Record-breaking Final Approach short-heads gamble

Ireland secured a record breaking 11th success at the Cheltenham Festival as Willie Mullins' Final Approach (3rd winner of the week for Willie Mullins following on from Hurricane Fly and Quevega) nosed out the gambled-on Get Me Out Of Here in the Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle.

Ruby Walsh, partnering his fifth winner of the week on the back of Al Ferof, Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Big Buck's, survived a bad mistake at the first hurdle and he looked a forlorn hope as the runners approached the business end.

However he got there when it mattered most and Walsh said: "He stood off the first but in fairness to him he was good and gutsy from the back of the last."

Douglas Taylor, who was a healine-maker last summer after the big gamble that was landed by his horse D Four Dave, owns and bred Final Approach and he was having his first start here since landing the MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown last January. Of course Taylor is owner of the MCR recruitment firm.

Mullins added: "I thought we were beaten, even after watching the re-run. "When the lads pulled up Tony looked happy but Ruby looked grumpy so I thought we were definitely beaten.

"The horse is improving all the time. He came from Kevin Prendergast and was a tough handicapper, which was they key to winning here and in the MCR Hurdle (at Leopardstown).

"I don't think he'll be running against Hurricane Fly in the Champion so we might have a look a couple of handicaps on the Flat in the autumn.

"He's very professional."

O'Neill took Get Me Out Of Here's agonising defeat firmly on the chin. "We just needed a thicker finishing line," he mused.

"He's run a blinder and it's great to see him come back to form as he'd been so disappointing this season.

"It took us a while to find out what the problem was with him, but he had a little wind op about three weeks ago and that's obviously made a difference.

"I reckon he'll go to Liverpool, though I'm not sure what race, and he could go chasing next season."