Harchibald Stars On Meade Glory Day

Noel Meade dominated the final day of the December meeting at Cheltenham as the popular County Meath trainer claimed both the Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup and the totesport Bula Hurdle.

The latter saw the mercurial Harchibald lay the ghost of his dramatic Champion Hurdle defeat with consummate ease, although the success of stablemate Sir Oj was altogether less expected.

It was at this course back in March the six-year-old Harchibald came agonisingly close to claiming hurdling´s blue riband, still on the bridle jumping the last before ultimately going down by a neck to Hardy Eustace.

But his success at the weekend, which again saw him cantering coming to the final flight under Paul Carberry, has seen him usurp his big rival as ante-post favourite for the 2006 renewal.

And the victory clearly meant plenty to Meade.

'That was great after all of the stick he has got,' he said of 10-11 winner, who beat Intersky Falcon by a length and three-quarters.

'I had a long chat with Paul going over the race and I also asked Tommy (Paul´s father) to talk to him to make sure he had plenty of confidence going into the race.

'He is an exceptional horse the way he can arrive there so easily as he doesn´t show that much at home.

'It is a long run from the second-last to the last at Cheltenham, which didn´t really suit him as he jumps so well. The race didn´t work out as we expected, but we were happy to win.'

As to future plans, Meade continued: 'Sandown is not ideal and I would love to run at Leopardstown, but it all depends on the ground. Sandown is different to Kempton (where he won last Christmas) in that it can get very tacky and gluey there.

'If all goes well from there I would also hope to run in the AIG Champion Hurdle before Cheltenham.'

Carberry added: 'It was good for him to get a win here and he didn´t do anything wrong when he got to the front.

'I still got there soon but we´ll get it right one day!'

The rider had also come late on the scene with Sir Oj, who flew up the hill to collar Le Passing at odds of 16-1.

'He is in the Paddy Power at Christmas at Leopardstown, but that has probably gone now with his handicap mark so I have no real plans,' Meade said.

But Martin Pipe´s poor run of form continued as Our Vic, who was sent off the 9-2 favourite to follow up his win in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, made a real mess of the second fence and was eventually pulled up in the home straight on the first circuit by Timmy Murphy.

Pipe said: 'He was never jumping or travelling. He was wrong over the first two and Timmy did the right thing pulling him up.'

In Ireland, meanwhile, Solerina enhanced her reputation as one of the toughest horses in training as she recorded a hat-trick of wins in the Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle at Navan.

Just a week after achieving the same feat in the Hatton´s Grace at Fairyhouse, where she emerged victorious following an epic battle with Golden Cross, the James Bowe-trained mare followed up, but this time in much easier fashion.

The eight-year-old was, as usual, soon at the head of affairs under Gary Hutchinson, with only Emotional Moment trying to keep her company.

The 2-5 favourite was never threatened at any point, however, and strolled home 20 lengths clear of Tom Taaffe´s charge.

Owner John Bowe said: 'She is remarkable for such as small mare. There are three races that suit her over two and a half miles. They all come within a month and this is the third of them.

'She might run in the Woodies DIY Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown and if not, she´ll run in a two-mile-and-three-furlong race at Naas on January 21.'

Solerina is a star of the present, but Willie Mullins is hoping he has one of the future in Champion Bumper hero Missed That, who got off the mark at the second time of asking over fences with victory in the beginners chase.

Star attraction in the Emerald Isle on Sunday was meant to be War Of Attrition, but he disappointed as Michael Hourigan´s Hi Cloy got up in the dying strides to claim glory in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Jockey Andrew McNamara galvanised the 7-1 chance on the run-in to nail the front-running Jim on the line and prevail by a head in a photo-finish, with the odds-on favourite a well-beaten fifth.

Hourigan, who confirmed stable star Beef Or Salmon on course for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, said: 'I thought he would win today - I was pretty confident. He hasn´t always been an easy horse to train, but he has certainly repaid us with this victory.'

Hi Cloy now faces a clash with Moscow Flyer in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown´s Christmas meeting, but plans look to be on hold for War Of Attrition.

His trainer Mouse Morris said: 'Conor (O´Dwyer) said he just ran flat all of the way. His scope is clean, but he is blowing very hard which is often the sign of a lung infection - we´ll have to see how he is.'

Top-class Flat action is thin on the ground at this time of year, of course, but the big International meeting in Far East saw Ouija Board return to her brilliant best in the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin.

Rakti, however, failed to bow out in a blaze of glory as Japanese raider Hat Trick took the Hong Kong Mile.

The six-year-old was having his last start before retiring to stud but he was keen early on and would not settle for Philip Robinson, eventually finishing 11th.

(C) PA Sport