner of the 2005 Coral Cup, bagged a second Festival victory when landing the Racing Post Plate under Alan O’Keeffe.

“I’m a bit short of words,” said a delighted Williams. “His jumping slightly went to pieces on his last run but had schooled well since. I had a lot more confidence after I saw him jump the first OK - I was pretty hopeful that he’d at least run his race. He travelled well throughout. He's been a superstar and Alan's given him a great ride.

“His owners are pretty Cheltenham focussed and the plan had always been to come here - but that doesn’t mean you’ll win.”

O’Keeffe added: “Everything went well and it worked out pretty smoothly. I’ve won six on him and he always tries his heart out. The atmosphere and crowd on a day like this always get him going.

“He travelled and jumped. He has a tendency to just be a bit slow at jumping but today he did everything right. I was pretty hopeful coming here. It's a good training performance and the owners have been very loyal to me in letting me keep the ride, so thanks to them.

"It didn't feel like they went that quickly but he travelled and jumped and when they do that it's easy. I knew coming down the hill he'd quicken up well and he just took off from there."

Daly ponders his options - laughing or crying!

It was enough to fulfill the most pessimistic thoughts of the late Captain Tim Forster - three runners and all narrowly beaten.

It was left to his successor at Downton Hall Stables, Henry Daly, to embrace the emotions of being so near yet so far from a winner at the 2007 Cheltenham Festival.

After Billyvoddan had finished third in the Ryanair Chase and Mighty Man had taken second in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle it was the turn of Palarshan to hit the woodwork when finishing runner-up to Idole First in the Racing Post Plate.

Daly could at least take comfort in a fine training performance in getting Palarshan back on track after a break of 728 days. He said of the former Grand Annual Chase winner: “He’s run an absolute blinder and I’m mortified for him that he’s been beaten.

“He just was not fit enough [to have a preparatory run], it’s as simple as that. He just wasn’t ready to run, but there was so little that he could run in. The way the programme book is it’s all geared into this meeting.”

Daly added that Billyvoddan is not a certain runner in the John Smith’s Grand National, despite a reduction in his price for that race following his good effort today. He said: “I just don’t know at this stage. The Melling Chase is the obvious race for him, but his owner is keen to go for the National so we’ll talk to Trevor [Hemmings] and Mick [Meagher] and go from there.”

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Idole First Miss V Williams	A O'Keeffe 10st 7lbs	12 - 1 Winner
2	Palarshan H D Daly	R Johnson 10st 5lbs	28 - 1 4 lengths
3	Mariah Rollins N J Henderson	M A Fitzgerald 10st 7lbs	20 - 1 1 1/4 length
4	Le Volfoni P F Nicholls	J Tizzard 11st 2lbs	16 - 1 Head
5	Slim Pickings T J Taaffe	B J Geraghty 10st 11lbs	33 - 1 3/4 length
6	Reveillez J R Fanshawe	N Fehily 11st 2lbs	12 - 1 1/2 length
7	Madison Du Berlais D Pipe	T Scudamore 11st 9lbs	14 - 1 2 1/2 lengths
8	Iron Man P Bowen	W Hutchinson 10st 0lbs	50 - 1 3 lengths
9	Hakim J L Spearing	S E Durack 10st 0lbs	100 - 1 Neck
10	Roman Ark J M Jefferson	F King 11st 0lbs	33 - 1 1 1/2 length
11	Vodka Bleu D Pipe	T J Murphy 10st 13lbs	11 - 1 4 lengths
12	Tikram A King	R Thornton 10st 8lbs	9 - 1 1/2 length
13	Armaturk P F Nicholls	S Thomas 11st 12lbs	50 - 1 1/2 length
14	Moncadou T Doumen	A P McCoy 10st 3lbs	5 - 1 3/4 length
15	Bold Bishop Jonjo O'Neill	R McGrath 10st 12lbs	33 - 1 3 lengths
16	Livingstonebramble W P Mullins	D J Condon 10st 12lbs	50 - 1 5 lengths
17	No Full P R Webber	A Tinkler 10st 2lbs	20 - 1 1/2 length
18	Kill Devil Hill Paul Nolan	J L Cullen 11st 3lbs	20 - 1 Head
19	Opera Mundi P F Nicholls	R Walsh 10st 7lbs	7 - 2 9 lengths
20	Nycteos P F Nicholls	L Heard 10st 3lbs	20 - 1 12 lengths
na	Kelrev Miss V Williams	L Treadwell 10st 2lbs	50 - 1
na	Graphic Approach C R Egerton	P J Brennan 10st 9lbs	16 - 1
na	Big Rob B G Powell	L Aspell 10st 0lbs	33 - 1
Non Runner	Mr Boo G L Moore	E Dehdashti 10st 0lbs

