Yorkhill might be returned to hurdles next season after an astonishing, self-destructive performance that cost him what should have been an easy victory in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The chestnut, heralded by Willie Mullins as possessing “huge ability”, jumped violently left at times yet would still have won but for losing ground and momentum with an odd-looking leap at the final fence.
Under little pressure, either from Ruby Walsh in his saddle or from the other horses, Yorkhill jinked to his left, straightened up and seemed to chuck himself over the obstacle in a long, slow parabola. Having been at least two lengths ahead of Road To Respect on the approach, he found himself the same margin behind by the time he and Walsh had collected themselves on the landing side.
There was still time for Yorkhill to taunt those backers who had sent him off at odds of 4-7, finishing so strongly that he would have been a comfortable winner one stride past the line. He still had a neck to make, however, when the Noel Meade-trained Road To Respect reached the post, delivering a first success in this Grade One for Michael O’Leary, who sponsors it through Ryanair.
Yorkhill has a long-established reputation for wilfulness, Mullins pointing out he had bought the horse despite his having run out in his first point to point three years ago. Still, his habit of jumping left has not prevented him from winning at the last two Cheltenham Festivals and his only two defeats have been at tracks that turn to the right, Punchestown last year having been the other.
Bookmakers decided the performance was, on the whole, positive with regard to his chance in next year’s Gold Cup, back at left-handed Cheltenham, and a couple of firms shortened him by a point, with 8-1 the best available. But Mullins seemed more inclined to send the seven-year-old back over the smaller obstacles next term.
“You think a horse will get better with age,” the trainer said, “but over fences it seems to bring it out more in him. Whether he should go back to hurdles … He might be easier to ride over hurdles, it might be a lot easier on jockeys.
“It’s always something I wanted to do anyhow and, just the way this year worked out, I went chasing. I think he’s a real ability over hurdles.
“He looks like either a Champion Hurdle horse or a Gold Cup horse. At home, he seems to jump straight enough.”
Those comments brought a second revision of Yorkhill’s Festival odds as bookmakers sent him up the Champion Hurdle betting lists, where he now sits fourth at a general 16-1 from 25s. But it would be a real pity to see a chaser with such a prodigious engine taking the soft route over the smaller obstacles and perhaps Mullins will reach a similar conclusion in time. The trainer has, after all, never won a Gold Cup, whereas there must be plenty of Champion Hurdle silverware kicking around his Carlow yard.
More immediately, Mullins is trying to retain his title as Ireland’s champion, reason for an extra wince over Yorkhill’s defeat, which cost him €40,000 in prize money. He had the first and second in the card’s other Grade One, albeit not in the order anticipated by punters, when Augusta Kate rallied past Let’s Dance, which closed the gap by €69,000 but Gordon Elliott still has a lead of around €300,000.
Monday’s Irish Grand National will play a key part in determining which man wears the crown and Elliott appears to be throwing everything he has at the race, fielding 10 of the 30 runners. “With a bit of luck, something might run well,” he said, adding that Lord Scoundrel, Noble Endeavour, Bless The Wings and General Principle were his main contenders.
It must be of some concern to Elliott that the red-hot form shown by his runners at the time of the Cheltenham Festival has dissipated and his recent strike-rate is around 10%. He fielded 21 runners for just a single success yesterday.
Mullins can be relied on to finish the season strongly at Punchestown next week and his Haymount is a live contender in Monday’s National, so a late knockout blow from the defending champion remains a distinct possibility.
Chris Cook’s Easter Monday tips
Wolverhampton
12.30 Bahango 1.00 Farook 1.30 Nayyar 2.05 Therthaar 2.40 Oxford Don 3.10 Medahim 3.45 Evanescent
Huntingdon
12.45 Sierra Oscar 1.20 D’Nailor 1.50 I’ll Be Your Clown 2.20 Hestina 2.55 Sir Note 3.30 Shelford 4.05 Hatcher
Fakenham
1.10 Gambol 1.40 Pride Of Parish 2.15 Glimpse Of Gold 2.50 Open Hearted 3.25 Boher Lad 4.00 Man Of Steel 4.35 Sunshade
Plumpton
1.55 Flugzeug 2.25 Most Celebrated 3.00 Perfect Timing 3.35 Holbrook Park 4.10 Lou Vert 4.45 Orions Gold 5.20 Song Of The Night
Chepstow
2.00 Copper Kay 2.30 Rocknrollrambo 3.05 Dolos 3.40 Red Spinner 4.15 Magic Dancer (nap) 4.50 Pawn Star 5.25 You’re A Lady 5.55 Monrocco
Redcar
2.05 Kinloch Pride 2.35 Armandihan 3.10 Scoones 3.45 Wentworth Falls (nb) 4.20 Roller 4.55 Bop It 5.30 Mr Globetrotter 6.00 Scotch Myst
Market Rasen
2.10 Galactic Power 2.45 Pickamix 3.20 Bally Lagan 3.55 Seven Nation Army 4.30 Zarib 5.05 Kayla 5.40 Sultans Pride
