Grumeti awarded opener after stewards' inquiry

Report: Cheltenham, Saturday

JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Registered As The Finesse Juvenile Hurdle) (Grade 2) 2m1f, 4yo

LEADING Triumph Hurdle fancy Grumeti was awarded the opening race at Cheltenham after he had been edged out by Pearl Swan in a tight finish.

A stewards' inquiry was called after the first two came close on the run-in and the head-on film showed at least one clear bump between the two.

Although the betting had suggested that Pearl Swan, who finished a short head in front, would keep the race, after a lengthy inquiry the stewards made the decision to reverse the placings.

The incident resulted in Pearl Swan's rider Ruby Walsh picking up a three-day ban, February 11-13 inclusive.

 Wayne Hutchinson, rider of Grumeti had said immediately after crossing the line that he felt that interference from Walsh and Pearl Swan had cost him the race.

"We became unbalanced when Pearl Swan bumped us. He did it twice and it cost us momentum which is crucial at Cheltenham."

Alan King, trainer of Grumeti said: "I left it up to him [Hutchinson] as I had not seen the head on.

"It is not a nice way to get race but if it had cost him than so be it." Grumeti came here as favourite for the Triumph Hurdle despite falling at the second last hurdle at Newbury last time and King continued: "It was never the plan to come here but after Newbury we had to rejig things.

"It was a solid performance and I would not be frightened to give him another run before [the Triumph]."  

Hollow Tree had led from the off at a steady gallop under Jason Maguire, with Grumeti, sent of the 7-4 joint-favourite and Baby Mix, another who figured prominently in the betting for the Triumph, set in mid division.

When Baby Mix made a mistake at the second last, Grumeti moved up to stalk the leader. However Walsh was biding his time on Pearl Swan, who was sent off at 8-1 who got up into a challenging position late on before hanging to his right, a move which cost him the race.    

Grumeti remained unchanged in the betting for the Triumph Hurdle at 8-1 but he lost his place at the head of the market to Pearl Swan who is now as short as 5-1 with William Hill.   

Paul Nicholls had been surprised by the performance of Pearl Swan, a winner at Taunton on his only previous start in Britain.  

"He ran last week and it was a bit quick to bring him back but I wanted to see what we had." said Nicholls. "Today was to show us if we went down the Fred Winter or the Triumph Hurdle route and we'll go for the Triumph because I think I can improve him massively from that.

"If he was going to gofor the Fred Winter we would have to get another run into him but now we will go straight to the Triumph Hurdle.

"He ran a little flat and he could jump better so I'm delighted with the way he's run, it's surprised us. We can do better with him and we've always liked him at home."