O'Brien's Coole win

The winning jockey survives a slip to put him “back in the limelight”, and trainer Colin Tizzard delights in a reversal of fortune with a dual victory

- MARCUS ARMYTAGE

The November Meeting, Cheltenham Racecourse, Glos

UNDER a bold ride from Tom O’Brien, Coole Cody landed the first big handicap chase of the season when the Evan William-strained nine-year-old made nearly all of the running to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday, 14 November.

It was tough luck on the horse’s regular jockey, Adam Wedge, who broke his collarbone schooling, but he had plenty of input, telling O’Brien to ride an aggressive race on Coole Cody. The super-sub had planned to follow Siruh Du Lac – a confirmed front runner – but he overjumped at the first, leaving Coole Cody in front upsides Simply The Betts.

However, Coole Cody shook him off at the third, and survived a slip on landing at the fourth, when O’Brien was thrown forward onto the gelding’s ears. Luckily for the jockey, the horse kept straight and kept his head up.

At one stage, having pushed on going past the stands, he was 10 lengths clear. Turning for home, it looked like he would probably be reeled in and swamped by the half dozen rivals closing in on him. However, two of his pursuers came down at the second-last, where another made a mistake and in the end they never did get to him. Coole Cody won going away by 3¼ lengths from perennial bridesmaid Spiritofthegames.

“It’s great,” said Williams. “We’ve been second, third and fourth in this race so it’s nice to get a head in front in a big way. He had winning form here for his former trainer Michael Blake and he did a superb job with the horse [who joined Williams in the summer]. A change of scenery can often give a little impetus, so we’re lucky to have got him.”