National Hunt racing and its warriors have a special place in the heart of horse racing fans and Coneygree showed he retains his old zest for the fight as he finished a valiant third in a thrilling renewal of the Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday.
In his usual valour, the son of Karinga Bay led throughout the three-mile contest and despite being chivied along by regular pilot Nico De Boinville, the gelding still held every chance approaching the second last. However, despite pecking on landing at this fence, he rallied again tenaciously between the final two fences to jump the last in a line with Djakadam and Sizing John, before his exertions finally caught up with him close home as he finished one and a half-lengths behind the short-head victor Sizing John.
The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, however, showed he remains a top-class operator and his trainer Mark Bradstock was delighted with his charge. Bradstock said:
He’s a pretty special horse. It was wonderful. He pecked on landing at the second-last which, having had a long time off, you don’t need that. He’s got a very deceptive gallop. As long as he’s sound (on Thursday) I’ll be even happier.
Djakadam finished an agonising head second in a thrilling finish for the third consecutive time. Willie Mullins commented:
He just gave the last fence a nudge but it was a tremendous race. Jessie is in such good form that she can’t be beaten at the moment. It looked like we might be getting up on the line but I have no complaints.
