RED BULL STEEPLE-X, BUTTEVANT, CO. CORK

David Coates Wins the Red Bull SteepleX as TM Sweep the Stakes

TM’s David Coates has won the inaugural Red Bull SteepleX held at Buttevant Castle, Cork, Ireland on Sunday June 20th. Home of the world’s first ever Steeple Chase held some 340 years ago, Red Bull reinvented the sport but this time replaced horses with horse power. Replicating the original format of Steeple Chase racing saw riders race 7km point to point cross-country between the two villages of Doneraile and Buttevant before arriving in the castle grounds of Buttevant to complete three laps of the hare and hound loop in front of hoards of spectators.

Under glorious sunshine, it was Coates on his CCM Racing TM who grabbed the initial holeshot to lead the charge of riders out of the first corner, chased by the Red Bull helicopter in the skies overhead. Momentarily loosing the lead as the riders leapt out through the ruins of an abandoned cottage, Coates once again took over the reins and led the pack as they started the first of three laps around the woodland of Buttevant Castle. With local favourite Brian O’Connell hot on his tail, the duo battled bar to bar out across chase fences, river crossings and woodland tracks. With a lap to run, it was O’Connell that cracked under the pressure and handed the lead over to Coates who held his nerve to take victory in the first ever running of the Red Bull Steeple Chase.

David Coates: “The race went really well for me to be honest. My start was perfect and I held the lead early on before getting passed coming up to the jump through the cottage but luckily I managed to get it back again coming into the castle grounds. I got stuck slightly coming out of the first river crossing and that let Brian get passed as we jumped out through the chase fence. We stuck together for the next lap and when he made a mistake on the hill climb that was enough to let me through for the win. It’s been a brilliant race with the most exciting part of it racing flat-out from the country into the castle grounds with the helicopter chasing us overhead. I’m delighted to have won!”

Red Bull SteepleX 2010:
1. David Coates (TM); 2. Paul McLoughlin; 3. Jim O’Neill