More Of That ends Annie’s unbeaten record as Geraghty takes advantage

It is short odds about Barry Geraghty getting a card from JP Manus next Christmas: the price might be longer about Tony McCoy sending one.

Just a couple of days after McCoy picked My Tent Or Yours over Jezki in the Champion Hurdle the perennial British champion jockey got it wrong again for yesterday's Ladbrokes World Hurdle and once more it was Geraghty who made the most of a McManus-owned 'spare' with More Of That ending Annie Power's unbeaten record in style.

McCoy had earlier beaten the pain barrier and won the JLT Novice Chase on another Jonjo O’Neill-trained star in Taquin Du Seuil, the effects of a crashing fall the previous day obvious in nearly every moment he made out of the saddle.

But McCoy has long since learned to compartmentalise pain and the idea of having got it wrong twice in two of the most important races of the season will sicken him more, and for a lot longer, than any physical ache.

Geraghty knows only too well the nag that comes from picking wrong: McCoy benefitted from one of his discards in the Tolworth Hurdle a few weeks ago. He also got reminded of how disaster is always just a jump away when taking a crashing fall of his own off Oscar Whiskey at the very first fence of the JLT.

However, he will try to secure the third Gold Cup of his career on Bobs Worth today in the form of his life.

Gorgeous horse
"It's great. AP was the first to congratulate me. There's no hard feelings," the Meath man said. "This is a gorgeous horse, and still a bit innocent when he got to the front. But he kept going. Annie Power was upsides me but I always thought I had enough in reserve."

More Of That showed the form of his young life yesterday and some inspired support in the market suggests it wasn’t unexpected either despite McCoy’s decision to plump for At Fishers Cross instead.

For a moment on the turn-in McCoy’s judgment looked to be spot on but at the business end of the three-mile slog, it turned into duel between More Of That and Annie Power.

The level of money that had poured onto the unbeaten Irish mare in the betting made that on More Of That look like small change. “Phenomenal” and “monumental” were words used by bookmakers to describe the gamble but those who plunged on Annie Power into 11/8 favourite always had the nagging doubt that she was always racing just a little too generously.

An early pace cut out by Reve De Sivola was even and unyielding and for much of the contest, it was no trouble to Willie Mullins’s star. But the race once known as the Stayers has always been about just that, staying, and once Geraghty pounced on More Of That, his gallant rival had nothing left.

“I don’t have any excuses,” Mullins said afterwards. “She jumped fantastic and they drew right away from the rest. The other horse just got the better of her.”

Ruby Walsh though cut a more frustrated figure and wished he could ride the race again. “She was keen and I didn’t get her 100 per cent switched off,” Annie Power’s rider said.

"I probably got in a battle too early and picked the wrong McManus horse to follow. She stayed alright; the winner stayed better. I just wouldn't mind riding the race again and challenging after the last than at the furlong pole."

Race against time
It was just time that looked to get the better of Walsh's old ally Big Buck's, the former four-time winner, whose return from injury didn't get a fairytale ending as he struggled home in fifth. There was though a feel-good ending to his return to Cheltenham as he was immediately retired.

After a couple of days during which the dangers of serious injury or worse have been highlighted by the deaths of three horses here, accompanied by, it has to be said, some hysterical and opportunistic headlines, the sight of Big Buck’s receiving a warm round of applause in the parade ring while led away warmed even the most sceptical cockle. “Andy (Stewart) and I talked about it and I couldn’t improve him any more on what he’s done today,” said trainer Paul Nicholls. “We won’t ask him to run again as he’s been a wonderful horse and wonderful for racing.”

More Of That is the young gun now and something for McCoy to look forward to in the future. “It was AP’s decision,” grinned the winner’s trainer Jonjo O’Neill. “He believed in his horse and I believed in mine. Barry won this race for me 10 years ago with Iris’s Gift. And he wasn’t too bad, was he!”