A terrific week's racing culminated in the pulsating duel between Like-A-Butterfly and Limestone lad in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.
The race lacked strength in depth, particularly due to the enforced absence of Davenport Milenium, and the leading protagonists were racing over a trip some way short of their best, but as a spectacle the AIG will live long in the memory.
Limestone Lad looked goosed when Like-A-Butterfly swept past at the final flight, but the remarkable 11-y-o loves a battle and dug as deep as he has ever dug. Over the final furlong the pair were locked in a head-to-head battle, slugging it out blow for blow all the way to the line. When the line came Like-A-Butterfly was marginally in front, but Limestone Lad had lost nothing in defeat, conceding 5LB to the mare. The pair both head for Cheltenham with leading chances, but won't cross swords again as Like-A-Butterfly will stick to two miles to contest the Champion Hurdle while Limestone Lad remains on course for the Stayers' Hurdle.
The Bowe family gained some compensation when Solerina continued on her steep upward curve with a facile victory in the betfair.com Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle 35 minutes later. It will take a very good Novice to beat her at Cheltenham.
Gowran Park's new stand got its first proper airing on Thursday for the Thyestes Chase and passed the test with flying colours. A crowd of ten thousand turned up (marginally more than at Leopardstown on Sunday) and aided by fine weather and competitive racing are sure to have enjoyed the experience.
The new stand is a gem. It has been finished to a very high standard and the viewing from the lower levels is outstanding. From the corporate level the fences in the straight are obscured unless you stand out on the balcony, but most occupants of that area probably won't notice.
The Thyestes Chase was won in fine style by the Sean Treacy trained Be My Belle. She made every yard a winning one and jumped particularly well. Treacy, who trains locally, took great pleasure from the success and deserves his moment in the sun. He is a hard working, down-to-earth man who knows a thing or two about horses, but has had his share of bad luck over the years. Mucklemeg was in his care before joining Edward O'Grady and he had another mare called The Beruki, which was in front over the last in the Denny Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown a few years back, but took a fatal fall.
The Racing Post sparked some healthy debate over the last fortnight with its '100 Racing Greats' special. On Friday the eagerly awaited top twelve were revealed and all but the long-deceased Admiral Henry Rous (who?) were predictable.
Two Irish made it into the elite dozen, Tony McCoy and Vincent O'Brien, but an overall bias towards English achievers has been evident from the outset.
Charlie Swan at number 93 is bordering on an insult, while J P McManus and John Magnier also look well handicapped at 78 and 22 respectively.
John McCririck well up the list at 53 would suggest that his Irish equivalent, Ted Walsh, should have at least made the line-up. Both are outspoken, well-known commentators, but while McCririck's only worthwhile achievement was the uncovering of a Tote scam, Walsh had few equals as an amateur rider and has trained the winners of both the English and Irish Grand Nationals.
Moving away from the Irish there are several other questionable omissions and inclusions to the list.
The Queen (42) directly ahead of Jenny Pitman and Dorothy Paget is pushing it just a little bit. She was champion owner three times, shortly after she inherited her string, but in recent decades has barely registered on the scale.
Florence Nagle (24) is another occupying an all-too lofty position. She, we are told, is the woman who single-handedly made the Jockey Club change its rule and allow women to hold trainer's licences. A worthy achievement indeed if it had occurred in the era of Emmeline Pankhurst, but no,Florence took her litigation in 1966. She was not in fact ahead of her time, more the Jockey Club was well behind and the rule would surely have been changed with or without the intervention of Ms Nagle.
And where is the Aga Khan? His father made the list with consummate ease at number 38, but no sign of the son. Ok he did inherit his breeding empire, but he has a genuine love for the game and has been tireless in his pursuit of excellence. His association with Shergar and Sinndar and the vast number of people within the industry earning a living directly or indirectly as a result of him is enough to merit inclusion.
The list has a distinctly royal look with nine Sirs, five Lords, two Earls, two Marquesses, two Kings, two Queens and a Prince (Monolulu), but it will still come as a surprise if the majestic Vincent O'Brien manages to top the pole.
