Imperial display eclipses old guard

IMPERIAL Commander signalled a changing of the guard among the dynasty of staying chasers as he eclipsed both Kauto Star and Denman in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Bookmakers said the result was "beyond their wildest dreams" as they toasted one of their most profitable Festivals in memory, with punters left to lick their wounds after a horrendous succession of long-priced results over the four days.

In a race billed as a heavyweight showdown and an ultimate decider between Paul Nicholls' stablemates, it was local hero Imperial Commander who prevailed for Nigel Twiston-Davies in a race of towering high drama.

Kauto Star, the 8-11 favourite and winner of the Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009, was unlucky not to deposit Ruby Walsh with an uncharacteristic error at the eighth fence and he was never travelling thereafter.

Walsh was niggling away at the four-time King George VI Chase winner passing the stands and the pair then came to grief four fences from home with an earth-shattering fall. Thankfully both horse and jockey were quickly on their feet as Imperial Commander squared up to 2008 winner Denman at the head of affairs.

Denman left his abject failure at Newbury last month well behind under Tony McCoy but the bruising combination were fighting for second place as Imperial Commander and Paddy Brennan went on at the second-last. Any stamina doubts from onlookers were readily brushed aside as the 7-1 chance thundered up the hill for a sixth course success with his seven-length victory.

Although he has won the Grand National twice, Twiston-Davies – who went on to land an incredible treble on the closing day – craves the quiet life and admitted afterwards: "I am a low player and like to be the small man."

But the small man had already nearly upset the colossus of Kauto Star once this season as, back in November, Imperial Commander ran him to a nose at Haydock.

"You can never be confident of beating Kauto Star as he wins so well every year but both horses were only half-fit at Haydock and he proved himself that day that we are that class," said Twiston-Davies. "He is bred to stay and that is all he has ever done. He has always powered up the hill like it was flat and in another ten yards at Haydock he would have beaten Kauto Star by miles. There was not a man in the world who didn't think we had won that day.

"I am slowly filling my CV, and only the Champion Hurdle is missing after Khyber Kim finished second on Tuesday.

"We don't like shouting our mouths off, but I couldn't understand it as Denman had let his supporters down last time and Kauto cannot do it every year.

"Cooldine had 14lb to find and I couldn't see how he could do it. I was the forgotten man and I hope you forget me again after today."

Forgetting the jovial Naunton handler would seem unlikely with Imperial Commander due to now take part in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree in three weeks' time.

Twiston-Davies added: "I would like to run him at Liverpool. I don't imagine Denman or Kauto will run so it should be a penalty kick."

Brennan breezed past the winning post with his finger pressed firmly to his lips, and explaining the expression, he said: "All we have heard of the last three months is Kauto Star and Denman. It is good for racing but it was never a two-horse race. It's by far the best day of my life. I'm speechless.

" It was a dream the whole way. I saw Kauto's mistake out of the corner of my eye. Paul Townend (on Cooldine] was next to me and he said Kauto was still there. I thought Kauto had to make just one mistake. There was a lot of rubbish talked about Kauto being half-fit at Haydock but we needed the race too. I had never had a feeling like it at Haydock with the speed he showed up the straight.

"Kauto is not a young horse and Imperial Commander is improving – he is a serious horse. The horse on the day was exceptional and I just played a small part. He will be around a long time."

Twiston-Davies and Brennan have forged a successful partnership since the rider moved from Howard Johnson's stable in 2007.

"I am not the easiest person to work with on a day-to-day basis. If I am not winning I am not happy," Brennan explained. "Nigel makes me happy every day. He makes me feel that I am the best and you cannot buy that. He is not only a boss but a friend."

Few trainers can boast to have bagged two Gold Cups on the same day, but after Baby Run had run his rivals ragged to scoop the hunter chase blue riband, the Christie's Foxhunter Chase, Twiston-Davies went into Cheltenham Festival wonderland. The trainer welcomed his son Sam back on 9-2 joint-favourite Baby Run, just over half an hour after Imperial Commander had taken Gold Cup glory.

Baby Run made every yard of the running and kept on gamely up the final hill to score by five lengths from Kilty Storm. Twiston-Davies enthused: "That has to take the biscuit."

An unimaginable ending to the day arrived in the final yards of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual as the mercurial Pigeon Island gave Twiston-Davies a treble on the day and Gold Cup-winning jockey Paddy Brennan a double.

French Opera, trained by Johnny Henderson's son Nicky, gallantly fought off one challenge after another but in the end had to succumb to Pigeon Island (16-1) by a length and a quarter. Twiston-Davies added: "The buses all came at once and this is our day, and thank goodness for that."

Responding to the Gold Cup shock, David Williams of Ladbrokes said: "It was a result beyond our wildest dreams. The gamble on Kauto Star was colossal. Getting the big two beaten was nothing short of superb. God was smiling on the bookies this week. It was the best Festival we've had in a generation and we didn't want to go home."