A review of the rest of Thursday afternoon's action at Cheltenham as Mrs Milner struck for Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet at 14/1 in the Pertemps Final.
Milner strikes for Value Bet
MRS MILNER struck for Matt Brocklebank's Value Bet at 14/1 in the Pertemps Final as Paul Nolan's mare ran away with the handicap hurdle by five lengths.
Nolan has won at the Festival before, as his Noble Prince won at this meeting a decade ago, and his small County Wexford yard will be celebrating again after this stunning victory.
It looked wide open two from home, but Mrs Milner was travelling well under Bryan Cooper and she stormed away from her rivals up the hill.
Friday’s Value Bet now live including two at huge prices in the County Hurdle. Best of luck!https://t.co/etXo24jtrv
— Matt Brocklebank (@MattBrocklebank) March 18, 2021
The gambled-on The Bosses Oscar - sent off as the 100/30 favourite - went after Mrs Milner after the last, but he didn't make serious inroads and had to settle for second from Come On Teddy with Milliner fourth.
Sky Bet paid seven places on the race and positions fifth to seventh were filled by Champagne Platinum, Ask Dillon and Dandy Mag in chronological order.
It was Cooper's ninth Festival success and he said: "I had to sit and suffer. I was in no panic, I knew I stayed well and the loose horse helped me out.
"She put down at the second, so she learnt from her fall, she was good.
“It’s great, I can tell you it’s been a lonely couple of years walking out of this place without any winners when you get used to riding them.
“I can’t thank these men enough, Paul and James Nolan, they stood by me for the last three or four years and gave me some stuff when I didn’t have any.
“It’s a pity they can’t be here, the owners (Manverton Limited) – you might not have heard of them, but they put a lot of money into the game and this will mean a lot to them.”
Telme' shines for golden girl Blackmore
Rachael Blackmore strengthened her lead in the race to be top jockey at Cheltenham with victory on TELMESOMETHINGGIRL in the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
It was her fifth of the week and second on the day after winning the Ryanair Chase on Allaho, taking her overall tally to eight. In reaching that number, Blackmore took over from Nina Carberry as the most successful female rider in the history of the Festival.
🏆5⃣ Rachael Blackmore's FIVE winners takes her Cheltenham Festival tally to a record-breaking eight!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) March 18, 2021
🥇Honeysuckle (2021)
🥇Allaho (2021)
🥇Telmesomethinggirl (2021)
🥇Bob Olinger (2021)
🥇Sir Gerhard (2021)
🥇Honeysuckle (2020)
🥇A Plus Tard (2019)
🥇 Minella Indo (2019)
Like Allaho and Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, Telmesomethinggirl was trained by Henry de Bromhead. The County Waterford-based trainer was also responsible for the runner-up Magic Daze, who made the running and did not give up when headed.
However, Robbie Power’s mount had no answer to the finishing flourish of Telmesomethinggirl (5/1).
Bounding up the hill, the six-year-old took the Grade Two contest by five and a half lengths from her stablemate. Mighty Blue was a length and a half away in third place.
Blackmore's remarkable record-breaking week could well continue on Friday as she bids to become the first female to not only win the Gold Cup - when she rides A Plus Tard - but also top the Cheltenham Festival jockey standings. She currently leads by two from Jack Kennedy.
Bonus landed for The Shunter
THE SHUNTER landed the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase - and a £100,000 bonus after winning the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso earlier this month - for Emmet Mullins at Cheltenham on Thursday.
Given a cool ride by 20-year-old 7lb claimer Jordan Gainford, The Shunter was in front rank throughout and tanked through this despite losing ground at some of his fences.
Mullins had five handicap options for him at this meeting, but chose the handicap chase route where he escaped a penalty for his recent victory in Scotland.
The Shunter was banned for 60 days in July of last year for a running and riding charge after finishing fourth in a maiden hurdle at Tipperary, but has won five races since then - including the Greatwood Hurdle at this course in November.
Gainford said: “It’s unbelievable, something you can’t describe and it’s a feeling I’ve never had before.
“Emmet said to jump off smart and if they weren’t going hard enough to be positive but we shouldn’t have that problem.
“He thought the step up in trip would suit. He tends to do his own little thing so going to the last I let him pop then he battled hard from the last.
“I spoke to Davy Russell through the week and he filled me with confidence and I must thank Barry O’Neill (champion amateur jockey) and Colin Bowe (leading point-to-point trainer).
“I didn’t know I’d got the ride until declaration time so I owe my agent Gary Cribbin a lot. I’m 20 and ride for Colin three days a week and at Cullentra House three times a week.”
Mullins said: “It is probably no great reflection on me, but at the time I thought he had to go for a beginners’ chase at Punchestown in September. To go from there, via the Greatwood and Kelso, it’s been an unbelievable journey.
“We booked Jordan because he’s catching everyone’s attention, the owner was fairly insistent on claiming 7lb and at that Jordan was the only option. He showed why today.
“We went to Kelso as I thought it would be easier on the horse than the County Hurdle here, and Kelso was a huge pot in its own right.
“We got that one right and it’s just fallen into place since. You wouldn’t know how far he could go, what we see on the track is as wise as I can be, he doesn’t set the world alight at home but we don’t ask him to do much, the less the better.
“I wouldn’t know what’s next, we haven’t thought beyond this, but I’m sure his owner will pull another rabbit out of the hat.”
👀 £101 was matched on Mount Ida at 999/1 in-running #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/SA98pvXoxo
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 18, 2021
Ida wouldn't have believed it!
MOUNT IDA – another for Ireland – put up an amazing performance to come from last to first and claim the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (sponsored by the JRL Group).
Leading two out in the hands of Jack Kennedy, the 3/1 favourite gradually went clear to give Denise Foster a second Festival winner after taking over the licence at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House Stables.
Mount Ida was almost detached from the rest of the field in the early stages of the three-and-a-quarter-mile stamina test, but she got going on the final circuit.
She made stealthy progress and was cantering turning for home. Kennedy made sure she finished off the job and his mount did it in style to win by six and a half lengths from Cloudy Glen. Shantou Flyer was three-quarters of a length away in third. Hold The Note was a further 13 lengths back in fourth.
Rachael Blackmore came down on Plan Of Attack at the third-last fence when holding every chance.
Kennedy told Racing TV: "I think it was a bit of a shock to the system for her. She'd been running in small fields and there was a ferocious gallop on down over the first couple and she got a bit of a fright.
"To be fair to her she started jumping and creeping her way into it and even though I was tailed off at one point I still ended up getting there too soon.
"I was thinking if things don't start going right fairly soon, I probably wouldn't have had any choice other than to pull her up. Luckily after that thought went through my mind she started jumping straighter and a bit quicker, she was brilliant after that.
“It was a massive thrill, especially after the day I’d had, probably one of the most satisfactory winners I’ve had.”
