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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Cheerful Chap keeps Rothwell's bandwagon rolling on

Tue 16th Apr 2024, 14:48

Cheerful Chap, far side, leads Johngus over the lastCheerful Chap, far side, leads Johngus over the last
© Photo Healy Racing

Cheerful Chap (4/1f) fought off his rivals in the Daragh Fitzpatrick Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle to enhance Philip Rothwell's best-ever season.

He held a narrow lead from a packed field with three furlongs and two flights to negotiate. He didn't meet the second-last on the best stride and soon came off the bridle with Johngus and Clarens challenging.

His main rival, Johngus, made a mistake at the last and soon dropped to third as Cheerful Chap went for home on the run-in. The Pour Moi gelding wasn't home yet, though, as Verbal Sparring was making headway in fourth. He didn't lift a leg at the last, but stayed on well in second in the closing stages.

Cheerful Chap was driven out by James O'Sullivan to hold Verbal Sparring (9/2) by three-parts of a length. Johngus (16/1) was another length and a-half away in third.

This was Rothwell's 38th winner of the season and he said: “Cork the last day was his first run for me and I thought he was just doing a bit too much too early. James let him on and he ended up finishing second.

“It was his first run in a long time and we were pleased with it, but I probably got tactics wrong in Mallow.

“Today I said to James - back in trip and the ground is probably only just soft enough for him, let him bowl away and I’ve been very lucky with two-milers around here before in handicaps.

“He’s in Ballinrobe on Friday. He was a few pounds out of the handicap but will get a penalty for today. I’m not sure if he’ll go there but he’s definitely a horse that will get a summer break.

“He’ll go back over fences next winter and has a rating over fences that looks favourable.

“He’s owned by a similar syndicate to Deons Diamond so they are lucky lads. She’s on a break as I felt she had done enough as a four-year-old so we bought this lad to fill the gap.

“I bought three horses off Noel and Genny Dooly. They are pre-training and are fabulous people who recommended the horses to me and came to me in unbelievable good nick.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.