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Massini's Maguire hangs on bravely.
Time heals most ills and 24 hours on from Detroit City's woeful performance in the Champion Hurdle, trainer Philip Hobbs and jockey Richard Johnson bounced back to land the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham with Massini's Maguire. The pair were left bitterly disappointed with the heavily-backed Detroit City's sixth-place finish, while Fair Along had added to their troubles when going under as the 100-30 favourite in the Arkle. But the Somerset team were not down for long and stormed into the winner's enclosure after 20-1 shot Massini's Maguire made all to plunder the first race on day two of the meeting. In yet another race to go the way of the bookmakers, Hobbs' charge sprinted into the lead as the tape went up and his front-running tactics worked a treat as he slickly worked his way round before being joined by Tidal Bay and Catch Me at the second-last. He was not to be outdone and kept boxing on to fend off Tidal Bay by a neck, with Catch Me dropping back to finish a further length and a half adrift. The winner had to survive a stewards' enquiry before being awarded the race, although it transpired officials were looking at the placed runners, with Paddy Brennan aboard Tidal Bay judged to have interfered with Catch Me on the run-in. However, the officials ruled the interference was accidental and took no further action. An elated Hobbs said: "We have had massive disappointment and now massive delight - racing is full of ups and downs. "Having had those two beaten yesterday we thought that was it for Cheltenham this year. "He has to be handy and likes to go wide and he doesn't want to be crowded. "He ended up in front as they hadn't gone too fast and he did it very well. "He always runs well at Cheltenham and wasn't beaten far here by Wichita Lineman, who is favourite for the Brit Insurance on Friday, so why we were 20-1 I don't know. "He has been inconsistent once or twice, but I don't know why as he is genuine. "We bought him with chasing in mind and the aim has always been to go chasing, which we will do next season, but I presume he will go to Aintree next where he will need three miles." Johnson added: "He's done it really well. The opening day didn't really go very well for us and he's had some on and off days, but he's produced it on the right day. "You always want the winning post to come when you're out in front, but the ground has probably dried up a bit and he's a really brave horse. "He's won twice around here now and he kept going up the hill." Owner Graham Wylie said of the Howard Johnson-trained Tidal Bay: "I'm over the moon. It was a great race and he very nearly got there, but they were all good horses." Edward O'Grady, trainer of Catch Me, said: "He's run well, but you're never happy when you're beaten. "We'll have a look now, but I'd say he'll stay hurdling next year." Aran Concerto had been weak in the market beforehand and proved a bitter disappointment for County Meath handler Noel Meade, with the 5-2 favourite jumping poorly and finishing fifth under Tony McCoy. Meade said: "He ran very disappointingly. Tony said he just didn't settle and that if he rode him again he would ride him up there with the pace. "He wouldn't relax today and he fluffed his lines and stumbled 10 strides after the second-last hurdle. "Tony also said he was very babyish and would have been better in the Supreme Novices' yesterday, where they went a much better gallop. "We call where we are standing now the long-faced parade ring, but it's not the end of the world."
