English/Ire
White Noise spoils punters Thursday treble under ‘speechless’ Bellamy
White Noise sprang a huge surprise in the opening Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with the favourite Bambino Fever ultimately well-beaten.
On a day where punters were looking to get back at the bookies having taken a hammering on the first couple of days, White Noise, sent off 40/1 in the hands of Tom Bellamy, ran out a commanding winner of the opener.
Having always been positioned towards the fore, White Noise still found herself in front passing the final furlong marker and with Bellamy in full cry, she dug deep in the closing stages to see off the persistent challenge of Outschool Outlaw by a length and a half.
"I've worked my whole life for this day. I'm genuinely speechless, I cannot believe it," said Bellamy, who was entering the winners' circle for the first time at the Cheltenham Festival.
"This tops my whole career, not just this season. I'm nearly crying here. I bunked off school as a kid to come and watch the Cheltenham Festival, and I can't believe I'm walking around at the top here after winning.
"She's a good horse. She was unlucky not to win last time but today I was able to sit and do my own fractions for a bit, then I took a lead for a bit. I kind of ended up dictating the rest of the pack a little bit. It never felt in doubt, I just didn't know what was coming from behind - luckily nothing.
"I think the atmosphere here lifted her up the run in and away she went."
The jockey's mother Sue said: "It's what dreams are made of. Big price, great for the yard, the lads, lasses, everybody. And for the mother who has to put up with him on the way home if it's gone badly!
Asked what the win would mean for her son, she quipped: "A girlfriend, maybe? Anybody out there, he's a nice lad!"
Trained by Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls, White Noise has progressed rapidly through the ranks, claiming races at Worcester, Market Rasen and Newbury before filling the runner-up spot in the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Warwick.
Kim Bailey said: "She was 80/1 this morning and Oli Bell tipped her up. She's got really good form, and we thought we'd beat the horse that beat us last time (Kingston Queen) because this two miles would suit her better.
"Tom gave her a great ride and gave her a breather at the right time."
Much of the talk had been about Willie Mullins' Bambino Fever, who was looking to kick off a potential bookies' busting treble alongside Wodhooh and Fact To File, but last year's Champion Bumper heroine corkscrewed her way over the first and when the taps turned up the hill, she ultimately failed to land a blow, trailing home in sixteenth place under Paul Townend.
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "We've experienced multiple mayhem on the Tuesday often enough, but this year it was the Thursday treble that was giving us a few headaches.
"Bambino Fever looked a very strong favourite in the opener, but, for whatever reason, she was extremely disappointing and sadly for punters, it's scuppered the treble in the opening leg."
JP McManus was out of luck in the opener when Oldschool Outlaw filled the runner-up spot, but the infamous green and gold hooped silks didn't have to wait long to enter the winners' circle as Meetmebythesea struck in the following Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
Ben Pauling's six-year-old struggled in the Game Spirit at Newbury last time out but bounced right back to his best to score in authoritative style under Ben Jones.
"JP is a huge supporter of the industry; he's a great man to train for and I think it means a lot to him to have winners here," said Pauling.
"I've always liked this horse. He can't handle heavy ground, can't go in it, but the ground was in his favour today.
"I'll look forward to tomorrow now."
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