Buddy One effort part of a ‘special week’ for Gilligan family

Adam Morgan
March 17, 2024 3:19 pm

Aintree on the radar – and novice chase campaign is eagerly awaited.

Paul Gilligan left Cheltenham full of pride after Buddy One’s brave effort when fourth in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

Although a 40-1 outsider in the hands of the trainer’s son Jack, the seven-year-old left his previous disappointing efforts in Grade One company in the past to be right in the mix on the run to the final flight.

Buddy One was eventually beaten just over eight lengths by the impressive winner Teahupoo and although unable to match the Cheltenham Festival heroics of Gilligan’s Bertie’s Dream in 2010, the stable’s latest standard-bearer lost little in defeat.

Team Buddy One at Cheltenham in November (Nigel French/PA)

“It was a massive run and I’m over the moon with it,” said Gilligan.

“He could have done with the ground being a bit better, but that’s not making excuses and with that said he has run a super race.

“I knew he was better than his previous run in Grade Ones and he was fantastic, we have no complaints and it was a great day.

“Jack gave him a master ride and he came up the inner and just for one split second, one stride he had his nose in front. I suppose the others just picked up and quickened better on the ground.

“He was only beat eight lengths and that is nothing to be ashamed of, it was fantastic. He had a lot of very good horses behind and if I could have more horses like him it would be great.”

Buddy One followed his second to Iroko at last year’s Festival by going to Aintree and again running with real credit and Gilligan is toying with following a similar plan this time around, with a shot at the Jrl Group Liverpool Hurdle on Grand National day preferable to a visit to the Punchestown Festival.

“I’m half thinking he will go to Aintree because we have an extra week compared to last year and that will probably wrap up his season,” continued Gilligan.

“I’d rather not go to Punchestown and it would be great if we could get a result in Aintree with him as he ran well there last year.

“There’s no reason not to go there. I couldn’t be happier.”

Despite proving himself to be a top operator over timber, Gilligan is now looking ahead to a novice chase campaign next season with Buddy One, confident his jumping ability will help him take higher rank over the larger obstacles.

Buddy One was a Cheltenham winner in November (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)

“He might not win a Grade One over hurdles but with his jumping, he never misses a beat and I think he is going to make a fantastic chaser, I just get that feeling with him,” continued the Athenry-based handler.

“He will probably start off his chasing career at Galway or something like that in October.

“He got home Saturday morning and he travelled home brilliantly. He got off the box with not a bother on him.”

Although there was no joy for any of Gilligan’s three runners at the Festival, he ended what he described as a “special week” by watching his son Danny return to the winner’s enclosure having steered Gordon Elliott’s Better Days Ahead to Martin Pipe glory.

Gilligan himself had a runner in the race in the hands of Buddy One’s pilot Jack, but once Sequestered’s challenge began to wane, he quickly turned to cheering Better Days Ahead home.

Danny Gilligan looks to the sky after winning the Martin Pipe (Steven Paston for the Jockey Club/PA)

He said: “Even without getting a winner it was just a great week and then Danny rattled it off with his winner in the last. Cheltenham is one of the places you want to be.

“I was watching our own horse through the race and when our chance was gone of course we were then looking for Danny and we roared him home.

“He’s a super rider and Gordon has given him some great opportunities, he’s very good to him.

“It’s what dreams are made of and we have one picture from Friday where Jack went over to Danny after the last and the two of them gave one another a hug.

“That was a very proud moment for us and to have two sons riding in Cheltenham and one to have a winner and the other to be in the same race was a proud moment, a special week.”