Someone must have told the Irish that St Patrick’s Day is celebrated a day earlier than the rest of the world in the Cotswolds.
That’s the logical conclusion on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival as all the winners of the first six races came from over the Irish Sea and they have wrested the impetus from the British horses after being one behind yesterday.
The day got underway in the race that was the original big one at the festival, the 141st running of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, where the fancied Chicago Grey came through with the first win for the Irish.
It got better in the Novice Hurdle, First Lieutenant winning by way of a photo finish after eating away at Rock On Ruby’s lead in the closing stages.
Boston’s Angel should be renamed Dublin’s Angel after prevailing in the RSA Chase, before the big race of the day, The Champion Chase, was won by 10-1 shot Sizing Europe.
16-1 Carlito Brigante gave Ireland their fifth winner of the day in the Coral Cup, and it was left to What A Charm to take the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Ruby Walsh didn’t have anywhere near the day he had on Tuesday riding no winners on the Festival’s second day but he’ll be confident going into the final two days of the meet.
The Festival that continues to create story after story has been very kind to the Irish today at least. Certainly puts pay to all those rumors about the luck of the Irish being gone.
