Flat Stars Sparkle At Cheltenham

By Emma Berry 
He's won Classics in Britain, Ireland, America and Italy, not to mention two Melbourne Cups; but, like many in Irish racing, Dermot Weld can't resist a tilt at some of jump racing's biggest prizes, and his training skills were demonstrated once more at Cheltenham with the rousing victory of Windsor Park (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle. 
Owned by Dr. Ronan Lambe–who last year tasted Cheltenham glory with the Weld-trained Silver Concorde (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in the Champion Bumper as well as Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Lord Windermere (Ire) (Oscar {Ire})–the 6-year-old has won his only two starts under Flat rules and may yet be seen back under that code this summer. 
Weld, who trains six jumpers alongside his Flat string on the Curragh, said, “He's a very versatile horse. He raced five times last year and won five times. He has done everything right and he's a joy to train. He could be entered for the [G1] Gold Cup [at Ascot] and we will review it–today was the day though. We probably first thought of this a year ago. It's a unique atmosphere, a unique occasion and I am very fortunate to win here.” 
While Dr. Lambe countered that the Ascot Gold Cup could be aiming a little high for Windsor Park, on pedigree he has every reason to be considered for classy contests on the level, for not only is he a son of the champion sire but his dam, Blissful (Mr Prospector), is a sister to GI Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. 
His trainer added, “He's a very nice young horse, hopefully he has many years to come and will be a lovely dual-purpose horse. He's a stayer with speed and I think he'll want two miles on the Flat. We'll see where we go. Punchestown will be a logical progression although there are a couple of Flat conditions races that we could look at. He could go chasing in the future, he could be a World Hurdle horse next year or he could stay on the Flat–he's pretty adaptable.” 
Sadler's Wells and his sire sons have long produced high-profile jumps winners, but proving that he's not to be outdone by his Flat championship rival Galileo is Dubawi (Ire), who gained a first major Cheltenham Festival success on Wednesday via his son Dodging Bullets (GB) in the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase. 
The race was arguably the most hotly anticipated contest of the week, featuring as it did the previous 
two winners, Sire De Grugy (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}) and Sprinter Sacre (Fr) (Network {Ger}). Neither had enjoyed a clear run into this year's contest, however, and before the field even turned for home both horses were being driven to stay in contention while Dodging Bullets, coming into the race on the back of two Grade 1 victories over fences, cruised ominously under Sam Twiston-Davies. Jumping the final two obstacles in tandem with long-time leader Special Tiara (GB)(Kayf Tara {GB}), the 7-year-old fended off a last-gasp challenge from the admirable veteran Somersby (Ire) (Second Empire {Ire}) to gain the second of three wins on the day for champion trainer Paul Nicholls and an important feature-race victory for Britain. 
Adding a little sparkle to the winner's enclosure was Dodging Bullets' breeder, Frankie Dettori, who had entered fully into the Cheltenham spirit by donning a brown trilby and three-piece suit. The leading Flat jockey was full of praise for his jumping counterpart Sam Twiston-Davies as he embraced him post-race and declared he had given the winner the perfect ride. 
“Sam was very tactically astute and saved ground all the way. The horse jumped like a stag and was gutsy all the way to the line–it was just so exciting to watch,” said Dettori, who partnered Dodging Bullets' sire in all bar one of his eight starts, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas. 
He continued, “I have to admit I was pretty nervous. I watched the race with his owners and my legs felt like they were shaking a little bit as I came down the stairs. This horse was bred to win a Derby but he wasn't very correct. He was sold pretty cheaply as a yearling but he's more than made up for it now.” 
The 8,000gns Tattersalls December Sale purchase, who is out of the unraced Kris S. mare Nova Cyngi, won twice on the Flat for trainer Andy Oliver before being sold privately to his current syndicate, which includes former British Horseracing Authority chairman Martin Broughton. 
After two days of the Festival, Ireland still holds the advantage with eight wins to Britain's six. Another Grade 1 success for Willie Mullins with Don Poli (Ire) 
(Poliglote {GB}) in the RSA Chase brought up the first part of a double for that horse's owner, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary of Gigginstown House Stud, which was completed by Rivage d'Or (Fr) (Visionary {Fr}) in the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase for trainer Tony Martin. 
Adding to the Nicholls trio of home wins was a scorching success for Moon Racer (Ire) (Saffron Walden {Fr}) in the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper–the only race of the meeting which is run on the flat for young jumps prospects. The David Pipe-trained 6-year-old was bought for £225,000 ($335,000) last April, five days after making a winning debut in Ireland and he is now unbeaten in three starts. 
In yesterday's 'who's who' from the Guinness Village, the TDN's publisher Barry Weisbord was omitted from the list, but we have been reliably informed that he has enjoyed his first visit to the Festival, as well as meeting some of the cast of Downton Abbey. Also spotted at the races on Wednesday was Keeneland's Irish-born Director Of Sales Geoffrey Russell, who makes an annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham. 

Sheikh Fahad In the Hunt for Cheltenham Glory… 
The St James's Palace Foxhunter Chase, the most prestigious event in the amateur jump jockeys' calendar that is run directly after Friday's Cheltenham Gold Cup, was given an interesting twist with the announcement that Sheikh Fahad Al Thani has purchased one of the leading fancies, Current Event (Fr) (Muhtahtir {GB}). 
The 8-year-old, who was formerly in the care of Britain's champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls, is now trained in the point-to-point field by Nicholls' employee Rose Loxton and will carry Pearl Bloodstock's yellow and blue-starred silks for his appearance at Cheltenham with rider Bryony Frost. He will not be the first runner for Sheikh Fahad at the Festival, as he formerly owned the multiple dual-purpose winner Vulcanite (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) prior to the gelding's sale to JP McManus. 
Away from the glare of Cheltenham, Sheikh Fahad has a significant runner today at Chelmsford City when his 2.5 million-guineas yearling purchase Hydrogen (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) lines up for the second start of his career in the 10-furlong maiden at 6.10 p.m. (GMT, 1:10 p.m. Eastern). The 4-year-old made his debut last May at Newmarket, finishing sixth of nine runners when contesting a mile-and-a-half maiden.