Paul Nicholls became leading trainer at
the Festival for the fourth year running, and the sixth time in all,
in 2009. In fact, the former jump jockey surpassed his previous
efforts by saddling a total of five winners, namely Master Minded in
the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, Chapoturgeon in the
Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase, Big Buck’s in the Ladbrokes World
Hurdle, American Trilogy in the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle and
Kauto Star in the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. All bar Chapoturgeon
were ridden by stable jockey Ruby Walsh, who upstaged his boss by
riding a treble, on Quevaga, Mikael D’Haguenet and Cooldine, for
Irish champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins, for a record-breaking
seven winners over the four days.
Other notable winners during a
memorable week were Punjabi, trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by
Barry Geraghty, in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle and the
much-touted Dunguib, trained by Philip Fenton in Co. Tipperary and
ridden by amateur Brian O’Connell, who quickened clear to win the
Weatherbys Champion Bumpre by 10 lengths.
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