Nichols Canyon sees it out best to take Stayers´ 障害物 glory
Ruby Walsh conjured an irresistible run from Nichols Canyon to 否定する the gallant Lil Rockerfeller and 解除する the Sun Bets Stayers’ 障害物, the feature race on the third afternoon of the Cheltenham Festival.
Forming part of a みごたえのある four-timer on the card for Walsh and trainer Willie Mullins, the 10-1 勝利者 was produced with a strong run に向かって the rail to land the spoils for owner Graham Wylie, already a three-time race 勝利者 with the 広大な／多数の／重要な Inglis Drever.
It was only his second 試みる／企てる at three miles, but the seven-year-old showed he had no problem getting the trip.
He was held up in the 早期に 行う／開催する／段階s as 2015 勝利者 Cole Harden 始める，決める a strong pace that had the field 井戸／弁護士席 strung out. When he faded out of 論争, Lil Rockerfeller 始める，決める sail for home, but Nichols Canyon was produced to lead on the run-in and 得点する／非難する／２０ by three-４半期/4分の1s of a length.
Unowhatimeanharry, the 5-6 favourite, was three and a half lengths away in third.
Wylie said: “When I told Willie to buy a horse for me, he rang me up and said ‘I think I’ve 設立する you the next Inglis Drever’.
“He looks like Inglis Drever as he’s only a pony, but he flew up the hill. Ruby told me he’d ride him like that to make sure he got the trip. It wasn’t until approaching the last I thought he might get placed, never mind 勝利，勝つ.
“With the problems with Faugheen and Annie 力／強力にする we thought he’d be a 支持する／優勝者 Hurd le horse, but it hasn’t gone 権利. It’s only been the last two weeks he’s started to show anything, but this is 広大な／多数の／重要な. Willie is a genius.”
Graham Wylie, left, and Ruby Walsh
Mullins said: “It was some 業績／成果. I didn’t 特に think the three miles would 控訴.
“But he learned to settle and Ruby got him settled out the 支援する door and that made a difference. I imagine we were a little fortunate, too, as Ruby （機の）カム over and got the rail and all the other horses were all at sea coming up the middle, but you take what you get.
“He is 堅い, I just thought he would be too keen over that trip. With age, a lot of these horses learn to settle.
“His last bit of work I thought we would change his stable and work rider. いつかs when horses are not doing anything you just change things for the sake of changing them.
Willie Mullins
“He always 作品 a bit dead so we decided to change his 決まりきった仕事 to see if that worked.”
Walsh said: “He’s a little 軍人. He switched off, he jumped and we just crept away. Lil Rockerfeller was 戦う／戦いing 支援する at me but he kept going all the way to the line.”
