Races
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL REWIND: Meticulous finishes eighth in stellar Champion Bumper
Meticulous, who runs at Wexford on Friday, featured in a strong Cheltenham Festival contest two years ago
Joseph O’Brien’s Meticulous has been declared for Wexford’s card this Friday following his first win over timber earlier this month, bidding to boost the solid subsequent form of the Champion Bumper at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.
The Fame And Glory gelding shed his maiden tag over timber at Cork two weeks ago, a first victory for his handler since his Kilbeggan debut back in July three years ago.
Creditable efforts followed at Leopardstown, including chasing home the superstar Envoi Allen at the Dublin Racing Festival, and it would be that rival he'd follow home at Prestbury Park a month later in a superb renewal of Wednesday's Festival curtain closer, albeit he wouldn't get quite as close in Gloucestershire.
Having finished second to the Cheveley Park Stud representative in County Kildare, he would be partnered by former Group 1 winning jockey Donnacha O'Brien, who would team up with his older brother in a rare National Hunt appearance.
In a race that has proved extremely strong since, the now Henry de Bromhead-trained son of Muhtahir landed the spoils under Jamie Codd as a 2-1 favourite, holding off Willie Mullins' Blue Sari in a fantastic finish up the infamous hill.
Fourth in the Albert Bartlett a year later and now a Grade 1 winning stayer, Thyme Hill picked up the bronze medal for Phillip Hobbs under the recently retired Richard Johnson, while 2020 Supreme second and recent Aintree Hurdle victor Abacadabras was in fourth.
Alan King's The Glancing Queen claimed fifth and went onto win the Mares Bumper at the Grand National Festival a month later.
Also in the field were future Thurles winner Sempo, Supreme Trial victor Master Debonair and 2020 hat-trick hero Flic Ou Voyou.
