Already a subscriber? Log in
It was still, however, one of those glorious, emotional days peculiar to the winter sport. I have long admired Simon Hunt’s chaser The Giant Bolster, trained by the battered former jump jockey David Bridgwater. After a good showing in his prep race over hurdles at Chepstow, I was convinced he would win the Paddy Power. So was his trainer, but The Giant Bolster fell at the first, not the only occasion on which his jumping has let him down.
On Saturday in the Murphy Group Handicap Chase, rider Tom Scudamore sent him off in front. The Giant Bolster thought about it a bit for the first three fences then decided he could do it. He galloped his rivals into submission, coming home 17 lengths clear. The Cheltenham crowd know character as well as horses and ‘Bridgy’, who runs a small family yard at Stow-on-the-Wold with his wife and brother, is woven into the jumping community. Horse, trainer and jockey were cheered into the winners’ enclosure as if they had won the Gold Cup, and to add to the family atmosphere Tom’s two pretty little daughters had their own photo call, too. Do they get Maltesers every time Daddy rides a winner?
‘I thought he was a good thing today. Nailed on,’ said Bridgy. ‘I know you had to be a brave man to say that but at home he jumps everything — poles, barrels, tyres — and even I can’t get him to make a mistake. Mind you, I was worried that if he’d turned over again people would have started crabbing him.’
The fall in the Paddy Power, he said, had turned their season upside down. ‘We’ve been playing catch-up ever since. But this is a good horse; they stick out like a sore thumb when you get them.’ We all wanted to be part of the celebration. Cheltenham’s managing director, Edward Gillespie, told Bridgy, ‘I’m proud of you.’ Channel 4’s Alastair Down said simply, ‘Hooray — there is a God.’ We can only hope the handicapper doesn’t murder him now.
That, of course, is what has been happening to the winning trainer in the next race. After last season I urged readers to watch the up-and-coming 31-year-old Neil Mulholland but lately there have been fewer ups: the handicapper now has in his grasp the cheap horses he improved last season. ‘With cars you can change your oil or tyres. I can’t change my horses’ legs.’
The best animal Neil has is the Cheltenham-loving Midnight Chase, who was fifth in last year’s Gold Cup and who won the big race of the day, the Argento Chase. Jockey Dougie Costello got Midnight Chase into a beautiful rhythm and he, too, led all the way. He’ll go for the Gold Cup again — what else could Neil and owner Lady Clarke possibly do? — and Neil understandably grew a little spiky when the media pointed out the absence of Kauto Star and Long Run from Saturday’s race. Being negative, he argued, is the trouble with racing, why not enjoy to-day? Midnight Chase beat what turned up and that included horses as good as Time For Rupert, Diamond Harry and Tidal Bay. ‘As for Gold Cup Day, we’re the underdogs. If Kauto Star and Long Run turn up we will be hoping for third. But the horse loves the track and he has the form to run.’
Both horse and trainer have the right attitude. Good luck to both on the big day. And Festival-bound too, of course, is the other hero who raised the cheers on Saturday: Paul Nicholls’s Big Buck’s, the World Hurdle favourite who was winning his 15th consecutive race over the smaller obstacles. As usual he gave his admirers a flutter of alarm on the way, running into a flat patch as Dynaste opened up a lead and forcing Ruby Walsh to get to work at the top of the hill. Heroes we love, slightly fallible heroes we love even more.
Also in Society
Latest
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in