Champion Hurdle
Hurricane Fly, the winner in 2011 and
2013, started 11/4 favourite to complete a hat-trick at the age of
ten but, while he travelled well for much of the way, but proved
vulnerable to younger legs in the closing stages. The finish was
dominated by horses owned by John P. McManus, with Jezki, trained by
Jessica Harrington and ridden by Barry Geraghty, edging out My Tent
Or Yours, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by A.P. McCoy, by a
neck. The race was overshadowed by the death of Our Conor, who was
humanely euthanised after injuring his back when falling at the third
flight.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
In the absence of reigning champion
Sprinter Sacre, sidelined with an irregular heartbeat, 11/4 favourite
Sire De Grugy, trained by Gary Moore and ridden by his son, Jamie,
ran out a comfortable 6-length winner from Somersby, with the
fast-finishing Module just a neck behind in third. Second favourite
Captain Conan was never travelling after a slow jump at the fifth
fence and was pulled up lame two fences later.
Stayers’ Hurdle
Four-time winner Big Buck’s, who’d
missed the whole of 2013, was back, as an 11-year-old, for one “last
hurrah”, but could do no better than fifth, beaten 13½ lengths,
behind the winner, More Of That, and was promptly retired. Annie
Power finished second, beaten 1½ lengths, and At Fishers Cross –
owned, like the winner, by J.P. McManus – third, beaten a further 6
lengths.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup produced a
thrilling finish, with less than 2 lengths covering the first four
home and the winner, Lord Windermere, having to survive a stewards’
inquiry. The 20/1 outsider, trained by Jim Culloty and ridden by Davy
Russell, hung badly right in the closing stages, impeding runner-up
On His Own, who was only a short head behind at the line. The Giant
Bolster finished third, just three-quarters of length further behind.
Jim Culloty, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times as a jockey
on Best Mate, became one of just a handful of men to have ridden and
trained a winner of the race.
