With all due respect to Paul Webber’s
charge, Time For Rupert, who ran in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, the
RSA Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in his time, the titular
Rupert, in this case, is Rupert ‘Ruby’ Walsh. In his second full
season as stable jockey to Paul Nicholls – who was to become
leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the second time –
Walsh announced his arrival on the Festival stage by winning the
Queen Mother Champion Chase on Azetyuiop, the Grand Annual Chase on
St. Pirran and the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle on Sporazene.
Three winners were enough to make the Irishman top jockey for the
first time.
Elsewhere, Hardy Eustace sprang a
surprise in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, seeing off the reigning
champion Rooster Booster by 5 lengths. The ill-fated Total Enjoyment
was a ready winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper and Iris’s
Gift reversed the previous year’s form with Baracouda when winning
the Bonusprint Stayers’ Hurdle, but the Festival is probably best
remembered for Best Mate, who made history by becoming the first
horse since the legendary Arkle to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup three
years running.
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