Cochet scores for Ireland

Fadoudal Du Cochet, confidently ridden by David Casey, recorded the fifth Irish success of the meeting when holding on gamely to deny Tony McCoy and Exit Swinger by three-quarters of a length in the Grand Annual Challenge Cup.

With Martin Pipe`s Lady Cricket being declared to run overnight before being a late withdrawal, the weights did not go up leaving Fadoudal Du Cochet on his true mark of 10st.

'Thank you very much Mr Pipe,' said a delighted Arthur Moore, the winning trainer. 'He had a lovely weight today. I would have been disappointed if he had been beaten.

'It`s lovely to have a winner here at Cheltenham - it`s a great thrill especially after Native Upmanship ran so well yesterday (second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase).'

Tony McCoy finally landed his first winner of the meeting at the 16th attempt in the Cathcart Chase, the penultimate race of the Festival, on front-running 2-1 favourite Royal Auclair.

For a moment after the last fence he looked set to be caught by 33-1 shot Cregg House, whose rider Ruby Walsh had caught the champion jockey close home on Blowing Wind in the Mildmay Of Flete Chase 24 hours earlier.

But McCoy conjured an extra effort out of the Martin Pipe-trained Royal Auclair, who held in front by a length and a half.

Irish challenger Davids Lad ran an encouraging trial for the Grand National in third place, another seven lengths adrift.

McCoy, who clenched his fist in joy as he returned to a tremendous ovation, said: 'It is good to get off the mark for the meeting but it doesn`t bring Valiramix back does it?

'If I win the next race as well it won`t make it a good meeting for me, even if I am top jockey at the meeting it won`t be much of a consolation - Valiramix was a once in a lifetime horse.'

Rooster Booster gained a well-deserved victory in the Vincent O`Brien County Handicap Hurdle.

The Philip Hobbs-trained grey had finished second on his last two starts and ran particularly well behind Copeland in the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury on his most recent outing.

But Richard Johnson made no mistake today as he drove Rooster Booster clear on the Flat to land the near Stg£25,000 first prize by one and a quarter lengths from Moore`s The Gatherer.

'He does deserve it doesn`t he?' remarked Hobbs. 'There have been so many races he`s run so well in.'

The win clinched the Daily Telegraph Trophy for top jockey at the meeting for Johnson, who just pipped Swan.

Last Option came out on top in one of the best finishes of the meeting to land the Christie`s Foxhunter Chase.

Fiona Needham`s mount held off Gunner Welburn and Torduff Express by half a length and the same to win a race in which he had finished third in 1999.

Trainer Robin Tate is Mrs Needham`s father and he said: 'I bred the horse and the jockey and I am proud of both!

'He was due a big win as he had been knocking on the door. He was fourth in the Scottish National last year and he is in at Ayr again.

'But he could go for the Fox Hunters` at Aintree and I would love to win the Horse And Hound Cup at Stratford.'