Goat punters follow track from Dublin bar to winner's enclosure

Published on Tuesday 10 March 2009 22:26

FORPADYDEPLASTERER provoked raucous scenes in the winner's enclosure as he fended off Kalahari King in a brilliant finish for the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

Outrageous Irish celebrations are not rare at Cheltenham but more than 20 members of the Goat Racing Syndicate excelled themselves as they sang, cheered and carried the winning trainer Tom Cooper on their shoulders. Many of the owners are regulars at The Goat, a pub in Dublin belonging to Charlie Chawke.

With Chawke also a major investor in Sunderland Football Club, red and white scarves were waved aloft to match the horse's silks.

It was a rough-and-tumble Arkle, with the 4-1 favourite Tatenen falling at the third and many others getting knocked about and losing their places.

Forpadydeplasterer was sent off at 8-1 and Barry Geraghty delivered a masterful performance to hold Kalahari King by a short head.

Chawke, who lost a leg in a pub shooting six years ago, clearly leads a life not short on colour. "The name (Forpadydeplasterer] comes from our old Toiseach Bertie Ahern, whose friend Paddy helped him out a long time ago," he explained. "He is named in memory of Paddy."

Ireland had earlier got off to a flying start at the Festival when the Noel Meade-trained Go Native won the curtain-raiser, the williamhill.com Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The 12-1 chance shot clear approaching the last under Paul Carberry, while Medermit flew home to claim second, with Somersby third. It was Meade's second win in the race after Sausalito Bay, also ridden by Carberry, struck in 2000.