Killultagh Vic and Ruby Walsh recovered, to win, from this final fence error© Photo Healy Racing
There was an extraordinary and financially fascinating conclusion to the Grade 2 aptly titled 'Money Back On Fallers' At Coral.ie Novice Chase at Leopardstown today as Willie Mullins' Killultagh Vic overcame a near disastrous final fence error to win under a never-to-be-unseated Ruby Walsh.
Killultagh Vic, the 2/7 favourite, had travelled strongly throughout the race and comfortably had the measure of his four rivals, with a five lengths lead over Blair Perrone approaching the final fence.
The son of Old Vic jumped the final obstacle spring-heeled but landed steeply and was all but on the ground on the landing side. Jockey Walsh hung tight and stayed on board, albeit without a stirrup iron with course commentator Dessie Scahill echoed everyone's sentiments, when exclaiming “he'll never recover from that”.
Blair Perrone then looked to have been gifted the race, with Lord Scoundrel picking up the second but Walsh's urgings helped a resurgent Killultagh Vic to gain forward momentum and hunt down the leaders inside the final furlong.
Killultagh Vic finished powerfully and edged to the front close home, for a hugely improbable three parts of a length win over Blair Perrone.
The race was equally dramatic for in-running punters and while Blair Perrone matched at 1.01 (1/100), Killultagh Vic was matched for E1,090 at 1000 (999/1), costing the loser/losers a whopping E544,455.
The winner had his price for the JLT Chase at Cheltenham cut, with Paddy Power, to 4/1 from 6s and following the race Mullins stated “that was extraordinary from both horse and rider; I thought he was gone and a lot of lads would have pulled him up.”
He added “then I thought 'right he has recovered' and halfway up the straight he was getting back into it. It was an extraordinary piece of riding and an extraordinary feat by the horse.
“Those two horses aren't too bad (Blair Perrone and Lord Scoundrel) and are rated 140 plus and to beat them from a standing start, giving them six or seven lengths and Ruby with one iron was a huge performance.
“He genuflected at the back of it and Ruby said when he gave him a squeeze he took off and was going to the fence too fast.
“To do what he did you wouldn't believe that could happen. I thought Ruby was going to go out the side door and it's harder to ride with one iron than without the both - certainly Ruby's experience paid off.
“That performance was good enough to run in the Arkle but he's possibly more likely to go for the JLT. We'll see nearer the time and he'll get an entry in all three, the Arkle, JLT and RSA - he has that sort of scope.
“We know he stays but the the way he jumps he can come back in trip and if I hadn't Douvan, I'd probably say Arkle straight away."
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
