Cheltenian prevents Irish clean-sweep

The Weatherbys Champion Bumper is usually a great race for Irish-trained runners, so it was somewhat ironic that this was the only race not to go our way as Cheltenian prevented a clean-sweep for Ireland on day two of the Festival.

The first six races on the afternoon all went to Irish-trained horses but Philip Hobbs' Cheltenian (14/1) ended the sequence.

The five-year-old travelled ominously well for Richard Johnson on the turn for home, and stayed on really well in the straight to beat Destroyer Deployed (66/1) by five lengths with Aupcharlie (33/1) best of the Irish another four and a half lengths back in third.

Johnson said: "The form was pretty strong from his Kempton win, but you never know until you come to Cheltenham. He was very impressive and galloped all the way to the line.

"I was hopeful he'd run a good race, and that the fast pace and stiff track would suit him. He's a really big, strong horse and has got up the hill really well."

Hobbs said: "He had been showing us the right signs at home and we were obviously delighted with him at Kempton. We were then pleased to see Alan King's horse (Montbazon, Kempton runner-up) come out and win like it did at Doncaster.

"He certainly is not a one-race wonder. If he comes back here next year it will almost certainly be in either the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett. He definitely wants a trip. I wouldn't know about another run this season, that's the last thing on my mind."