RECORD CROWD ON PADDY POWER GOLD CUP DAY @cheltenhamraces

 

RECORD CROWD ON PADDY POWER GOLD CUP DAY

Ian Renton, the Jockey Club's regional director for the south-west, expressed his delight after a new record crowd of 34,869 attended a thrilling Paddy Power Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham this afternoon.

The attendance figure was 1,760 up on the 2012 total of 33,109 and Renton was pleased that the record crowd was treated to a 'fantastic' day's racing.

"We're delighted that a new record crowd was in attendance on Paddy Power Gold Cup day," said Renton.

"It's been a fantastic day, we've had some wonderful racing and some great local winners."

TREMENDOUS CROWD OF 34,869

A tremendous crowd of 34,869 attended a thrilling Paddy Power Gold Cup Day at Cheltenham today.

The attendance figure was 1,760 up on the 2012 total of 33,109, while 32,700 were present n 2011 and 29,371 in 2010.

SPONSOR REACTION

Paddy Power said: "That result of the Paddy Power Gold Cup was no good - the winner was 16/1 when we first put him in the market and then returned at 7/1.

"Our anguish was compounded, as one of the only firms to go five places each-way, when the popular Rajdhani Express filled that berth."

NO CHANGE TO GOING AHEAD OF OPEN SUNDAY

Simon Claisse, head of racing and clerk of the course at Cheltenham, expects there to be no change to the going ahead of Open Sunday, the third and final day of The Open meeting.

"The going remains Good, Good to Soft in places and I think the clock has confirmed that throughout the day," said Claisse.

"The overnight forecast is for a dry night so I expect the ground on Sunday to be riding very similar to conditions this afternoon."

THE GOVANESS DOESN'T NEED TEACHING

The final race of the day at Cheltenham fell to 25/1 shot The Govaness, who beat Lily Waugh by one and a half lengths.

The four-year-old Kayf Tara filly was providing trainer Fergal O'Brien with a 376/1 course double, after  Alvarado took the Murphy Group Handicap Chase earlier in the afternoon. And he also scored with Gunner Fifteen in the bumper at Uttoxeter.

"To have a treble on a Saturday makes it a great day," said O'Brien. "I know it's a cliche, but I'm just a small cog in a big wheel. I'm not easy to work with when things aren't going right but the team at home are very good."

He thinks a lot of The Govaness, who won first time out at Towcester in April but could only finish fifth at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting last month.

"We loved her from day one," he said. "She came here last time when my horses weren't quite right and she wasn't fully fit. But [jockey] Paddy Brennan said to bring her back here, and he's ridden exactly the same race and she's done it very well."

Brennan added: "She's exceptional."

4.05pm Ukash Mares' Standard Open NH Flat Race (Listed)

£20,000 total prize fund. For 4-6yo fillies and mares, which have not run under any recognised Rules of Racing, except NH/INH Flat races or French AQPS Flat races, 2m 110y. Weights: 11st. Penalties: a winner of a Class 1 race 4lb. Penalty value 1st £11,390.00 2nd £4,274.00 3rd £2,140.00 4th £1,066.00 5th £536.00 6th £268.00

1) THE GOVANESS (C Brookes) Fergal O'Brien 4-11-00 Paddy Brennan 28/1

2) LILY WAUGH (IRE) (Go To War) Anthony Honeyball 6-10-11 Rachael Green (3) 14/1

3) LEGACY GOLD (IRE) (Roger Brookhouse) David Pipe 5-11-04 Tom Scudamore 3/1

4) CABARET GIRL (Dillie Keane) Jonjo O'Neill 6-11-00 Robert Thornton

5) MAYFAIR MUSIC (IRE) (Bunny Roberts) Nicky Henderson 4-11-00 Barry Geraghty

6) SUPREME BAILERINA (IRE) (Supreme Horse Racing Club) Willie Mullins IRE IRE 5-11-00 Paul Townend 15/8 Fav

7) BULL AND BUSH (IRE) (W Harrison-Allan) Alan King 4-11-00 Wayne Hutchinson

8) WYFIELD ROSE (Mrs Nicholas Jones & Friends) Jamie Snowden 4-11-00 Noel Fehily

9) SUNDAY SERENADE (IRE) (M Moloney) Peter Fahey IRE 5-11-00 A P McCoy

10) WELCOMETOTHEJUNGLE (Withyslade) Keiran Burke 5-11-00 Sam Twiston-Davies

11) LAND OF VIC (W Hill) Peter Bowen 5-11-00 Donal Devereux

12) FAIRYTALE THEATRE (IRE) (Robin Geffen) Paul Nicholls 6-11-00 Daryl Jacob

13) VILJA (IRE) (Brian Kilpatrick) David Pipe 4-11-00 Conor O'Farrell

14) A SHADE OF BAY (The Real Partnership) Kim Bailey 5-11-00 Sam Thomas

15) HANDMAID (Patrick Burling Developments) Peter Bowen 4-11-00 Jamie Moore

15 ran 

Non-runners: Flementime (Self Cert - Lame), Princess Bella (Self Cert - Rash)

Distances: 1½, 2, 5, ½, 2½, nse, 1¼, sh, ½, 1½, 2¼, 5, hd, 20

Breeder: C Brookes      Breeding: b f Kayf Tara - Just Kate (Bob´s Return (IRE))

