? Geraghty compares winning mount to Moscow Flyer
? Trainer completes his first Grade One double
Big Zeb got his revenge over Sizing Europe, who beat him at the Cheltenham Festival, by edging out that rival in a thrilling race for the Champion Chase on Tuesday. His jockey, Barry Geraghty, was so impressed by the way the horse rallied after a late mistake that he compared him to Moscow Flyer, one of the best two-mile chasers of modern times, who won 25 races under the jockey.
"They're both willing to take that chance at a fence," the jockey said. "He went for a big one at the fourth-last and I thought that was our chance gone. He wings fences all the way through. After making that mistake, you can still throw him at the second-last and he'd come up for you. Both tracks were well-watered, Cheltenham and Punchestown today, but I suppose that the spring ground has just helped my fella. He had more life in him, he travelled better through the race, jumped better."
The winning trainer, Colm Murphy, was inclined to believe that any difference between the two horses comes down to which is in better form on the day, saying: "Probably our lad got out of bed the right side this morning and he didn't." But Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Sizing Europe, felt his horse was better suited by having to slog up the Cheltenham hill, while this flatter course plays to Big Zeb's greater speed.
Later, Murphy completed his first Grade One double when Quito De La Roque won the staying novice chase. He said the horse would still have to improve 20lb to be considered for next year's Gold Cup.
There was a brief moment of alarm as Big Zeb entered the winner's enclosure, when the crowd's welcoming roar spooked Sizing Europe, who crashed into some advertising hoardings. He was immediately led away, uninjured.
JP McManus unveiled a giant portrait of his former champion hurdler Istabraq before racing and horses carrying his colours marked the occasion by winning the first two races. Shot From The Hip's success in the Grade One novice hurdle was the more prestigious but Outlaw Pete's was the more dramatic.
Trained by Enda Bolger, he eventually won a race over the cross-country fences in which three horses took the wrong course, all three having been in front at the time. The stewards will consider whether any adjustment to the circuit is required after Jamie Codd, riding Theroadtocroker, said his horse had slipped while trying to take a bend that was "too tight", causing him to run wide of the next fence.
Kauto Star will be the main attraction at the meeting on Wednesday, as he takes on Kempes and Nacarat in the Guinness Gold Cup.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/may/03/big-zeb-champion-chase-punchestown
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