Cheltenham festival: Tony McCoy steals Gold Cup as Kauto Star flops

TONY McCoy claimed his second Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup as Synchronised showed reservoirs of stamina in the premier race of the National Hunt calendar, although the victory was dampened in the eyes of the racing public after two-time Gold Cup winner Kauto Star was pulled up at the ninth fence by Ruby Walsh.

Trained by Jonjo O’Neill and owned by legendary gambler JP McManus, the 8-1 chance had too much raw grit for 50-1 outsider The Giant Bolster. Synchronised’s two-and-a-quarter-length victory, no matter how impressive, was nonetheless slightly overshadowed by Kauto Star’s lacklustre showing.

Kauto Star’s owner, Clive Smith, said it was “90 per cent certain” Paul Nicholls’ legendary 12-year-old would be retired.

He said: “What a great career he’s had and he’s been a wonderful horse. I’ve been so proud to own him and also the support of everybody has been absolutely tremendous. I would say it’s 90 per cent certain that he’ll be retired.

“Someone will have to come up with a very good reason for me not to retire him.”

Long Run, last year’s winner, also failed to fully sparkle for the Nicky Henderson team and finished third.

Bookmakers were saved from one of the biggest pay-outs in Cheltenham history by the flops of the much-loved Kauto Star and the favourite, and David Williams of Ladbrokes said: “We’re thrilled to bits with the Gold Cup result. The whole race revolved around Long Run and Kauto Star so Synchronised’s win was very welcome. We never thought we’d be cheering a Tony McCoy-ridden Gold Cup champion back into the Winners’ Enclosure, but most of the roars came from the bookies.”

Midnight Chase set out to make all of the running and initiated a strong pace, with Kauto Star and Long Run close up. There was drama at the second fence when What A Friend, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, fell. Soon after it became evident Walsh was not happy with Kauto Star and pulled him up. Time For Rupert got the better of Midnight Chase before four out, but he was soon swamped. The Giant Bolster then looked like landing a major shock as he took the lead on the turn for home.

Long Run was in the front rank, but Sam Waley-Cohen was hard at work on him and he failed to show the same acceleration that won the race 12 months ago. Burton Port also tried to close, but it was Synchronised who was delivered to perfection by McCoy as his stamina proved crucial.

McCoy, whose sole Gold Cup success had come in 1997 courtesy of Mr Mulligan, said: “He was off the bridle the whole way and when I missed the third last, I thought my chance had gone. He’s an amazing horse and it was an amazing performance. I’m so pleased to win it for JP as he’s been so good to me.

“Jonjo has done an incredible job. I’ve got a Grand National and a Gold Cup out of the man and I love him to bits.”

Cheltenham

McCoy also revealed he will have to dip into his share of the prize-money to pay for fellow rider Jamie Moore’s holiday to Las Vegas after making a pre-race promise to fund the trip if he won. “Jamie Moore got a (recent) seven-day ban and he said that he was going to Las Vegas... I told him if I won the Gold Cup, then I would pay for it, so it’s going to be expensive,” Irishman McCoy joked.

O’Neill, who was securing his first Gold Cup as a trainer, added: “AP was brilliant on him, he knows him so well. A lot of work has gone into him at home so it was a great team effort from the yard. He flowered in the last few days and it was spot-on timing. It’s fantastic to win it as a trainer.”

Trainer David Bridgwater said of runner-up The Giant Bolster: “He was brilliant, but I’ve always said this is an exceptionally good horse and he should have been about 16-1, not 50s. He jumped super, and it was a wonderful race. Hopefully we’ll be back here next year and hopefully there’ll be some big races to win before then.”

Henderson said of the defeated champion, Long Run, and fourth-placed Burton Port: “I’m thrilled with my two boys and I have to give credit to the winners. JP is one of the stalwarts of National Hunt racing and Jonjo and AP are superstars. You have to say Long Run was not quite good enough on the day, but Sam (Waley-Cohen) rode a great race. I’d imagine they’ll both get to Aintree. The three-mile race (Betfred Bowl) would be good for Long Run.”

HOW THEY FINISHED

1 SYNCHRONISED (A P McCoy) 8-1

2 The Giant Bolster (T Scudamore)50-1

3 Long Run (Sam Waley-Cohen)7-4 fav

4 Burton Port (Barry Geraghty)8-1

5 Time For Rupert (Denis O’Regan)33-1

6 Knockara Beau (Jan Faltejsek)66-1

7 Midnight Chase (Dougie Costello)12-1

8 China Rock (Andrew Lynch)100-1

9 The Midnight Club (Paul Townend) 100-1

10 Carruthers (Matthew Batchelor)100-1

Pulled-up

4 out: Diamond Harry (Noel Fehily)20-1

4 out: Weird Al (Jason Maguire)8-1

9th: Kauto Star (Ruby Walsh)3-1

Fell

2nd: What A Friend (Daryl Jacob)25-1

Winning distance: two-and-a-quarter lengths

Winning trainer: Jonjo O’Neill

Winning owner: JP McManus