Bob Olinger produced a fine display when a runaway winner of the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Henry De Bromhead's nine-year-old looked a high-class prospect when winning the 2021 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle by seven and a half lengths. Three straight victories over fences included success in last year's Turners Novices' Chase but after he pulled-up in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown, the son of Sholokhov has been kept solely to hurdling.
The de Bromhead-trained gelding travelled strongly throughout the Grade 2 prize and although Rachael Blackmore found herself short of room approaching the final flight, she always had plenty of horse underneath her and Bob Olingerquickened up smartly over the last.
Marie's Rock stayed on up the Cheltenham hill, but Nicky Henderson's mare was no match for the 6/4 favourite, who pulled clear for a commanding seven-length success.
In an interview with ITV Racing, Blackmore said: "He never excelled as we thought he would over fences so going back over hurdles seems to be bringing out the best in him.
"It's great to see him back and finishing so well as he is always a horse we thought so much of. To get him to win like that was brilliant.
"He's such a talented horse and it's great to have him back."
Robbie Power, race planner for trainer Henry de Bromhead, was in attendance at Cheltenham:
"You have to be pleased with that. We were impressed with him at Navan and we just hoped he would back that up,"
"His homework had been very good. It is always great to see him back to his best. He didn't really take to chasing and a decision was made at the start of the season to stick to hurdles to see if we could get him back to his best, and a lot of work has gone into him from a lot of different people. It is great to get him back. That performance was impressive.
"It was always going to be a tactical race and it is always better if you can get to the stands rail on the better ground with the rail to help as it is a huge advantage.
"Rachael was keen she was going to get it, and no one was going to stop her. She had the horse underneath her to get the gap, and you have to have the horse and she had it all times.
"He came to my place last February, and he was there until October. He just lost his way over fences, and he lost his confidence. There has been a lot of work gone in from vets and physiotherapists doing different things. We have him back now hopefully.
"We needed to get his confidence back and let him believe he is good again and he showed today he does think he is good again.
"That was a very good performance as he has beaten Marie's Rock by seven lengths giving her seven pounds.
"He will have an entry in the Champion Hurdle, but taking on Constitution Hill is unlikely. Aintree would look like his big target. We have Teahupoo for the Stayers' Hurdle so Aintree would be his target."
