Two-time Grade One winner Kargese produced a determined display to justify favouritism in the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival to give trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend their fifth winner in the competitive handicap in the last 11 years.
Last season’s Triumph Hurdle runner-up was a little keen early on for Townend but they made a forward move from midfield on the turn for home and seemed set for a smooth success once striking the front.
The five-year-old faced a renewed challenge from Gordon Elliott’s Ndaawi on the run-in but was always doing enough to score at 3-1 and give Mullins a record-extending eighth win in the race.
Townend said: “She was keen today alright! That’s her though, she has the heart of a lion. I was in front a lot sooner than I wanted. But it might have actually helped me that when I got there, she parked a little bit and gave herself a breath of air, and that meant she could repel what was coming at me at the back of the last.”
Mullins said: “She is tough. You saw her here last year then she went on to Aintree. Usually four-year-olds aren’t able to do that sort of thing.
"She has come out again this year and she is as tough as nails and is as tough as anything that I have ever seen.
“We thought she was nicely handicapped. We thought maybe all last year’s four-year-olds were better handicapped than this year’s juveniles so we said we would take our chance and they have run well.
“Mentally she is so tough as well. She can do that and you can bring her home and she will eat and drink. That is what stands to her. She doesn’t fall apart after her races. She just keeps coming.
“She was too keen at Ascot, but I wanted to get a run into her and it was going to be very hard to bring her here without a run.
“We did (intend to bring her back after Christmas) as she was so hard on herself last season. I didn’t want her for the autumn. I wanted her for the spring and we gave her every chance.
“You saw how hard she raced last season and she is hard enough on herself in every race so we felt better to give her an easier autumn then concentrate on the spring.
“I’m going to celebrate today and then we will decide what we are going to do. Normally I go to Punchestown, but I would have to look if there is something either at Ayr or maybe Aintree.
“She will in time go over a longer trip, but I think she would be too hard on herself and too hard on the jockey.”
Winning owner Kenny Alexander said: “This was probably one of the best chances.
“You can never be too confident in that race, but she got the job done, didn’t she.
“She was second last year in the Triumph, to Majborough, then to Sir Gino at Aintree, and she got a decent mark. She doesn’t always settle, but she settled reasonably well today. Fantastic ride. Think she was ready today and she got the job done.
He added: “Monday night I was out with my friends and my wife for a curry, and I said, ‘if you can just get a runner here, then it’s job done. It’s an incredible experience. If you can get a winner, it’s a bonus’.
“My heart is still pumping. I would recommend it, just to try and get here. Just getting here is amazing, if you’re lucky enough to get a winner, it’s phenomenal.”
He added: “To get two this week is beyond… I’m very, very fortunate. To get two is absolutely unbelievable.”
Gordon Elliott, trainer of runner-up Ndaawi, said: “Another second, I know! Listen, they’re running really well and we’re just delighted to be here; we’re just not getting the rub of the green.”
Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Racing TV, the UK's leading horse racing channel showing live racing from the best racecourses in Great Britain and Ireland.
Subscribe to Racing TV's free YouTube channel and get closer to the sport we all love. If you want to watch unmissable moments from the world of racing and exclusive interviews and highlights from our specialist shows then this is the place for you! https://bit.ly/2RHbyMa
You can also find us on Sky 424 or Virgin Media 536 (411 in Ireland): https://t.co/xkJ0xBrDcm
Also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and via our iPhone, iPad and Android apps: https://t.co/CwcklwUMHs
