Tommie Beau could seek alternative targets to Cheltenham after cross-country drama

A Cheltenham cross-country return may not be on the agenda for Seamus Mullins’ Tommie Beau after a dramatic end to his Glenfarclas bid last week.

The nine-year-old is a seasoned chaser who was making his debut around the unique course when ridden by Micheal Nolan as the 100-30 favourite in a field of nine.

Things looked to be going swimmingly for the combination ahead of the turn for home, with Tommie Beau jumping incredibly well throughout and occupying a competitive position at the foot of the hill.

Sadly a blip in communication seemed to then occur and he found himself on the wrong side of the track having nipped through an opening in the rail.

Nolan then had no choice but to pull the gelding up as Sweet David, who very nearly followed him off the course, went on to win for French trainer Gabriel Leenders. Adding to Nolan’s woe was a subsequent 12-day suspension for his error.

“They both looked to be enjoying themselves, that’s for sure, it was just one of those things,” said Mullins.

“When you enter those races, you know they are different, you have to accept that things can go wrong as they are not straightforward.

“I’m a believer that if the horse is OK and the rider is OK, then it’s just jump racing.

“There are positives and he’s come out of the race fine, it’s a missed opportunity, but never mind.”

Despite taking so well to the cross-country course at Cheltenham, a return there is not guaranteed for Tommie Beau, who has options elsewhere on home turf and also further afield in France.

“Possibly not, we’re looking at going to France and to the London Grand National at Sandown next,” Mullins said of the prospect of taking on Cheltenham’s cross-country track again.

“We may stick an entry in at the December meeting for the cross country, but I anticipate that it will be a lot stronger race.

“There’s a race at Pau in February that we might look at, whether we go back for the Festival or not would be debatable.

“It’s not necessarily the owner’s cup of tea or mine, that race at the Festival, everything’s up in air with that and I wouldn’t say he’d be a definite runner in the cross country at Cheltenham again this season.”