REST OF DAY ONE REPORT:CAPTAIN CEE BEE, the horse trained by the former currency trader for the most famous currency trader of all, became a priceless commodity with a dramatic Cheltenham festival success yesterday under the Champion Hurdle winning rider, 'Chocolate' Thornton.
Along with Garde Champetre's victory in the BGC Cross-Country Chase, Captain Cee Bee was part of an Irish double on the opening day of a festival that will always live in the memory of his trainer Eddie Harty.
It's only four years since Harty first took out a training licence and turned his back on a lucrative career in international finance to follow a daunting family history in the racing game. The 43-year-old freely admits that dealing in stone bruises and sore legs pays a lot less than dealing in the Korean 'Won' but no computer will ever come close to providing the emotion that Captain Cee Bee provided in winning the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices Hurdle.
Named after Harty's grandfather, the international show-jumper Cyril B Harty, the Robert Thornton-ridden star carried JP McManus's second colours to a two length defeat of the champion owner's better fancied runner Binocular and Tony McCoy.
It provided a perfect festival start for the massive Irish crowds and gave Harty a first winner at Cheltenham with his very first runner. "It's a strange feeling to be honest. It's not euphoria. It's more the release of pressure of the last four months," he said. "You train the horse for one day, you come here after a 100 and something days with no run because of the ground and you end up hoping you're not going to leave Cheltenham with egg on your face. It's more relief than anything else."
JP McManus's career in high finance continues to the stuff of legend and jump racing's most famous owner was securing a 28th win here. But the value of victory at the crucible of National Hunt racing was written all over his face. In fact if there was a rival for the happiest man in Gloucestershire just after 2 o'clock yesterday, the only contender was Eddie Harty Senior. The father of the winning trainer was a Grand National-winning jockey on Highland Wedding in 1969 but never managed to ride a winner at the festival. Yesterday's win resonated through the years for him.
"I bought this horse as a foal and named him after my father," he said. "I really wanted him to stay in the yard because of that and JP was the only one willing to meet that condition. I'm delighted for him, and for 'Chocolate'. I couldn't have ridden him better myself!"
Garde Champetre's career has often been an exercise in frustration for his connections but the one-time big money purchase paid back in style when leading home an Irish dominated cross-country chase. Nina Carberry again illustrated her mastery of the track and said: "It went very smoothly. There were a few little mishaps but he was the best horse. They either enjoy it around here or they don't. I was afraid he might pull himself up in front but he didn't."
Thyne Again was best of the Irish in fourth in the Arkle Trophy as Tidal Bay gave his Cork-born rider Denis O'Regan a first festival victory in some style.
Howard Johnson's horse decisively beat Kruguyrova by 13 lengths with the hot favourite Noland only third and the winning trainer said: "This horse will stay three miles. My horses have been a little out of form but some of the horses just weren't good enough. This is good for Inglis Drever on Thursday."
Paul Carberry went close in the William Trophy Chase on Patsy Hall who led at the last only to fade to fourth behind An Accordion. But the Irish jockey made no mistake in the concluding Fred Winter Juvenile Novice Hurdle on board Crack Away Jack. A race billed as a match between Ashkazar and River Liane didn't go to plan with the latter fading after the second last and the favourite failing to cope with Crack Away Jack's late thrust.
