Crick gives King Festival winner

Alan King finally got off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival in the final race when Oh Crick ran out a game winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase.

King has saddled four seconds throughout the week and must have thought he was going to leave the meeting empty handed after some narrow defeats.

However, sent into handicap company for the first time the six-year-old prevailed in a driving finish from Charlie Mann's Moon Over Miami who ran a stormer at 20-1.

Unfortunately for stable jockey Robert Thornton, he could not get down to the minimum weight of 10st so it was left to Wayne Hutchinson to do steering aboard the 7-1 shot and claim his first Festival winner.

There was three-quarters of a length in it at the line with a further seven lengths back to Nicky Henderson's French Opera.

A relieved King said: "At last. Obviously it's great to have a winner and also to provide Wayne with a first winner as well.

"Choc (Thornton) couldn't do the weight on this lad but Wayne's given him a wonderful ride.

"We had to wait a few days but they all count and they are all very special."