racing_news/

Grumeti Awarded Victory in Triumph Hurdle Trial
28/01/12

1 Grumeti 7/4J
2 Pearl Swan 8/1
3 Hollow Tree 9/2
6 ran Distances: shd, 3½l, 8l
TIME 4m 8.84s (slow by 14.34s)

Grumeti was awarded victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham after a lengthy stewards' inquiry into the battle with Pearl Swan after the final flight.

Grumeti
© Racehorse Photos

Sent off the 7-4 joint-favourite, Alan King's charge looked to be going like a winner rounding the turn for home under Wayne Hutchinson and held the advantage at the last, where Pearl Swan had made stealthy progress from the rear.

The pair were soon locked together in a duel up the run-in and Pearl Swan got on top close home, though he leaned in towards his rival and gave him a bump before winning by a short head. The stewards reversed the result and gave Ruby Walsh a three-day ban that means he misses the Betfair Hurdle.

King said: "I haven't seen the head-on. It's not a particularly nice way to win a race but if it cost us, then so be it. It won't do him any harm having a proper race.

"I've gone straight from this to the Triumph in the past, but horses like Katchit and Franchoek had already had four or five runs. My gut feeling is that he could do with another run before the Triumph just for a bit of match practice."

Hutchinson added: "I think I'd have won without the interference. My lad became slightly unbalanced. Once you've lost your momentum, it's very hard to get it back. I'm sure he wants another run to sharpen him up, but we've got a good horse on our hands."

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Pearl Swan, said: "He only ran last week so it was too soon to run him really, but I wanted to see where we stood. I just told Ruby to drop him in and see what happens.

"With two quick runs obviously he'll go straight to the Triumph now. I just thought he ran a little flat and didn't jump as well as he might. I think I can improve him enormously."

Walsh is set to miss Betfair Hurdle day because of his ban for careless riding, which will put him on the sidelines on February 11-13 inclusive. He misses the ride on Zarkandar in the big race itself.

He said: "I thought the interference was minimal and I can't remember my last ban for careless riding, so for my first offence to get three days is quite harsh. I'll go home and think about appealing."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Pearl Swan P F Nicholls	R Walsh 11st 7lbs	8 - 1 Winner
2	Grumeti A King	W Hutchinson 11st 4lbs	7 - 4 Short Head
3	Hollow Tree D McCain Jnr	J M Maguire 11st 7lbs	9 - 2 3 1/2 lengths
4	Tango De Juilley Miss V Williams	Aidan Coleman 11st 7lbs	20 - 1 8 lengths
5	Colebrooke Mrs P Robeson	N Fehily 11st 4lbs	66 - 1 12 lengths
6	Baby Mix T R George	P J Brennan 11st 7lbs	7 - 4 3 1/4 lengths