From Silver Birch to Sizing John: five of Robbie Power's best rides

Galway Hurdle (2019)

Patience personified; many would have given up the chase, but Robbie Power was not letting the Galway Hurdle slip away that easily.

With little room to manoeuvre coming down to the second-last, Power still had a bunch of rivals to pass turning for home.

He stuck to the task on the Tony Martin-trained gelding and began to poke his way through approaching the last, but, when Band Of Outlaws jumped in front of him, he was forced to switch back inside and go for the smallest gap available.

He didn't blink. In typical Power fashion, he urged his mount between Due Reward and Band Of Outlaws and flew home to prevail by half a length at the line.

Robbie Power punches the air after winning the 2019 Galway Hurdle on board Tudor CityCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Sizing John
Punchestown Gold Cup (2017)

This was Sizing John's annus mirabilis. After winning the 2017 Irish and Cheltenham Gold Cups, he and Power were sent off 9-10 favourites for the Punchestown equivalent to make it three from three and land a treble that had never been done before.

The front-running Coneygree set a good pace from the off, and coming to the third-last he still held a four-length advantage over Djakadam as Power began to loom up on Sizing John.

Power got lower in the saddle and was hard at work on Sizing John from two out, where his mount made a slight error. The Ann and Alan Potts-owned gelding was fighting hard and got upsides his rivals to jump the last alongside Coneygree and Djakadam.

It looked like Djakadam might forge on, but Power had other ideas and Sizing John responded to his every urging to prevail by a short head in an epic.

Coneygree (left), Djakadam (centre) and Sizing John (right) jump the last in unison in the 2017 Punchestown Gold CupCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Bostons Angel
RSA Chase (2011)

They often say the first one is the hardest, and Robbie Power had to work hard for his first Cheltenham Festival success.

Bostons Angel took it up heading for the home bend, but he looked like a sitting duck for the strong-travelling Jessies Dream.

Power was shovelling on the coal even though he landed half a length down at the back of the last but he kept at Bostons Angel, who began to find more and more up the hill. They got to the front with 100 yards still to go, with Power needing every ounce of his strength to keep his mount going as he began to tire.

It looked like one of the late thrusts of Wayward Prince or Magnanimity might spoil the party, but Bostons Angel fended off all-comers and Power punched the air crossing the line with relief.

RSA heroes Bostons Angel and Robbie Power return to the Cheltenham winner's circleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Supasundae
Irish Champion Hurdle (2018)

Living in an age when trying to compete with Faugheen was borderline impossible didn’t stop Robbie Power and Supasundae spoiling the party in the 2018 Irish Champion Hurdle.

Coming over the second-last Supasundae and Faugheen had drawn clear of the remainder, and Paul Townend sat motionless on 'The Machine', who was trading at 1.6 on the exchanges. It looked like a simple pop over the last would secure victory.

Supasundae drifted to as big as 14.5 with Power pushing away, but his mount responded gamely and they drew alongside the 9-10 favourite at the final flight.

The Potts family's gelding pinged it and swooped up alongside the Willie Mullins superstar before scooting clear to win by two lengths.

Perhaps it was an off day for Faugheen, but Power tracked his every move from the start and swooped with one telling run to secure his sole victory in the race.

Supasundae and Power (far side) take over at the last to land the 2018 Irish Champion Hurdle from FaugheenCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Silver Birch
Grand National (2007)

You need luck to win a Grand National, and on a day where so much could have gone wrong, it all went right for Power and Silver Birch.

A faller at the Chair a year earlier, Silver Birch pecked badly at Becher's Brook second time around and had to negotiate a faller to boot, but Power sat tight. Approaching the second-last, Slim Pickings and Barry Geraghty held a slender advantage over Silver Birch when a loose horse looked like it might cause problems.

Robbie Power raises his arm in triumph after Silver Birch's Grand National win at AintreeCredit: Edward Whitaker

But Power wasn't fazed. He kept at his mount down to the last and although harried by the loose horse again, the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding began to assert at the Elbow.

The pair were flat out on the run to the line and Power had to give everything as Mckelvey closed with every stride. They had done enough, though, and the post came just in time for the 33-1 shot to give Power his only success in the National.

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