Rince lands Pillar gamble

Rince Ri survived some terrible jumping errors to run out a gutsy winner of the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham today.

Ted Walsh`s gelding was sent off a 9-2 shot, after a deluge of money knocked his price down from 20-1 in the morning, but he gave his backers a few scares - hitting the fifth last and then ploughing through three out as his jumping got sloppy.

Ruby Walsh, however, sat tight and conjured a renewed effort from his mount after the second last to fight off Go Ballistic (who disputed the lead with the winner for much of the race).

Second place eventually went to the staying-on Legal Right, three-and-a half-lengths behind, with the veteran Go Ballistic running a terrific race to finish a further two-and-a-half lengths back in third.

Cyfor Malta and Lord Noelie, the favourite and second-favourite, trailed home fourth and fifth.

The race lost much of it`s sparkle when trainer Nicky Henderson opted to withdraw Marlborough after sustained rain throughout themorning turned the ground heavy.

Henderson`s charge is now likely to make his belated seasonal debut in the Aon Chase at Newbury next month.

Walsh snr, who admitted to helping himself to some of the early 20-1, was clearly delighted to see his charge back in the winner`s enclosure but tried to play down Rince Ri`s Gold Cup claims.

'I think he has just handled the conditions better than the others,' Walsh said.

'I am not too sure that he was putting everything in, he made a few mistakes which he shouldn`t have done.

'He`ll probably come back here, the owners would like him to come and he has more races in him - whether they are Gold Cups or English Nationals or Irish Nationals I don`t know.

'You all know as much as I do about that race. Make your own minds up how good it was.'

Walsh is considering putting blinkers on Rince Ri in a bid to brush up his jumping skills.

'They helped horses like See More Business and The Fellow win the Gold Cup and if it improved him a couple of pounds it would be worth it,' he explained.

'He`s won on fast ground and he`s won on atrocious ground so I don`t think it is really important to him.

'Commanche Court ran a good race at Naas today and he could go for the Gold Cup too if the ground is quick.'

Jonjo O`Neill was pleased to see Legal Right run another solid race and he too is set to return in March.

'He`s run a blinder and we couldn`t be more pleased,' O`Neill said. 'He must have a sporting chance in the Gold Cup on that run.'

Also still on the Gold Cup trail are Go Ballistic and Lord Noelie, despite the latter`s disappointing performance.

'I`ve always said Lord Noelie doesn`t like soft ground,' said Henrietta Knight, who trains the pair.

'Jim (Culloty) said they were going right in and he just couldn`t get his feet out of it.

'If it was like this in the Gold Cup then he`d have no chance at all. If he was my horse, I wouldn`t have run him.

'Go Ballistic loves it round here and he`ll be coming back - it will be his ninth Festival which is an amazing feat.'

The Martin Pipe-trained Cyfor Malta was sent off the 13-8 favourite but failed to pick up when pressure was applied by Tony McCoy and was ultimately beaten 14 lengths back in fourth.

Owner David Johnson said: 'I`m not too dissapointed - he`s come back in one piece and that`s the main thing.

'Tony said he was hating the ground and reckons it`s the worst surface he`s ever ridden on at Cheltenham.

'We`ll have to hope it`s better ground for the Gold Cup.'

Rince Ri is a general 14-1 chance for the Cheltenham showpiece and 20-1 (from 33-1) with William Hill for the Martell Grand National.

Pipe and McCoy may have been out of luck with Cyfor Malta but the pairing still managed a treble courtesy of successes for Royal Auclair, Polar Red, who was particularly impressive when taking the opener, and Copeland in the concluding Letheby & Christopher Handicap Hurdle.