3 minute read

And Racheal Blackmore adds her name to the women jockeys winning big races with a win in the Gr 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Friday's card started off with a bit of an upset in the Triumph Hurdle when the favourite Sir Erec had to be pulled up and the other fancied runners were back in the pack. The victor was Pentland Hills 20/1 for Henderson-de Boinville with a 3 length margin to Coeur Sublime 20/1 and Gardens of Babylon on 9/1 and Nelson River fourth on 66/1.

The Skeltons won the County Handicap Hurdle Gr 3 with Ch'tibello who beat We Have A Dream 14/1 who was just a head in front of Countister 18/1. Whiskey Sour was fourth and Eclair De Deaufort got ride of his jockey Jack Kennedy.

So we come to the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Gr 1 where Racheal Blackmore got a great run out of Minella Indo 50/1 for trainer Henry de Bromhead. This was her first Gr 1. Commander of Fleet was second with Jack Kennedy able to ride here and Allaho was 7 lengths further back, and Dicky Diver fourth at 14/1.

The Gold Cup looked for a while as if it would be a replay of last year as Native River and Might Bite went head to head for most of the race but then the younger horse, in the form of Al Boun Photo 12/1 went past them and went away, with Annibale Fly and Bristol de Mai fighting it out for third, and Native River digging deep to hold on for fourth whereas Might Bite had done his dash and was pulled up.

This was an incredible night for Willie Mullins and a very excited and happy Paul Townend who is usually considered the No. 2 for Mullins but Al Boun Photo came round the front runners and pressed on to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Presenting Percy the favourite was never in it and then was found to be lame and his saddle had slipped.