Synchronised stormed to victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday after the expected duel between defending champion Long Run and Kauto Star failed to materialise.
The 8/1 shot surged clear on Cheltenham’s famous uphill charge for the finish after a superb ride from legendary jockey Tony McCoy, who claimed his second Gold Cup with the win.
“He was off all the way but what I didn’t want to be doing was firing him down the fences,” McCoy said. “He is an amazing horse and I am delighted for owner JP McManus.”
“In any sport, if you do not have the will to win you have got nothing. This horse has heart.”
Winning trainer Jonjo O’Neill hailed the victory as a “big team effort”.
“I knew when he was coming down the back with a bit of light we knew we had a chance, and AP (McCoy) got him into a great rhythm. It was a big team effort, everyone has done so much on this horse,” O’Neill said.
“There is nobody else who can ride him as well (as Tony McCoy).”
The Giant Bolster (50/1) was second while favourite Long Run was third.
Long Run looked to be perfectly placed heading into the home straight but jockey Sam Waley-Cohen was unable to summon up the sort of barnstorming finish that had carried him to victory 12 months earlier.
“He ran his race so we’re disappointed that he didn’t win but we’re not disappointed in the horse,” Waley-Cohen said.
“He’s run alright but obviously it’s disappointing. But there’s no hard luck story here. What can you say?
“I was happy going down the hill but when some space opened up, instead of poking through as he would if he had more in the tank he couldn’t get away.”
It was a disappointing afternoon for Kauto Star, the two-time winner who had been a sentimental favourite to clinch his third Gold Cup.
The 12-year-old, 7/2 second favourite, aiming to become the oldest winner of the prestigious steeplechase crown since 1969, looked in good nick early on after hitting the front.
However it soon became apparent that there would be no fairytale win as jockey Ruby Walsh pulled him up, to loud applause from the crowd.
Trainer Paul Nicholls moved quickly to play down fears about the health of the legendary stayer, posting on Twitter: “KAUTO STAR FINE.”
Kauto Star owner Clive Smith said it was a “good bet” that the horse would continue to race for a while longer rather than be ushered into retirement.
“We agreed we wouldn’t decide anything today but I think it’s a very good bet we will do that,” Smith said. “He’s had a great career, he’s been a wonderful horse and I’ve been so proud to own him.”
Smith said Kauto Star, whose participation in this week’s showpiece event had been shrouded in uncertainty until shortly before the festival, had run into trouble at the first water jump.
“I’ve just had a word with Ruby and he said he jumped the first really well, and the second really well. But when he got to the water jump he stretched a bit to get over there and obviously felt a pain inside and started pulling up straightaway,” Smith said.
“Obviously Kauto didn’t want to go on because he was hurting inside. But Ruby said he felt fine walking back to the yard.
AFP gjw
