RUBY WALSH was among a whole host of punters stunned by a ‘shocking’ horse race.
Telmesomethinggirl is one of Henry de Bromhead’s stable stars – but her chase win at Naas was ‘painful to watch’.
Telmesomethinggirl – in the famous Honeysuckle silks – cashes in on Instit's last-fence blunder in the @IrishEBF_ Mares Beginners Chase @NaasRacecourse
@HenrydeBromhead's mare was far from foot-perfect, but she showed plenty of heart for @rachaelblackmor pic.twitter.com/cTCqTprIzk— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 8, 2023
Telmesomethinggirl, in the famous Honeysuckle silks, looked far from a natural over fences
Legendary jockey Walsh was left stunned by just how many mistakes there were in this race over fences
The Kenny Alexander-owned mare eventually won by six lenghts from the Willie Mullins-trained Instit.
But they were the only finishers, with Choice Of Words falling five fences out and Pont Aval being pulled up before the last.
It led to one respected tipster declaring: “None of that quartet should be jumping fences again. Shocking stuff.”
Walsh thought likewise in his analysis of the action on racing TV’s Road To Cheltenham.
He said: “It was like my go, your go, who wants to miss the next one, wasn’t it?
“First fence they both jump well then second fence, Instit lands out on her head and pecks, that’s her first mistake.
“They get to the fourth fence, Telmesomethinggirl decides she’s going to hit this, lands out on her head.
“Fifth fence Instit says it’s my turn now, again lands out on her head.
“Round the bend to the sixth and Telmesomethinggirl jams on into the corner, very, very careful and it was the same at the next fence.
“At the second-last Telmesomethinggirl puts down a mishit then when Instit has the upper hand she decides no, it’s my turn to make a mistake and lands completely flat-footed.
“It was extraordinary to watch – how many mistakes can you make in a race?
“And they finished in slow motion, they looked to be walking up the straight in this race.”
Punters watching the action thought likewise.
One said: “That was a painful watch.”
Another commented: “Miracle they both got round.”
While another post read: “X-rated stuff and not in a good way.”
Alexander’s racing manager Peter Molony confirmed a change of future target for Telmesomethingggirl was in the pipeline after that shoddy showing.
He said: “We were initially thinking the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham would be the ultimate plan, but after that we’ll have a chat.
“There’s the Mares’ Hurdle too for her – she was a bit unlucky in that last year when brought down and Rachael (Blackmore) thought she might have had the winning of that race again but it was a long way out.”
Telmesomethinggirl is 14-1 for the Mares’ Hurdle, 20-1 for the Mares’ Chase and 16-1 for the Coral Cup.
