|
ALAN O'KEEFFE celebrated his first Cheltenham Festival win on Tuesday and provided Venetia Williams a victory thought out from the Martin Pipe school of thinking when the duo collaborated with Idole First to spring a surprise in the Coral Cup.
The lightly raced six-year-old had been performing with great credit on his four runs this season, finishing sixth in both the Ladbroke and Totesport Hurdle, but it was the step beyond two miles for the first time this campaign that brought out his true worth.
Punters also saw the potential of the 20-year-old rider, although they may have not have reaped the rewards of his faultless ride judging by the relative hush that accompanied the 33-1 winner.
That was put right when O'Keeffe was rewarded with a healthy cheer on dismounting. After all the man from Cork, was just another excuse for the Irish to sing loud and proud, following Moscow Flyer's memorable victory.
"Hopefully it will be a big stepping stone," said the jubilant jockey, who joined Williams from Ferdy Murphy after a lack of opportunities in the north.
"It's a great moment as my family are here from Cork - I don't have any rides tomorrow so I think I'll be out in Cheltenham tonight!"
O'Keeffe, second on Luzcadou in Tuesday's Sporting Index Chase, had to work hard on the winner, who worked his way into contention to give himself a chance coming down the hill and a fine leap at the last sealed his victory from what for a long way looked the winner-elect in Dancing Bay.
Williams said: "I'm stunned because it's something we planned for, we'd been talking about Cheltenham for a long time and for it to actually happen is incredible. He was a very good horse last year but it's taken time for it all to happen for him."
When asked what it was like to be back in the winner's enclosure at the Festival, she responded: "It's absolutely fabulous, anyone will tell you that - but it's definitely true."
The smiles were just as wide from the owner Dean Shakespeare, who uses O'Keeffe for all their horses, but the grins may have been matched by the grimaces of the Jockey Club. His failure to provide telephone records in connection with the Wild Power controversy has caused racing's rulers much frustration.
Of the runner-up, who travels like a Ferrari but doesn't always find like one, Henderson said: "He ran a great race, he'll step up to three miles now and he'll run again on the Flat this year."
Back in third was Irish raider Tumbling Dice, whose trainer Tom Taaffe said: "I said to everyone all week, this was the each-way bet of the week.
He may head for Punchestown, as might fourth home Covent Garden. Trainer Howard Johnson said: "He got going too late and was flying at the finish. He's better right-handed and I still believe there's a big handicap in him." |