RACING: Thari's unlikely victory at Fairyhouse yesterday proved yet again that picking the outsider of three is not a policy to be sniffed at.
The build-up to the Powers Gold Cup might have contained phrases such as "non-event" and "cake-walk" but the final day highlight was far from predictable.
Adamant Approach went off a long odds-on favourite and it was his stable companion One Night Out that shaded Thari in the betting for second best.
Sure enough on the run to the second last fence, Ruby Walsh was looking around on the favourite. But then the complexion of the race changed completely.
Adamant Approach seemed to slip into the fence and took a heavy fall. If trainer Willie Mullins was stunned by that, his mood can't have been helped by One Night Out being hampered by the faller.
Suddenly a race that had looked Mullins's to carve up was at the mercy of Thari and Paul Carberry drove him clear to a three lengths success.
"I think we'd have won anyway!" grinned Noel Meade who was winning the prestigious Grade One prize for the first time.
"It's happened before in this race with favourites getting beat or falling at the second last and the fences are there to be jumped.
"I was asked about my chances before the race and I said I'd rather back mine at 6 to 1 than the other horse at 2 to 7. They have to get around and they're only novices," he added.
As for there only being three runners for an a80,000 pot, Meade pointed to the a500 final forfeit as a possible reason.
"That's pretty hefty a week before. Maybe that's something that should be looked at," he said before explaining that Thari's victory would be a tonic to owner Des Sharkey who fell ill at the weekend.
Mullins reported that Adamant Approach was "sore but alright" after his fall while Walsh explained: "His hind legs went from under him." Carberry doubled up afterwards in the conditions hurdle with an outstanding ride on Swordplay.
The Michael O'Brien-trained winner pulled hard early and at half way Carberry decided to send him to the front. The opposition were queuing up at the turn in but Swordplay kicked again to score decisively.
However, the champion jockey's luck ran out in the Gold Label Handicap Final. He took a crashing fall from Blue and was stood down from riding until Saturday with extensive bruising.
The race went to High Prospect who only joined trainer Paul Nolan from Pat Hughes's yard three months ago.
"I just hope to God he will be sound in the morning because he would like easier ground," said Co Wexford-based Nolan.
"The Galway Hurdle is a possible target but there is no point hyping him up for something he might not be able to run in. Instead we might wait for the winter and a race like the Pierse," he added.
There was a 16 to 1 quote for the 2004 Supreme Novices Hurdle from Cashmans after the west Cork-trained Newmill won the Goffs Land Rover Bumper.
Clonakilty-based Thomas O'Leary was third last year with Scarthy Lad behind the star duo, Hardy Eustace and Central House, but made no mistake this time.
"This one was putting it up to Scarthy on the gallops but we've had a couple of setbacks with the cough. But Philip Fenton rode him in a school and said we'd win this year," O'Leary said.
Polaris Flame won the Joseph O'Reilly Cup for the second time in her career and in the process the hunter became the first horse to carry cheek pieces to success in Ireland.
Jaquouille might have started favourite for the opener but the money in the ring was for Warrens Castle and the money was right.
"He disappointed us all winter but he obviously needs the better ground. We'll keep him going through the summer: there'll be no May grass for him!" said Willie Mullins.
Barry Geraghty guided Native Commander to a seven-length victory from Galway Breeze in the two-mile chase and Penny Fiction sprang a 25 to 1 shock in the bumper from Celestial Light.
