Ruby Walsh pilots the winner in the showpiece in a foggy Kilkenny
With Gowran Park wrapped in thick fog (see picture below from an earlier race for some idea of the conditions) it was hard for all, spectators and commentators alike, to see exactly what went on in the big race of the day but out of the gloom at the finish came Djakadam, justifying the fact he was well fancied in the betting ring, going off at 9/2.
In the early running Davy Russell kept Sadler’sflaure at the head of affairs and away from trouble. Horses like Ipsos Du Berlais and Oscars Business parted ways with their jockeys during the early going but due to the thick fog, nobody could tell you how.
As the field approached the final three fences, it appeared that Ruby Walsh’s mount Djakadam was perfectly poised to strike looming up on the shoulder of The Job Is Right, who had somehow taken the lead. Willie Mullins’ horse just eased past the leader before the last, over which The Job Is Right fell.
In the end, Djakadam won by eight lengths from My Murphy, with Goonyella third and the disappointing 3/1 favourite Gallant Oscar fourth.
Only six of the seventeen horse field finished but what exactly happened to them over the 3m1f race is a mystery at this stage.