Tote     Win £40.30      Place £6.70 £3.10 £2.10          Exacta £416.20

Winning Trainer: FERGAL O'BRIEN Born: Limerick, 1972 Based: Cilldara Stud, Fossebridge, Gloucestershire Background: Attended the Racing School in Newmarket in 1989, and was sent to work for Tim Forster. After three years, he joined private trainer Colin Cowley before moving to Nigel Twiston-Davies'. He spent 19 years at Grange Hill, including 17 as Head Lad. Took out a full licence in September, 2011. Champion Point-to-Point Trainer in the West Midlands area for four seasons. Big Race Wins: Murphy Group Handicap Chase (2013 Alvarado), Ukash Mares' Standard Open NH Flat Race (2013 The Govaness) Wins (2011/12-2012/13): 11; 28; Wins This Season: 31

Winning Jockey: Paddy J Brennan Born: Ardrahan, Galway,April 13, 1981 Background: Brennan spent the summer of 1995 working for County Kildare handler Gerry Stack before embarking on a five season apprenticeship with the leading Irish trainer Jim Bolger, for whom he rode eight winners. The first of those came on Ivory Isle at Gowran Park in August, 1998. He became too heavy and tall for the Flat and moved to Paul Nicholls' stable as a conditional jockey in 2001. He stayed there for two and a half years, riding winners for Nicholls and Jeff King, before joining Philip Hobbs in the 2003/4 season as one of that yard's conditionals. Brennan was appointed as retained rider to owners Andrea and Graham Wylie for the 2006/7season after dropping by trainer Howard Johnson's County Durham yard for a cup of tea and toast. He rewarded those connections when guiding Inglis Drever to victory in the 2007 Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham. Brennan, who wanted to return to the south of England, left Johnson at the end of the 2006/07 season and joined Naunton-based handler Nigel Twiston-Davies at the start of the 2007/08 campaign. He ended that association at the end of the 2010/11 season and now rides primarily for Tom George and Fergal O'Brien. Cheltenham Festival Wins (6): Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (2010 Imperial Comander), Johnny Henderson Grand Annual (2010 Pigeon Island), Ryanair Chase (2009 Imperial Commander), Pertemps Final (2008 Ballyfitz), Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle (2006 Shamayoun), Ladbrokes World Hurdle (2007 Inglis Drever) First Winner: Ivory Isle (Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap, Gowran Park, August 12, 1998) Aintree Festival Wins: totesport Bowl (2011 Nacarat),John Smith's Topham Chase (2009 Irish Raptor), John Smith's Manifesto Novices' Chase (2009 Tartak), Citroen C5 Sefton Novices' Hurdle (2008 Petitfour), John Smith's Citroen C4 Picasso Mersey Novices' Hurdle (2007 Tidal Bay), John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase (Ashley Brook 2005), John Smith's Extra Smooth Handicap Hurdle (2006 Wellbeing), John Smith's Aintree Hurdle (2010 Khyber Kim), Betfred Bowl Chase (Nacarat 2011)   Other Big Race Wins: Scottish Grand National (2009 Hello Bud), Paddy Power Gold Cup (2008 Imperial Commander), Racing Post Hurdle (2009 Khyber Kim, 2012 Olofi), Betfair Chase (2010 Imperial Commander) Number of Wins (2000/01-2012/13): 3;9; 15; 19; 67* (*Champion Conditional Jockey); 60; 80; 104; 84; 67; 78; 82; 63  Wins This Season: 40

Thomas Pink Leading Jockey Award

Name    1st   2nd   3rd

Barry Geraghty   1   1   1

A P McCoy    1   1   1

Paddy Brennan   1   -   1

Noel Fehily    1   -   1

Ian Popham   1   -   1

James Best   1   -   -

Richard Johnson   1   -   -

Mr Michael Legg   1   -   -

Richie McLernon   1   -   -

Paul Moloney   1   -   -

Charlie Poste   1   -   -

Mark Quinlan   1   -   -

Ruby Walsh   1   -   -

Tom O'Brien   -   2   -

Leighton Aspell   -   1   -

Mr Harry Bannister  -   1   -

Bryan Cooper   -   1   -

Harry Derham   -   1   -

Jan Faltejsek   -   1   -

Rachel Green   -   1   -

Wayne Hutchinson  -   1   -

Mr Patrick Mullins  -   1   -

Joe Tizzard    -   1   -

Daryl Jacob   -   -   3

Tom Scudamore   -   -   2

Mr Jamie Bargary  -   -   1

Andrew McNamara  -   -   1

Denis O'Regan   -   -   1

Leading Trainer

Name    1st   2nd   3rd

Jonjo O'Neill   2   1   1

Philip Hobbs   2   1   -

Fergal O'Brien   2   -   1

Nicky Henderson   1   1   1

Emma Lavelle   1   1   -

Colin Tizzard   1   1   -

Martin Keighley   1   -   1

Robin Dickin   1   -   -

Nigel Hawke   1   -   -

Tony Martin IRE   1   -   -

Paul Nicholls   -   1   3

Kim Bailey    -   1   -

Ben Case    -   1   -

George Charlton   -   1   -

Anthony Honeyball  -   1   -

Dessie Hughes IRE  -   1   -

Willie Mullins IRE   -   1   -

Richard Woollacott  -   1   -

David Pipe    -   -   2

Rebecca Curtis   -   -   1

John Ferguson   -   -   1

John Hanlon IRE   -   -   1

Nigel Twiston-Davies  -   -   1