Flemensfirth’s sons dominate Cheltenham’s big day

His foals have been all the rage at Fairyhouse this week and at Cheltenham on Saturday, two of Flemensfirth’s sons dominated the chasing action on the track.

The feature G3 Paddy Power Gold Cup was won in great style by seasonal debutant Imperial Commander (7g Flemensfirth-Ballinlovane, by Le Moss), trained locally by Nigel Twiston-Davies.

"He jumps, he gallops, he’s everything. Paddy Brennan thinks he’s probably the best horse he’s ridden, which is quite something," said Twiston-Davies.

Asked whether Imperial Commander, who had his season cut short by injury last year, was one of the best horses he’d trained, he said: "He has to be nudging up there with the best of them. If he keeps on like Tipping Tim then who knows.

"He would have possibly have won the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at The Festival last season if we had been able to go for it. This was the plan then and it has worked.

"He’s entered in the King George and the Hennessy. If he finishes like that over two and a half miles on his first run you have to think he’s going to stay any distance. He’s got class, speed, he jumps, everything you want. It can’t be bad. There are nice things to think about."

Jockey Paddy Brennan added: "That was a brilliant performance and I haven’t ridden a horse like this before."

Imperial Commander, who was bred by Laurence Flynn, was sold for 19,000 euros at the 2004 Goffs Land Rover Sale.

Meanwhile, Joe Lively (9g Flemensfirth-Forest Gale, by Strong Gale) had earlier run away with a G3 handicap chase by 14 lengths and could now head to the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.

"He did that well, but he’s got a bit of a cut on his leg, which worries me a bit. If he won today we were going for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, but that little nick might stop the plan. He’ll have entries in every big staying chase, and after today there’s no reason not to," said winning trainer Colin Tizzard.

"We thought he was a good to firm ground horse last year, but he’s a light galloper and doesn’t get into the ground. He’ll have a Grand National entry, and he was entered last season, but he’d been to the well so many times we thought that would be greedy."

Joe Lively, who was bred by John O’Callaghan, was bought by his owner Richard Dymond for just £4,500 at Ascot sales.

The following is copied from Sunday’s European Bloodstock News:

CHELTENHAM OPEN DOUBLE FOR FLEMENSFIRTH

Anyone wondering why the offspring of Flemensfirth have sold so well at Tattersalls Ireland’s November National Hunt Sale need only look at yesterday’s results on the second day of the Cheltenham’s Open Meeting for the answer.

The sixteen-year-old son of Alleged, who stands at Coolmore’s Beeches Stud, was responsible for both Joe Lively, the winner of the Gr.3 Servo Computer Services Trophy Handicap Chase, and Imperial Commander, who won the Gr.3 Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase.

Both Joe Lively and Imperial Commander are Goffs June National Hunt Sales graduates. The former was also sold at Brightwells Ascot Bloodstock July Sale, whilst the latter made a second appearance at Goffs at their December National Hunt Sale.

Bred by John O’Callaghan, nine-year-old Joe Lively won the Gr.1 Feltham Novices’ Chase last Boxing Day, as well as the Gr.2 Worcester Novices’ Chase last December. As for the seven-year-old Imperial Commander, he was bred by Laurence Flynn, and though he was third in the Gr.1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle in 2007, this was his first victory at Graded level.

Both sons of Flemensfirth could meet at Newbury later this month for the Hennessy Gold Cup.