Cawley on cloud nine!

By John McIntyre

THEY had learned from the last day; they would not be making the same mistake twice . . . and the change in tactics helped propel young Galway jockey Alain Cawley and Wexford based trainer Paul Nolan to a thrilling victory in Ireland’s most prestigious, if not richest steeplechase, at Leopardstown last Sunday.

Scarcely six weeks earlier, Cawley and Nolan knew deep down they had left the Lexus Chase behind them at the same track’s Christmas meeting when putting the gun to Joncol’s head too far from home after getting involved in a sustained battle up front with Notre Pere.

The giant and progressive Joncol was still in the lead jumping the last, but he started to empty in the final 200 yards and was unable to withstand the late surges of cross-channel raiders, What A Friend and Money Trix. Connections knew it was an opportunity missed.

Cawley was exonerated by his trainer over committing too soon on Joncol – Nolan took full responsibility in publicly stating that the 22-year-old Craughwell native was only following instructions. It hardly lessened the torment of last year’s champion conditional, but Sunday was to prove redemption day.

This time Cawley held his nerve and his patience in the Hennessy Gold Cup as Ruby Walsh and Cooldine, brilliant winner of the 2009 Sun Alliance Chase at Cheltenham, set a modest gallop. Joncol was always prominent but the 9/4 favourite was never asked to take it up.Ensuring his mount was preserving sufficient energy on the heavy ground, Cawley and Joncol became temporarily unbalanced after the third last, but they were quickly back on an even keel and coming to the penultimate fence, they had only Cooldine, and surprise packet, the Dessie Hughes trained Schindlers Hunt, to beat.

Joncol still had ground to make up at the last and when the seven-year-old jumped markedly to the right, it briefly appeared that his chance was gone, but Cawley galvanised his willing partner for one major thrust and veering alongside Cooldine, they went head to head over the final 100 yards.

Initially, Walsh and Cooldine were just about holding them at bay, but Joncol had been primed for battle and with Cawley excelling in the saddle, they wore down the long-time leader in the shadow of the post for a hugely popular neck victory.

Minutes later, the triumphant rider and horse returned to a great reception in the Leopardstown unsaddling enclosure. Cries of ‘come on Craughwell’ filled the air as Cawley savoured by far the biggest win of his career so far – his third Grade One victory of the current campaign.

The young jockey was naturally thrilled with Joncol’s landmark success and, in the process, getting the better of Walsh in such a titanic finish. “He is a tough man to get past, but I couldn’t have done it without the horse. He really stayed all the way to the line.”

Cawley admitted that they had got the tactics wrong in the Lexus Chase and was determined not to make too much use of Joncol on his return visit to Leopardstown. “I had to be patient and not produce him too soon and, thank God, we got it right this time. The horse showed plenty of guts and saw out the trip well.”

For more, read page 49 of this week's Connacht Tribune.