China Rock leads over the last from Follow The Plan (right) and Quel Esprit© Photo Healy Racing
Barry Geraghty's amazing season continued with a third career win in the tote.com Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown today, springing a 20/1 surprise on the Mouse Morris trained China Rock
China Rock, without a win since beating Sizing Europe here in October '10 and eighth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was well held in fourth place in Tuesday's Champion Chase but unlike previous outings, found plenty reserves when asked to win his race.
Geraghty moved the son of Presenting to the front before the final flight and the pair stayed on well on the run-in for a five lengths over last year's winner Follow The Plan with six and a half lengths back to 15/8 favourite Quel Esprit
Responding to questions of why he chose to run the gelding a second time this week, Morris joked “he wasn't going to win anything at home!”
“He has a problem but we couldn't find it. I thought he bled here the last day and he didn't, but I put a tongue strap on him today. There was good prizemoney down to sixth placed horse and China Rock is what he is.
“He was travelling well in the Gold Cup (last month) and he fell into a hole and he was travelling reasonably well enough the last day and he again fell into a hole. He just wasn't getting home and there obviously was a wind problem but we don't know what it is just yet.
“I was waiting for him to fall into a hole at any minute but he deserved that. He broke down 13 months ago and did well to come back. Normally when they break down like that, it takes 2 years.
Regarding next year's Cheltenham God Cup, Morris added “it's a long summer and he has to be sound in the morning before we make any plans. It's magic to win today!”
Geraghty added:- "He won on merit. He jumped and travelled away and just kept travelling and - being honest - as we turned away from the last ditch, I was letting the two lads off in front trying to fill up a little bit and secure third really. But as we pressed on up to what was the second last, I was travelling better than the two in front.
"He has been competitive in very good races, he has been at this level before but he just hasn't been of late. Mouse put a tongue tie on him, Ruby rode him the last day and whether he prescribed that or not, I'm not sure but something worked anyway.
"He jumped and travelled and saw out the race where he hasn't been seeing out his races in the past."
Stan James Bookmakers subsequently made China Rock a 50/1 shot for next season's Gold Cup while it is 7/4 an Irish trained winner of the race.
