Windsor Park wins the Neptune Novices' Hurdle
Wednesday 11 March 2015 14:15, UK
Windsor Park took the opening Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle for legendary trainer Dermot Weld.
The six-year-old was sent off at just 9/2 despite needing to reverse form with his principal rivals on his previous starts and that support proved justified as Windsor Park produced a polished round of jumping, in contrast to some of his opponents.
Going to the final flight, Windsor Park had a length in hand of Vyta Du Roc, but the winner's jump put off his pursuer, who blundered badly and handed the winner an unassailable advantage. Powering up the run-in, he scored by three and three-quarter lengths from Parlour Games (13/2). Nichols Canyon (7/2 favourite) was back in third.
"He's a very versatile horse, who has done everything right," said Weld, who was sending out a third winner at the Cheltenham Festival.
"He could be heading for a Gold Cup [on the Flat at Royal Ascot], but today was the day. He's a good-ground horse, the drying weather suited him well.
"He ran a lovely race at Leopardstown last time out when he was second and he learned from that. I thought he jumped really well.
"You can ride him either way, you can drop him out or ride him from the front, but I just thought that today I wanted him in front as he jumps well and stays so well.
"You could go a number of ways with him. He could either stay over hurdles and be a World Hurdle horse, or we could go back on the Flat. He's what I would call a stayer with speed.
"Coming here I thought he would be hard to beat, because he is a good-ground horse and has been running well in deep winter ground.
"We will see where we go next, he'll never want extremes of ground and while today was the day, Punchestown would seem the logical progression.
"I don't have many jumpers, just six at the moment, and they are all dual-purpose horses. We had a winner here last year, too."
"I think Davy gave him an absolutely wonderful ride," added winning owner Ronan Lambe, whose Rite Of Passage was placed in this race in 2010 before going on to win at Royal Ascot three months later.
"The last couple of times we've tried to come from off the pace, but we decided we'd be more forceful today and he enjoyed it. I think Ascot might be aiming a bit high, but you never know."
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Trainer John Ferguson was delighted with the run of Parlour Games, who kept on strongly to finish second.
Ferguson, who keeps knocking on the door in search of a first Festival success, said: "You have to be delighted with that. He has run well and I can't complain when they run as well as that. AP (McCoy) rode him perfectly, it was just that he was beaten by a better horse. We will sort out if he goes to Aintree when we get home."
Graham Wylie, owner of market leader Nichols Canyon, commented: "The horse didn't settle and by the time they got to the end he was flat to the boards.
"I am delighted with the run as it showed he handled the good ground and now means we can run him on both soft and good ground. It was a good race to watch he just needs to learn to settle."
