At The Races

Trilogy takes County cash

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh added yet another winner to their Cheltenham Festival tally as American Trilogy turned the usually competitive Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle into a procession.

Connections thought they had a Supreme Novices' Hurdle candidate on their hands earlier in the season but things have not gone according to plan since.

However, despite being sent off at 20-1, Walsh was always cantering on the grey before streaking clear to win by 11 lengths. Stradbrook ran on for second with Cockney Trucker third and Nortonthorpe Lad fourth.

Walsh said: "It's great to have ridden six winners. It's not something you think you are ever going to do. I've had some tremendous rides and I'm so lucky to ride for people like Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins, champion trainers in their respective countries. To ride for them is an honour.

"When he ran at Ascot I said he'd win the County Hurdle when I got off him. He ran away with me there and ran a lot better than people thought, and he's bolted in today."

Nicholls added: "That's another down to Ruby. He got off him at Ascot last time after two and a half miles on heavy ground and said he'd win the County Hurdle if we got him right. Two miles on good ground and he was right.

"We've probably been running him on the wrong ground. We put the blinkers on last time at Ascot but he ran too free, the ground was wrong and the trip was too far. Everything was just right today."

Frank Berry, racing manager to Stardbrokk's owner JP McManus, said: "He was disappointing at Sandown last weekend but came out of the race in good form which was why we turned him out again. The good ground here suited him, as did the fast pace, and he was able to pick them up."

Of the unplaced Sunnyhillboy, Berry added: "AP (McCoy) said he jumped and travelled but just didn't get home for whatever reason."

Philip Hobbs said of Cockney Trucker: "We are delighted with that as he probably wants even better ground and further. I hope he'll get another couple of runs this season as he hasn't been too busy because we've been waiting for better ground."