Cheltenham Gold Cup: Minella Indo wins from A Plus Tard
Last updated on .From the section Horse Racing
Minella Indo won a thrilling Cheltenham Gold Cup under Jack Kennedy to deny Rachael Blackmore aboard A Plus Tard in a 1-2 for trainer Henry de Bromhead.
Victory sealed a historic hat-trick for the Irish trainer, who also landed the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase.
The 9-1 chance Minella Indo won by one and a quarter lengths with two-time champion Al Boum Photo in third.
Blackmore - top 2021 Cheltenham rider with six wins - was hoping to become the first female jockey to triumph.
Picking A Plus Tard ahead of Minella Indo was probably trailblazing Blackmore's only wrong decision of the week, but it was an emotional success for Kennedy.
"I can't believe it. This is what I have dreamed of as a child," said the injury-hit rider, who missed last year's meeting with a broken leg.
The 2018 winner Native River was fourth and long-time leader Frodon fifth, while last year's RSA Chase victor Champ and 2020 Gold Cup runner-up Santini were pulled up.
How the race unfolded
Twelve runners went to post, and Bryony Frost led from the front on the six-time Cheltenham winner Frodon.
The 2019 and 2020 victor Al Boum Photo was one of several travelling smoothly, along with his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Kemboy, as the race developed.
Blackmore, who was the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle after victory with Honeysuckle on Tuesday, was another going well on A Plus Tard.
Frodon began to fade two fences from home and Minella Indo, second to Champ at Cheltenham last year, hit the front and could not be caught up the hill.
More to follow.
