Doumen shines on Baracouda

Thierry Doumen silenced his critics with a brilliantly timed challenge to claim the Bonusprint Stayers` Hurdle aboard Baracouda at Cheltenham today.

The Frenchman showed nerves of steel as he brought the JP McManus owned gelding, sent off a generous 13-8 favourite, from the back of the field to get the better of Bannow Bay on the run up the hill.

Jair Du Cochet duelled for the lead with Boss Doyle from the flag fall but the latter fell away after the third last.

Carvolent came to claim the lead approaching the penultimate flight as Telemoss and Bannow Bay also improved.

It was Bannow Bay who moved smoothly to the lead as the field cleared the second last and Charlie Swan looked confident on the Christy Roche-trained gelding.

But Doumen, who was last with a circuit to go and had made steady headway, was yet to move a muscle and as they approached the last Swan took a look around only to see Baracouda cruising on his tail.

A mistake at the last by Bannow Bay brought him off the bridle and Baracouda moved sweetly upsides. Doumen, however, didn`t press the button until the last 100 yards and the French duo went on to score cheekily by a neck.

It Takes Tim (12-1) was 13 lengths back in third without ever getting a blow in at the front two.

Doumen, who has attracted criticism for some of his previous rides in England, milked the crowd`s appreciation as he returned to huge cheers.

'He`s very intelligent. When I told him just to take it easy for a circuit and a half he just sits there and doesn`t mind one single bit,' explained Doumen.

'He goes in every ground and is just amazing. Everything went right. It was something riding the hottest horse at the meeting and something else winning on it.'

The jockey`s father and winning trainer Francois Doumen was delighted with his son`s riding performance.

He said: 'It is very emotional because I thought my son rode a very great race.

'This horse needs to be ridden with a lot of patience. He never shows anything in a race and you have to have trust in him when you are dead last after nearly two thirds of the race.

'The horse is a genius - I`ve never had a hurdler like him.'

Bannow Bay carried plenty of stable confidence and stunned trainer Christy Roche said: 'I`m speechless. I can`t tell you how confident I was - I can`t believe he got beaten.'