Tom Scudamore rider of Kingswell Theatre© Photo Healy Racing
Kingswell Theatre gave Tom Scudamore a great spin when winning the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
Trained by Scudamore's brother Michael, the eight-year-old made most of the running and was clearly enjoying the change of scenery, although he looked a sitting duck as the field came back on to the racecourse proper, with two Emmanuel Clayeux-trained runners chasing him.
Urgent De Gregaine, a winner at the track in January and second in the Velka Pardubicka, and stablemate Vicomte Du Seuil loomed large but Kingswell Theatre was not to be denied.
As the 14-1 winner crossed the line three-quarters of a length clear of Vicomte Du Seuil, his rider saluted the crowd and said: "To win it for my brother and the owners, who are my sponsors, is great.
"I don't normally ride in these races as I don't really like them, but I enjoyed that!"
Michael Scudamore said: "It's one of those bizarre races, it's something different.
"He took to it at the Festival and he'd been going well at home, but things haven't been going so well of late so that's great.
"He'll probably come back here for the race in December and he could creep into the National, which would be the dream."
The Enda Bolger Auvergnet was sent off the 2/1 favourite, and he fell at the eleventh. Bolger's other runner Cantlow finished fourth, while Inis Meain was sixth for trainer/rider Denis Hogan.
