Trifolium wins Irish Arkle

Bryan Cooper partnered his first win at Grade 1 level as retained jockey to Gigginstown House Stud, when steering the Charles Byrnes trained Trifolium to win the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Steeplechase at Leopardstown today. Defy Logic (11/8f) made the running but was headed by Trifolium with a slow jump at the third last fence. Defy Logic dropped out of contention from the next with Trifolium going well clear approaching the final fence.

At the line, Trifolium held a nine lengths margin over Felix Yonger while Defty Logic, which finished a well held fifth, was subsequently reported to have burst a blood vessel. The result justified Cooper's decision to pick the winner over Gigginstown's other runner Mozoltov which finished third and afterwards Charles Byrnes said “I knew he (Trifolium) was in the form of his life but while I wasn't expecting him to win, I thought he'd be there or thereabouts.

“We had cheek-pieces on him the last day and he was a bit free so we decided to leave them off today and it probably helped settle him a bit.

“He has jumped beautifully from his first day chasing at Thurles but being able to settle him in behind Defy Logic today which was the secret.

“I felt he was coming to the form he was in going to Cheltenham two years ago but we'd a terrible year with him last year when we couldn't get anything to go right; he seems to be back now and it looks like I'll have an excuse to go to Cheltenham now after all!”

Ladbrokes subsequently cut the winner to 10/1 (from 25s) for the Arkle at Cheltenham while Seaniemac.com are 8/1, from 20/1. Paddypower take no chances and make him a 7/1 chance.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson