Cheltenham 2006 / running order /

FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE

1st (9) Shamayoun 40-1
2nd (18) Artist's Muse 12-1
3rd (10) Patman du Charmil 40-1
4th (11) Gardasee 33-1
24 ran
Also: 9-2 Fav Royals Darling

SHAMAYOUN ENDS NINE-YEAR CHELTENHAM DROUGHT FOR EGERTON

The 40/1 chance Shamayoun ended a nine-year spell without a Festival winner for trainer Charles Egerton when landing the concluding Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle under Paddy Brennan, who was enjoying his first Festival success.

“It’s been too long and I thought that was never going to come,” said Egerton, whose initial Festival winner was Shadow Leader in the 1997 Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“This horse’s first two runs were a disaster - the first time I ran him at Folkestone and the ground was against him and then I was just numb with surprise with how he ran at Hereford.

“We put blinkers onto him after that and they just made the difference but I don’t think he’s ungenuine.

“We’ll probably have to go to Liverpool with him now - I’ll have to see what the handicapper does.”

Brennan added: “Mr Egerton gave me plenty of confidence beforehand, he said the horse had lots of ability, and I looked up its form on the Internet last night and saw that it had a high Postmark figure, which always gives me confidence.”

PADDY BRENNAN (JOCKEY)
“It was the idea to give him a positive ride. It was a marvellous ride to pick up and this is the best feeling of my life. Robert Thornton said to me at the top of the hill - and I’ve so much respect for him, he’s an absolute legend to all young jockeys - he said to me this is your’s Paddy!

“I was so happy with the way my horse was travelling down the hill, I thought I’d let him slip and get a few lengths, so I could turn in and maybe get a hold of him again. I never wanted to look round because I was scared of what I might see behind me!”

CHARLIE EGERTON (TRAINER)
“He’s had a soft-palate operation that has obviously helped him. He ran appallingly at Hereford so we put the blinkers on him to help him focus after that - he schooled very well in them and we kept them on at Southwell, and that’s been the making of him. I’ve always thought he had plenty of ability.

“He hasn’t had the ideal preparation, but there’s only one Cheltenham Festival, and the owners were keen to have a runner, so we came here. We went through the tactics beforehand and Paddy’s given him a fantastic ride.”

TONY EVANS TO BE TWISTON-DAVIES' NEW JOCKEY

Tony Evans will take over as stable jockey at Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Naunton yard in Gloucestershire when Carl Llewellyn moves to Lambourn.

Llewellyn’s decision to take over as trainer at Weathercock House in place of Mark Pitman left a vacancy at Twiston-Davies’ stables, and Evans, who has been based there for a number of years, will move into the number one spot.

When asked who would replace Llewellyn, Twiston-Davies said: “Tony Evans. Why not? He’s riding plenty of winners.”
Evans, who celebrated his 27th birthday today, is the son of Welsh trainer David Evans. He was initially attached to David Nicholson’s stable, but rode his first winner in an amateur’s Flat race at Lingfield in 1996. His best season over jumps came in 2003/04 when he rode 23 winners, and he has partnered 12 this season, but those sorts of totals should rise dramatically when he replaces Llewellyn at Twiston-Davies’ successful yard.

Twiston-Davies was speaking after Patman Du Charmil, who he trains, had finished third in the final race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.

“The horses are running well and hopefully we’ll have a winner tomorrow,” said Twiston-Davies. “We’ll take this horse to Liverpool.”
Ruby Walsh, who rode a double on the day, finished runner-up on Artist’s Muse, trained by his father, Ted Walsh, although the mare spoiled her chance of victory with a blunder at the last.

Walsh snr said: “She’s just not a natural jumper. She’s a classy mare, but if she had jumped the last three she’d have won. Some take to it, some don’t. I’ve no thoughts for her, but she’ll probably run in a Flat race in a month’s time.”

FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE
Listed Race (Class 1) 2m 110y Old Course £75,000 guaranteed For 4yo Weights raised 3lb Minimum Weight 10st Penalties after February 26, a winner of a hurdle 4lb (no penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb) Bold Fire’s Handicap Mark 133 Entries 87 pay £75 Confirmed 59 pay £225 Penalty Value 1st £42,765 2nd £16,042.50 3rd £8,032.50 4th £4,005 5th £2,010 6th £1,005

1 SHAMAYOUN (FR) (Ronald Brimacombe) Charles Egerton 4-11-03 Paddy Brennan 40/1
2 ARTIST'S MUSE (IRE) (Seamus Ross) Ted Walsh IRE 4-10-13 Ruby Walsh 12/1
3 PATMAN DU CHARMIL (FR) (Raymond Mould) Nigel Twiston-Davies 4-11-03 Carl Llewellyn 40/1
4 GARDASEE (GER) (A Helaissi) Tom Tate 4-11-03 Jason Maguire 33/1
5 PROPER ARTICLE (IRE) (Dr R Lambe) Dermot Weld IRE 4-10-11 Richard Johnson
6 MY IMMORTAL (The Betfair Million Partnership) Martin Pipe 4-11-05 Timmy Murphy
7 BOLD FIRE (Sue Craven) Paul Nicholls 4-11-07 Liam Heard (5)
8 DREUX (FR) (Valerie Courtney) Thomas Cooper IRE 4-11-07 Davy Russell
9 MARHABA MILLION (IRE) (J P McNamara) Eric McNamara IRE 4-11-03 Brian Byrnes (5)
10 KALMINI (USA) (W R B Racing 58(Wrbracing.com) Sheena West 4-11-02 Jamie Goldstein
11 MYSTERY LOT (IRE) (Four Mile Racing) Alan King 4-10-11 Robert Thornton
12 COUNT KEARNEY (IRE) (James Gough) Steve Mahon IRE 4-10-08 Tom Ryan (3)
13 CLEAR RIPOSTE (IRE) (Heritage Syndicate) Willie Mullins IRE 4-11-04 David Casey
14 DAN'S HEIR (Peter Tomlinson) Pat Haslam 4-10-13 Paddy Merrigan (5)
15 ROYALS DARLING (GER) (Paul Green) Nicky Henderson 4-11-05 Mick Fitzgerald 9/2f
16 ALFRED THE GREAT (IRE) (Les Buckley) Pat Haslam 4-10-05 Mr Tom O'Brien (5)
F BAYARD (USA) (Mr & Mrs G Middlebrook/Mr & Mrs P Brain) James Fanshawe 4-10-12 Leighton Aspell - deceased
F OPERA MUNDI (FR) (Sir Robert Ogden) Paul Nicholls 4 -11-02 Christian Williams
P BRANDON MOUNTAIN (IRE) (Luck Five Syndicate) Graham Elliott IRE 4-10-13 Denis O'Regan
P ROSECLIFF (Michael Tabor) Andrew Balding 4-11-01 Barry Fenton
P LE CORVEE (IRE) (David Mason) Alan King 4-11-01 Wayne Hutchinson
P GRASP (Richard Green) Gary Moore 4-11-07 Jamie Moore
P OUSTE (FR) (J P McManus) Francois Doumen FR 4-11-01 Tony McCoy
P VOX POPULI (USA) (James Gough) Steve Mahon IRE 4-11-00 Barry Geraghty

24 ran
Time: No official time
Distances: 2.5, 2.5, 2.5, 3/4, 1 1/4, 6, nk, 1 1/4, 7, 3, 6, 2.5, 7,.5, 4
Breeder: S A Aga Khan
Breeding: b c Kahyasi - Shaman
Tote: Win; £61.90 Places; £8.90, £2.50, £15.90, £6.60 Exacta; £1259.50