Brave Inca and Tony McCoy kept Macs Joy at bay to win a thrilling Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The Colm Murphy-trained eight-year-old, a close third 12 months ago, went two places better this time under a strong drive from the champion jockey. Macs Joy fought valiantly up the hill but could not quite catch the 7-4 favourite and went down by a length.
Hardy Eustace, winner for the past two years, was a brave third, a further three and a half lengths back, with Al Eile fourth to complete an Irish clean sweep of the places.
The normally reserved McCoy was euphoric in the immediate aftermath and could not hide his delight at the victory. "He pricked his ears going to the second-last and he’d got loads left. Like Muhammad Ali said, you’ve got to have the will and the skill and the desire and this fellow’s got it all," he told Channel 4 Racing.
"When I rode him at Punchestown I thought then that he would win the Champion Hurdle and I really built myself up for this. I was a bit worried going past the water jump because I knew he would come off the bridle and I was frightened about getting after him too early.
"But I knew that even though he’s lazy, he’s certainly not slow and he picked up well when I asked him."
County Wexford-based Murphy was equally thrilled. "It’s been a long year and this has always been the plan. This is the icing on the cake. He stayed on really well and whatever gets to him knows he’s in a race," he told Racing UK.
"Macs Joy has run a cracker. He beat us a couple of times last year and he’s been on the upgrade all year. It’s something else to win a Champion Hurdle here."
Jessica Harrington, trainer of the runner-up, said: "He ran on up the hill. There has been a lot said about him not being able to come up this hill but he got up it well. He was very lucky when Asian Maze fell that he didn’t get brought down, but he didn’t lose any ground.
"Barry (Geraghty) was very brave, he sat and waited and waited but he still couldn’t get by Brave Inca. We will probably go to Punchestown and have another crack at Brave Inca, but I am absolutely thrilled with him, it was a big improvement on last year (when fifth)."
Dessie Hughes said he was proud of Hardy Eustace, whose preparation had been far from ideal. "He ran a terrific race and we have to think about what might have been had he had a better preparation but I don’t want to take anything away from the winner," he said.
"It’s a pity we haven’t got the third (title) but he will be a fitter horse now for Punchestown and the season is only starting now for him. He will probably go to Aintree then on to Punchestown."
His rider Conor O’Dwyer added: "It’s a pity my fellow had to miss the Red Mills (Hurdle, at Gowran) but either way take nothing away from the winner. My horse has run his heart out and I’m delighted. I think he needed that run but we’re delighted to be back here and he’s run a big race."
John Queally is also looking towards Aintree for Al Eile. He said: "He got a lovely run through and had every chance I have no excuses. He stayed on really well and we were just beaten by two better horses.
"All being well, he will go to Aintree now."
Noland, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, won the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race at the Festival.
"That's a good start. He stayed on strongly and it was a great ride from
Ruby," Nicholls told Channel 4 Racing. "I was really pleased it rained. He's not a true two-miler and it was a big help."
Results
Cheltenham 2.00
1 Noland (R Walsh) 6-1
2 Straw Bear (A P McCoy) 11-1
3 Buena Vista (T J Murphy) 14-1
(20 ran)
Also: 5-2 Fav Sweet Wake, 16-1 Sublimity 4th
Non Runner: 20
Cheltenham 2.35
1 Voy Por Ustedes (R Thornton) 15-2
2 Monet's Garden (A Dobbin) 8-1
3 Foreman (A P McCoy) 5-1
14 ran
Also: 9-2 Fav Racing Demon, 20-1 Wild Passion 4th
Cheltenham 3.15
1 Brave Inca (A P McCoy) 7-4 Fav
2 Macs Joy (B J Geraghty) 13-2
3 Hardy Eustace (C O'Dwyer) 11-2
18 ran
Also: 8-1 Al Eile 4th
Cheltenham 4.00
1 Dun Doire (R Walsh) 7-1
2 Juveigneur (M A Fitzgerald) 16-1
3 Irish Hussar (M Foley) 66-1
4 Model Son (P Merrigan) 14-1
21 ran
Also: 10-3 Fav Moulin Riche
Non Runner: 19