Facts and Figures:

1. The Racing Post became a Festival sponsor for the first time in 2006, backing the Racing Post Plate, the awards for leading trainer and jockey, and becoming the official racing paper of The Festival. The Racing Post Plate was formerly known as the Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase.

2. The first running, which resulted in a dead-heat between Slender (7/1) and Canford (100/8), took place at Cheltenham in April, because the last two days of the 1951 Festival were abandoned due to a waterlogged course.

3. 1990 saw the longest-priced winner - New Halen scored by eight lengths at 66/1.

4. Only The Tsarevich (1985/86) and Elfast (1992/94) have won twice.

5. The Irish have a poor record in the race, with only one winner in 55 runnings - Doubleuagain in 1982, trained by Andy Geraghty.

6. The fastest time for the winning horse is 4m 49.60s by Dark Stranger in 2000, beating the 4m 58.5s of New Halen in 1990.

THE RACING POST PLATE PAST RESULTS

2006-WINNER-NON SO 8-11-03 Owner-ROA Dawn Run Partnership; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-14/1
2ND-Kelrev 8-11-01 Owner-Len Jakeman, Flintham, King & Roberts; Trainer-Venetia Williams; Jockey-Sam Thomas; SP-50/1
3RD-Graphic Approach 8-11-06 Owner-Mr & Mrs Peter Orton; Trainer-Charles Egerton; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-11/1
4TH-Roman Ark 8-10-12 Owner-Richard Collins; Trainer-Malcolm Jefferson; Jockey-Graham Lee; SP-33/1
24 ran, Time-5m 05.20s, Dist-9, 7, hd 5/1 Fav Ross River (Fell)

2005-WINNER-LIBERTHINE 6-10-01 Owner-Robert Waley-Cohen; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mr Sam Waley-Cohen; SP-25/1
2ND-Banker Count 13-10-12 Owner-Mrs Hector Brown; Trainer-Venetia Williams; Jockey-Sam Thomas; SP-16/1
3RD-Simply Gifted 10-11-01 Owner-Steve Hammond; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-14/1
4TH-Brooklyn Breeze 8-11-00 Owner-Ashleybank Investments Limited; Trainer-Len Lungo; Jockey-Tony Dobbin; SP-9/2 Fav 22 ran, Time-5m 15.60s, Dist-7, 3, 2

2004-WINNER-TIKRAM 7-10-00 Owner-Mike Charlton and Rodger Sargent; Trainer-Gary Moore; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP- 12/1
2ND-Iznogoud 8-10-03 Owner-Country Stores/Avalon Surfacing; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-9/2 Fav
3RD-Fondmort 8-11-12 Owner-Bill Brown; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-9/1
4TH-Kelrev 6-9-11 Owner-Len Jakeman, Flintham, King and Roberts; Trainer-Venetia Williams; Jockey-Sam Thomas; SP-16/1 16 ran, Time-4m 59.80s; Dist-2.5, 1.5, 2

