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Nicholls on Cheltenham scoresheet with Monmiral

Monmiral added a second British success to the Thursday tally with victory for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

MONMIRAL winning the Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in England.
MONMIRAL winning the Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in England. Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The day had started well with a success for the Skelton brothers and Grey Dawning in the Turners Novices' Chase and it was the turn of Dan Skelton's old boss Paul Nicholls to add a British point to the Prestbury Cup tally. A 25/1 shot for the race, Monmiral had not recorded a success since Grade 1 glory at Aintree in 2021 and was last seen finishing fourth on heavy ground at Chepstow.

Prairie Dancer set the early pace under J J Slevin with Monmiral always settled in the midfield by jockey Harry Cobden. The gelding proved his class up the Cheltenham hill, staying on comfortably for a one-and-a-quarter length success over Kyntara with favourite Cuthbert Dibble back in third. Bold Endeavour and Emitom completed a British top-five in fourth and fifth.

The victory marked a first Festival winner for Sir Alex Ferguson who said: "I've waited a long time for this, but it is fantastic. The jockey was absolutely brilliant on him. What I was thinking at the tapes was, 'What the hell is he doing at the back', but he crept forward and judged it perfectly. I couldn't understand why before he came to the last why John [Hales] was saying he had won, but that is experience for you. I was just saying, 'Just jump the bloody last!'

"It has been probably 20 years that I've wanted to have a winner here as when I first started [in racing] I just had Flat horses and no National Hunt ones. I got interested in the jumps with Ged [Mason] and John [Hales]. It 100 per cent makes it more enjoyable having a winner with friends. Everyone looks forward to Cheltenham, while on the Flat you have the Derby. These two events are unsurpassed."

Trainer Paul Nicholls added: "This horse has loads of ability. We have been trying to make a chaser out of a hurdler, but he didn't like it. I thought I would qualify him at Chepstow two weeks ago, and he actually needed the run that day as he hadn't really finished a race for a long time. Freddie [Gingell] rode him the other day and said that he thought he might have won at two [hurdles] out but he blew up. He said to try him in blinkers and I listened to what he said. Whether they have made a difference I don't know, but he has obviously come back to himself a little bit.

"I said to Harry, 'Give him plenty of daylight as he doesn't need to be boxed in', and he gave him a beautiful ride.

"The horse has always wanted a trip, but he has always wanted a trip since he was a youngster. He has had small problems which hasn't helped us, but he has been a real head-scratcher. It is great for his owners and the whole of my team to get a winner here."


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