RACING

Ryan McElligott

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Tony McCoy’s run into retirement has been punctuated by some memorable moments over the last few months and, to the delight of his legion of fans, another one arrived at Fairyhouse on Sunday as he claimed the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase.

In what was McCoy’s final ride in an Irish Grade 1, the living legend struck gold on a resurgent Gilgamboa who coped best with the exacting ground to score for Enda Bolger, who won the race as a jockey in 1983.

This year’s Easter Festival represented McCoy’s last appearance in the saddle in Ireland and made him a central aspect of the meeting, so it was more than fitting that he should make his mark in one of the major races of the meeting.

For his part, Gilgamboa was recapturing the form that made him look such an excellent prospect earlier in the season and he is clearly well served by testing ground. Gilgamboa may well go to Punchestown but, looking further head, he will be a fine prospect for some good staying prizes on testing ground next winter.

Earlier on Sunday’s card, Bitofapuzzle struck a blow for overseas raiders when she claimed the third staging of the EBF-sponsored Grade 1 mares’ novice hurdle. She became the first English-trained horse to claim a top-level prize in Ireland this season. The Harry Fry-trained seven-year-old certainly deserved this as she looked to follow up her excellent third to Glens Melody at Cheltenham.

Elsewhere, Shaneshill paid a handsome compliment to his Cheltenham conqueror Douvan as he trounced his rivals in a Grade 2 novice hurdle. The King’s Theatre gelding relished the step up to two and a half miles to put some quality rivals to the sword and he looks more than good enough to register a top-flight success before the end of the season. Indeed, he could well turn out to be the benchmark for success in his preferred Punchestown target.