Final Orders reaps rich reward for Cromwell and Donoghue
Final Orders gave Meath trainer and jockey partnership Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue back-to-back wins in the Czech Republic's most prestigious race, the Velka Pardubicka on Sunday.
The pair won the race 12 months ago with Stumptown and they returned this year with the current Cheltenham Cross-Country champion.
The 10-year-old headed into the 4m2½f contest at Pardubice as a specialist over unique obstacles, having won twice at Cheltenham last season, including the Cross Country Chase in March. He also finished seventh in the Aintree Grand National.
Final Orders was prominent early on but made a significant error at the famous Taxis fence after which Donoghue briefly lost an iron.
The long-time leader Araucarias unseated rider Josef Bartos but Final Orders was not impacted and he fought off the challenge of the 2024 winner Godfrey.
Dunshaughlin jockey Keith Donoghue was delighted to win the race for a second year in a row.
"He did it well. I thought I was going to win easier turning in and it was a good battle. He's a very tough horse and it's great to win this race again. We knew it wouldn't be easy coming here and it's a very tough race.
“There's the likes of Jan Faltejsek riding beside you, a man who has a great record around here so it's never easy," said Donoghue.
A year ago Cromwell became the first Irish trainer to win the race.
"It was a fantastic ride by Keith. The ground wasn't ideal but he overcame it. I think the Taxis was a little bit of a moment and the loose horses were always a concern but when we turned on to the main track I thought we had a very good chance,” said Cromwell.
Final Orders is owned by the CMD Syndicate, which includes Ratoath men Simon Donnelly and Johnny Kirwan, took home more than £72,000 for his memorable triumph on Sunday.
The 4/1 chance Manoir de Mirande was another winner for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy as he upset a long odds-on favourite Glen Kiln to take the two-mile beginners’ chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Colin Keane won the €100,000 Colm White Bookmaker Begger’s End Handicap on the Dermot Weld-trained 14/1 chance Abbotsford at Naas on Sunday.