SANCTUAIRE DID prove to be something of a Cheltenham sanctuary for Ruby Walsh when, on a day that tested the champion’s patience to the limit, the horse provided his rider with a record 26th Festival success.
Walsh overhauled Pat Taaffe’s mark in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle, and Sanctuaire’s sauntering victory cost bookmakers plenty and put a smile back on the Irishman’s face.
It had been there at the start of the day too when Walsh’s sister, Katie, recorded an emotional success on Poker di Sivola in the four-mile National Hunt Chase.
But then there was a second-flight fall on Quel Esprit in the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle, followed by a second-last fence exit in the RSA Chase, as Citizen Vic took a fatal fall in front.
Master Minded’s Champion Chase flop did not help Walsh’s mood and, to cap it all, he had to settle for second in the Bumper as Al Ferof couldn’t cope with the 40 to 1 shocker Cue Card.
But long after that catalogue of misfortune is forgotten, the new festival benchmark will still be in place. Typically, though, Walsh was keen to play things down.
“It’s a nice record to break, but I don’t know how long I’ll hold on to it. AP (McCoy) is only four behind!” he said. “Pat Taaffe was born in the same parish as me . . . He was very lucky to ride for Tom Dreaper and I’m very lucky to ride for Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls. That’s what wins records for you, big teams,” Walsh added.
The memory of Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry fighting out the National Hunt Chase finish will resonate more than how both subsequently received four- and five-day whip bans respectively.
Great friends off the course, nothing was asked for or given by either jockey in a dour struggle up the straight that Poker Di Sivola won by over two lengths as Carberry’s mount, Becauseicouldntsee, just failed to overcome the disadvantage of racing on only three shoes.
“I couldn’t believe turning in it was Nina – I thought, ‘Jesus, of all people, not Nina!’ But I put my head down and it’s lucky it has paid off,” Walsh (25), said. “I don’t want to sound soft, but this is the best day of my life. The look in Ruby’s eyes said it all. He knows what it means.”
The Irish winner tally is at five at the halfway mark of the Festival, as Big Zeb’s success was added onto that of Weapons Amnesty, who followed up last year’s Albert Bartlett success with a 10 to 1 victory in the RSA Chase.
A race expected to be dominated by the Nicky Henderson pair, Long Run and Punchestowns, proved far from straight-forward as Punchestowns lost a shoe in the race and could manage only fifth, while Long Run was overwhelmed by Weapons Amnesty in the straight.
It was rich compensation for the Charles Byrnes-Davy Russell team who were out of luck with Solwhit in the Champion Hurdle. Weapons Amnesty, owned by Michael O’Leary, is now as low as 8 to 1 for next year’s Gold Cup.
Dermot Weld’s 7 to 2 favourite Rite Of Passage could manage only third to Peddlers Cross in the Neptune, and there was no joy in the Bumper either as a mammoth gamble on Shot From The Hip came spectacularly unstuck.
John Magnier’s horse could beat only four home as the unconsidered Cue Card provided the home team with just a fourth ever victory in the race.