2003-WINNER-YOUNG SPARTACUS 10-10-09 Owner-Bart Hellyer; Trainer-Henry Daly; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-16/1
2ND-Fondmort 7-10-13 Owner-Bill Brown; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald SP-11/2
3RD-Scots Grey 8-9-07 Owner-Henry Ponsonby; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mr Andrew Tinkler; SP-16/1
4TH-Cregg House 8-9-09 Owner-Kathleen Kennedy; Trainer-Paddy Mullins IRE; Jockey-Robert Power; SP-25/1
19 ran, Time-5m 5.00s; Dist-4, 4, 33 5/1 Fav Go Roger Go (UR)

2002-WINNER-BLOWING WIND 9-10-09 Owner-Peter Deal; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-25/1
2ND-Lady Cricket 8-11-12 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-5/2 Fav
3RD-Its Time For A Win 10-10-00 Owner-John Kenny; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-David Casey; SP-16/1
4TH-Strong Run 9-10-00 Owner-Michael D McGrath; Trainer-Noel Meade IRE; Jockey-Carl Llewellyn; SP-14/1
21 ran, Time-5m 22.30s; Dist-1.25, 1.25, 1

2001 - No Race (Foot and Mouth Disease)

2000-WINNER-DARK STRANGER 9-10-03 Owner-Terry Neill; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-14/1
2ND-Native Charm 8-11-00 Owner-Pell-Mell Partners; Trainer-Charlie Morlock; Jockey-Jimmy McCarthy; SP-13/2 Fav
3RD-Inn At The Top 8-10-08 Owner-Sylvia Blakely; Trainer-Jim Turner; Jockey-Robbie Supple; SP-7/1
4TH-Sir Dante 9-10-07 Owner-Peter Wilby; Trainer-Richard Rowe; Jockey-Barry Fenton; SP-10/1
18 ran, Time-4m 49.60s, Dist-7, 1, 3

1999-WINNER-MAJADOU 5-11-00 Owner-Chris, Basil & Rosie Batterham II; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-7/4 Fav
2ND-King Of Sparta 6-10-00 Owner-Mrs Richard Tice; Trainer-Jonny Portman; Jockey-Chris Maude; SP-33/1
3RD-Wayward King 7-11-01 Owner-Fieldspring Racing; Trainer-Ron Hodges; Jockey-Richard Dunwoody; SP-25/1
4TH-The Outback Way 9-10-12 Owner-Mrs B Grainger, S Bell & D Boocock; Trainer-Venetia Williams; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-10/1 18 ran, Time-5m 9.8s, Dist-16, nk, nk

1998-WINNER-SUPER COIN 10-10-0 Owner-George Brookes; Trainer-Richard Lee; Jockey-Norman Williamson; SP-7/1
2ND-Sparky Gayle 8-10-09 Owner-Ray and Anita Anderson Green; Trainer-Colin Parker; Jockey-Brian Storey; SP-3/1 Fav
3RD-Monnaie Forte 8-10-0 Owner & Trainer-James Adam; Jockey-Brendan Powell; SP-5/1
14 ran, Time-4m 58.8s, Dist-2,1.5

1997-WINNER-TERAO 11-10-07 Owner-Brian Kilpatrick; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-20/1
2ND-All The Aces 10-10-11 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Charlie Swan; SP-14/1
3RD-Air Shot 7-11-07 Owner-Mrs Peter Prowting; Trainer-David Nicholson; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-15/2
13 ran, Time-5m 1.2s, Dist-1.25, hd 100/30 Fav As Du Trefle (6th)

1996-WINNER-OLD BRIDGE 8-9-07 Owner-K C B Mackenzie; Trainer-Andrew Turnell; Jockey-Gary Crone; SP-14/1
2ND-Call It A Day 6-10-01 Owner-Jane Lane; Trainer-David Nicholson; Jockey-Charlie Swan;SP-9/2
3RD-Postage Stamp 9-10-00 Owner-Paddy O’Donnell; Trainer-Ferdy Murphy; Jockey-Lorcan Wyer; SP-20/1
13 ran, Time-5m 12.5s, Dist-.5, 6 100/30 Fav Big Matt (6th)