Dodging Bullets on target for Twiston-Davies

Hand-picked by Paul Nicholls to succeed Ruby Walsh, the winning-most rider in Cheltenham Festival history, as stable jockey to the champion trainer, it has taken the easy-going 22-year-old time to adjust to the pressure of expectation that comes with the role.

This was self-evident 40 minutes before yesterday’s big race when he partnered the gallant grey Auix Ptits Soins to a thrilling victory in a ferociously competitive Coral Cup, his first victory at jump racing’s most prestigious meeting for his new boss. “Hopefully he won’t sack me now,” quipped a relieved Twiston-Davies.

The satisfaction of having one winner on the board clearly gave the jockey, crestfallen by The New One’s disappointing run in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, the added confidence which proved decisive in the big race as Dodging Bullets edged out the veteran Somersby, who came within a length-and-a-quarter of providing North Yorkshire jockey Brian Hughes with a career-defining win.

With early pacesetter Special Tiara third and 2014 hero Sire De Grugy never closer than fourth, this is likely to be the last time that the once scintillating Sprinter Sacre is seen on a racetrack.

The former champion looked a shadow of his former self, with little zest to his jumping, and jockey Barry Geraghty wisely pulled up Nicky Henderson’s stable star prior to the final fence. Retirement now beckons.

Yet, while the build-up revolved around Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy, it was Dodging Bullets who carried the best form into the race courtesy of Group One wins at Sandown and Ascot.

Bred by Flat legend Frankie Dettori, Twiston-Davies was quick to pay tribute to the winning trainer’s nephew Harry Derham, a recently-retired rider, who looks after Dodging Bullets.

The winning jockey said: “It feels unbelievable, but I have to say it’s a great effort by Harry who has done all the hard work – Frankie came to the yard and Harry wouldn’t let him near the horse!

“All credit to the team and to the horse.

“The plan was to sit third or fourth, let him travel down the hill and kick from there to the line, hoping Sprinter Sacre might not find much and make it hard work for Sire De Grugy to get to us – the plan worked great.

“This fellow jumps, stays and gallops which is the perfect combination for this race.

“I wanted to get as close as possible to Special Tiara after three out with the intentions of whipping off the last bend, and my horse was very brave.

“I’ve always said my dad (Nigel) is the best trainer I’ve ridden for, but Paul Nicholls is some man – I don’t know how he does it. After Dodging Bullets’s run in the Arkle last year if I’d said he was going to win three Grade One races this season you would have called me a moon man. It’s a great training performance.

“It is a massive win and hopefully means I keep hold of the job for years to come. Big winners make up for the days when things don’t go so well – we didn’t have a great day yesterday, but Paul said ‘I’ll leave it to you so get on with it’. It eases the pressure and hopefully I’ll ride better and better as the week goes on.”

The aforementioned Dettori was on hand to watch the race and said: “Sam gave him a fantastic ride – he jumped like a stag and was gutsy all the way to the line. He was bred to win the Derby but this is second best. It’s the equivalent of the 100m final at the Olympics and what a horse. You have to give credit to Dodging Bullets, he did all the work.”

As for Nicholls who went on to complete a treble when Qualandon won the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle under Nick Scholfield, he was fulsome in his praise for Twiston-Davies and the rider’s maturity.

“Sam is so much more confident this season, it all just takes a bit of bedding in but he’s been awesome this year. He rides really well and we’re all very fond of him,” said the trainer, who confirmed that Dodging Bullets will not race again this season.

Though Tuesday’s hat-trick winner Ruby Walsh was out of luck yesterday, Ireland’s No 1 trainer Willie Mullins recorded his fifth win when Don Poli put up a commanding performance to land the RSA Chase for novices.

Now ante-post favourite for next year’s Gold Cup, the victory represented a miraculous comeback on the part of winning rider Bryan Cooper – Ireland’s best young rider.

His career hung in the balance on the corresponding day last year when he suffered multiple leg injuries in a horrific fall, and Cooper has worked tirelessly to regain his fitness.

Don Poli had to be niggled by Cooper more or less throughout the race. However, he jumped the last with ears pricked and won cosily.

It was Cooper’s first Festival win for his boss Michael O’Leary, the mastermind behind Gigginstown House Stud. “I’m glad to put that (the broken leg) behind and it’s sweet to get a winner on the board,” he said.

With the record-breaking AP McCoy still without a winner at his final Festival, Sam Twiston-Davies and Cooper are two of the young guns vying to fill the void that will be left by the 20-time champion.

Jump racing is in safe hands.