Sensational sport

The four days may have been overshadowed by coronavirus, but there were plenty of surprises and stories

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THERE really was only one talking point before, during and after this year’s Cheltenham Festival and that was coronavirus, which cast a dark shadow over the meeting. The emotions of professionals and punters alike oscillated from relief to the meeting going ahead, to having a conscience about being there. In accordance with government advice, it went ahead and provided four days of sensational sport, which may be some of the last for many months.

While there might not have been one horse that stood head and shoulders above its rivals this year, there were some dramatic finishes. Although, the French-trained Glenfarclas Cross-Country winner Easysland, on whom even Grand National hero Tiger Roll couldn’t land a punch, might be a candidate for the top title.

The two most unlikely winners going to the last were Champ in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and Burning Victory in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Champ was eight lengths down as Minella Indo seemed to have finally mastered Allaho. Both had gone hard up front and, as they began to tread water, Champ – who had been nursed round the outside by Barry Geraghty – discovered his forte in life; stamina. As the other two stopped, he stayed on and, in the end, won by a comfortable length.

“I thought we’d run an honourable third and I was watching the front two when all of a sudden Champ appeared,” said trainer Nicky Henderson about the race that gave him his fourth winner of the meeting.