Mullins & Walsh take top awards

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh took the top trainer and rider awards respectively as the Cheltenham Festival came to a dramatic conclusion.

Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud dominated proceedings on Gold Cup day with his maroon and white colours carried to an amazing four winners including a fourth success of the meeting for Mullins as Don Poli took the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Walsh took the Boodles-sponsored top jockey prize with three winners, beating Barry Geraghty and Tom Scudamore on countback.

However it was a day to forget for Walsh as he faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his right arm (humerus) in a fall from Abbyssial in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Daryl Jacob was even more unfortunate after sustaining multiple injuries in a freak accident before the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle when Port Melon crashed through a railing leaving the rider with a fractured knee, leg and elbow.

Over 232,000 attended the four-day Festival, with 67,814 racegoers filling through the turnstiles to see the Gold Cup.