Emotional Rothwell back in the winners' enclosure at Cheltenham Irish raider Mc Alpine stormed up the hill to spring a 33-1 upset in the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. The seven-year-old was giving County Wicklow trainer Philip Rothwell compensation for the narrow defeat of Singing Banjo in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase, where he was 13lb wrong in the weights. James Sullivan, who claims 5lb, brought Mc Alpine through the pack to jump into the lead at the final fence. He galloped clear to score by two and a quarter lengths from 50-1 outsider Castel Gandolfo, with Kavanaghs Cross (18-1) a head away in third and City Derby (10-1) another neck back in fourth. An emotional Rothwell said: “This is special. Fifteen years ago I won the cross country here (with Native Jack at the Festival) and I didn’t think it would take 15 years to get back here (Cheltenham winner’s enclosure). I love it and it means so much, it’s my favourite place in the whole wide world. “I’ve been second a few times and obviously had the Festival winner here, I’d love another one. We’re a small yard and to have a winner today is very special. I know it was 15 years because two days before the cross-country victory my daughter was born! It’s very special.” Sullivan was winning at Cheltenham for the first time and said: “It is unbelievable and it makes all the bad days, sweating and driving up and down the country all worthwhile. “He is one of those horses that is improving and I thought he would run into a place.”
