Five strides decided the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the three which swept
Azertyuiop majestically clear turning for home and the two that sent Moscow
Flyer crashing into the fourth last.
Some pundits placed the blame firmly
on Barry Geraghty, for asking his mount an impossible question. That is
harsh. He was a jockey under pressure.
Geraghty knew that underneath him
was a horse who had not found the same rhythm that had swept him to Arkle
and Champion Chase glory in the last two seasons.
He was being outjumped
too.
Azertyuiop was exposing the champion's one known weakness and had he
sat and suffered, the jockey knew his main rival would have been five or six
lengths ahead of him.
He gambled, ended up on the Prestbury Park turf and
we were left to rejoice in the winner's power-packed display.
This
mattered to Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh after Tuesday's team failed to
fire. It showed. Just look at the rider's pose crossing the line.
The way
he came clear of the admirable Flagship Uberalles oozed class, a worthy
champion and at the age of seven a relatively young one too.
Favourite to
retain his title next year, let's hope this is the start of a long rein at
the top.
Moscow Flyer will be back too – but as an 11-year-old – and there
was a genuine sense of a major shift of power in the packed
stands.
Nicholls could have a remarkable second string to his Champion
Chase bow in 2005.
How we laughed as Venn Ottery began to collapse in
price for this year's renewal. There was public ridicule of Ladbrokes for
going only 25-1 after he beat two out-of-form rivals in a moderate Newbury
handicap.
But three out he was running away behind his esteemed
stablemate. It was only after the second last that the tank emptied, very
quickly too, lending to suspicions that his suspect wind had again
failed.
Nicholls believes that if this is sorted he is not far behind the
winner but that is a fairly big if.
Then there is the relationship between
trainer and owner. It has seemed from the outside to become strained in the
run up to this race.
The horse belongs to Oliver Carter, it is his right
to do whatever he sees fit with him.
But the best chance of his beloved
gelding fulfilling his potential is to let Nicholls have free rein. It will
be fascinating to see how this story unfolds.
Earlier on the card
Fundamentalist won the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle for a popular
local team.
Carl Llewellyn and Nigel Twiston-Davies have had it tough for
a couple of seasons now but here they have a horse to hitch their wagon
to. A Gold Cup dream is born.
A word too on Rhinestone Cowboy, a gallant
third under his big weight in the Coral Cup.
He seemed to relish the step
up in trip – as those most closely associated with the horse had expected –
but where does he go now?
Connections clearly feel he falls below the best
at two miles but will he stay three and eventually test his mettle against
the top stayers?
They are questions. On Wednesday the most definitive
answer came from Azertyuiop.
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