RACING:FINGER ONTHE Pulse has already provided Tony McCoy with a Galway Plate success in 2010 but Tom Taaffe's star would be an entirely apt victor of today's Vote AP Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The track authorities have changed the race title to help promote McCoy’s bid for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award next week and Finger Onthe Pulse is one of five Irish runners in the prestigious contest.
They include Tony Martin’s pair, Psycho and Northern Alliance, as well as the chronic asthmatic horse, Duers, and Noel Glynn’s Gonebeyondrecall who was prevented from running in last month’s Paddy Power Gold Cup due to a problem with the headgear he was wearing. Little Josh went on to win that race and he is favourite to become just the fourth horse to complete Cheltenham’s big winter handicap double.
Bookmakers rate Psycho the best Irish hope of a race last won by the visitors with Noel Meade’s Sir OJ five years ago and Tony Martin said yesterday: “Psycho has always been a good jumper but he was unlucky last year. It was great to see him back to his best at Naas and the same sort of performance should put him there or thereabouts.”
Irish interest at Cheltenham today also centres on Carlito Brigante’s attempt on the Relkeel Hurdle, and his stable companion Chicago Grey in the novice chase.
