Racing

Kennedy and Blackmore follow Cheltenham success with Thurles wins

Kennedy still on ‘cloud nine’ after Gold Cup victory about Minella Indo on Friday

File photo of Jack Kennedy winning on board Commander Of Fleet at Leopardstown in 2019. Photo: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Sat Mar 20 2021 - 17:14

Jack Kennedy is still “on cloud nine” following his WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup victory aboard Minella Indo.

The 21-year-old steered Henry de Bromhead’s charge to a length-and-a-quarter verdict over stablemate A Plus Tard in the Festival showpiece on Friday.

He was back in action at Thurles on Saturday, winning on Commander Of Fleet, after which he reflected on his Cheltenham achievement.

He said: “Yesterday was unbelievable, and I’m still on cloud nine. The phone nearly blew up — I had close to 300 messages.

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“I never really had a moment’s worry throughout the race — and while he was pulling up on the run-in, it was idleness, and he had his ears pricked. When he heard A Plus Tard coming to him, he pulled out again.

“Everyone at home was thrilled, and it was great.”

Rachael Blackmore partnered Minella Indo’s stablemate A Plus Tard to second spot in the Gold Cup, narrowly failing to cap a spectacular week which saw her claim the leading rider title at the Festival with six winners — including the Champion Hurdle aboard Honeysuckle.

Blackmore was also in action at Thurles, with the limited personnel at the track forming a guard of honour before the third race to hail the riding stars.

She said: “It was a fantastic week and it hasn’t sunk in yet. It is hard to comprehend it all, to be honest.

“Honeysuckle was unbelievable, and I think her performance in Leopardstown (last month) fairly rubber-stamped what race to run in at Cheltenham — so it was fantastic.

“It was an unbelievable week for Henry (de Bromhead), and it was an incredible achievement.

“When you are going over with the book of rides I had, you are just hoping you can get one of them to do it — and that was a big relief when that (first win) happened.

“It is all about Cheltenham, and being able to get on the calibre of horse I was on over there — I’m still trying to draw breath after the last four days!”

Elsewhere at Thurles, I'm A Game Changer secured his first win over fences in style as he took the Grade Three Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase.

Andrew McNamara’s nine-year-old had been placed in seven of his 11 previous chase outings, including in graded company, but had yet to get his head in front.

However, he righted that statistic with a strong staying performance in the two-mile-two-furlong contest.

I’m A Game Changer travelled well throughout for Darragh O’Keeffe, making smooth progress to assume the lead approaching the last, and he galloped all the way to the line to beat Whatsnotoknow by a cosy eight lengths.

McNamara said: “I thought turning in he might run into a place, but Darragh said he was fierce confident and won well. We had been riding him that way in good races to try to pick up a few quid — and while he has been doing that well, today’s race a slightly lesser race than the ones he had been running in.

“He has had a few issues but is on the right path at the moment, and hopefully he will stay going that way. We had thought about tipping away in these races and leaving him as a novice again for next season, but we’re not too upset that plan has gone out the window.

“He’ll keep going for the summer, and there are loads of races for him.”

McNamara was particularly pleased to land the race which remembers Molony, the former manager and owner of the track.

He added: “We are good family friends of the Molonys as well, and I’d have known Pierce well, so am delighted to win their race.

“His nine-member syndicate are based all over Ireland, and there is another one in Australia. I’s their first horse, and they’ll be thrilled.”

O'Keeffe went on to notch a double aboard Getaday (9-2) in the following Duggan Veterinary 4cyte For Horses Handicap Chase.

Rachael Blackmore, who was crowned top rider at Cheltenham, also struck Thurles gold with Myth Buster (13-8) in the Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase.