Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- McNiff the man at Downpatrick again
McNiff the man at Downpatrick again
Davy Russell (light colours) comes through on The Way It Works to grab Noble Call late
© Photo Healy Racing
Mark McNiff landed the Toals Best Value For Football Handicap Hurdle for the second year running as Davy Russell got the nicely supported The Way It Works up close home to score. Noble Call s front running effort looked like it would carry him all the way to victory in the two and a quarter miler, whilst L'Attesa (eventually 4th) shaped as the one most likely to reel him back.
Ultimately though it was the Kalinisi mare, The Way It Works, a dual bumper winner, that had most left to give 'at the death' and she got up to nab Noble Call by half a length with the same distance to Shabra's Bertolini in third.
McNiff took this twelve months back with Feel The Air and after this win he said: "The place to be was in front when the music stopped!
"She had good form in bumpers and schooled really well on this ground in the spring at Tipperary. By the time she was ready to run the ground had gone horrendous.
"She wants goodish ground and EasyFix hurdles help as she's not the best jumper."
Winning owner Liam Kelly is from Derry.
(MG & EM)