Barry Geraghty landed his third Cheltenham treble of the 2011-12 National Hunt season on the second day of the April Meeting. As before Nicky Henderson supplied the ammunition.
Henderson’s Fred Winter Winner ,Une Artiste, returned to the track for the TBA Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and won the opening race on the card at 7-4.Henderson spoke positively about the horse post race :
“I have a feeling she’s improving and that was smooth today. She’s got some more black type and that will be it for the year, Provided all goes well in the next year, Une Artiste could be back at next season’s Festival for a clash with the mighty Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle. She looks stronger and you’d like to think she’s a David Nicholson horse. You’ve got to consider whether she’s a worthy opponent for Quevega, but I do. It’s the obvious race as she stays and she could improve again.”
Stablemate Kells Belle had been Geraghty’s mount in the 2012 renewal of the David Nicholson and she defied top-weight in the OLBG.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle at 8-1. Geraghty commented :
“She travelled brilliantly, jumped really well and I was always able to go where I wanted to go. There were never any concerns really,”
Henderson and Geraghty completed their hat-trick with 2-1 joint favourite Glorious Twelfth in the closing mares’ bumper.
The earlier 2011-12 Geraghty Cheltenham trebles came courtesy of :
- Quantativeesaing, Grandouet and Oscar Whisky at the December meeting and
- Simonsig, Bobs Worth and Finian’s Rainbow ( all in Grade 1 races) on the second day of the 2012 Cheltenham Festival.
