Double on the day for Brennan

Paddy Brennan made it a day to remember for Galway and for his boss Nigel Twiston-Davies, after the bottom weight Pigeon Island responded well to his rider’s urgings to run out a narrow winner of the Grand Annual Chase.

The top weight French Opera held a narrow advantage at the last, but the blinkered Consigliere, was travelling well and looked a big danger at the stage.

However Brennan got a terrific run out of his mount, who led inside the last half furlong to beat French Opera and Consigliere.

Brennan said: "It's great for the boss. "After winning the Gold Cup, he said "please go and try to win this as I could be leading trainer".

"I thought I had a chance and I tipped him up each-way in my Festival previews.

"Nigel's horses are overpriced and that's good for Nigel and for punters who back his horses.

"I thought he was chucked in today. I thought they went very quick and it's good to win a race like this. Nine times out of 10 it doesn't work out but that did.

"I wish today could last forever. This will last in my memory for the rest of my life."

Twiston-Davies said: "The buses all come at once and this is our day and thank goodness for that.

"He's still only a seven-year-old but he won seven races one season, he had a quiet season last season but he's come back and finished second three times.

"He'd lost his way but Paddy has always had great faith him.

"He could have ridden either of the other two in the race but he said this was the one that's going to win and he was absolutely right.

"It's very special to have a winner for Raymond (Mould, owner) as he's my biggest owner and basically the stable owes everything to him."

The winner was completing a remarkable treble on the day for Twiston-Davies with the trainer also saddling Baby Run to take the Foxhunter under son Sam.