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Irish fly high to sweep Gold Cup
 War of Attrition and jockey Conor O'Dwyer negotiate a fence during the Gold Cup. CHELTENHAM, England -- War Of Attrition led home an Irish one-two-three on St Patrick's Day to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday. Jockey Conor O'Dwyer gave his Mouse Morris-trained mount a perfect ride to hold off Grand National winner Hedgehunter with Forget the Past in third. The 15-2 shot War of Attrition is owned by leading businessman Michael O'Leary, the chief executive and owner of Ryanair. "It's amazing," said O'Leary. "The finish seemed to go on for ever and ever. He was given a terrific ride by Conor O'Dwyer." With pre-race favorite Beef Or Salmon again disappointing in steeeplechasing's premier event, Irish hopes turned to the smooth running War of Attrition who took control after the final turn. Hedgehunter, ridden by Ruby Walsh, looked a danger approaching the last, but O'Dwyer delivered War of Attrition for a magnificent jump to go clear on the run-in. Hedgehunter, bidding to become the first horse to complete the Gold Cup - National double, went off at 16-1. Third-place Forget The Past was a 9-1 shot with French trained L'Ami in fourth. A crowd of 50,000, including Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, saw jockey Timmy Murphy taking a crashing fall from Celestial Gold on the first circuit. The jockey, lying flat on the turf, did not appear to move as the race continued and the field bypassed the same fence the second time around with Murphy being treated behind some green sheets. Murphy was later taken to hospital for X-rays on his throat as a precautionary measure, but was not seriously injured. 
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