Lord Windermere was a shock winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, delivering an Irish success for the first time in eight years as the old order was swept aside on a day of high drama. The winner had to survive a stewards’ inquiry after veering towards the runner-up, On His Own, in the closing stages, prevailing by a rapidly vanishing short-head.
Last Instalment was the expected source of drama, representing the trainer Philip Fenton, currently awaiting trial on charges of possessing anabolic steroids. But Last Instalment was already dropping through the field before unseating his rider at the top of the hill, a cathartic moment for those who had feared the response to victory for a trainer in Fenton’s position.
He was later retired by owner Michael O’Leary.
The stewards spent around 15 minutes deliberating before confirming that the placings would remain unaltered. The inquiry was shown on Channel 4, with David Casey, rider of On His Own, complaining that: “I felt, with a straight run, I would have won the race.” Davy Russell, who rode Lord Windermere, said his horse had been intimidated by Silviniaco Conti, who had hung towards him on the run-in.
Casey inherited the ride on On His Own when Ruby Walsh suffered a broken arm in the opening race. Inevitably, the horse’s backers will wonder if Walsh might have been able to get the horse home a few inches faster, though Casey made no obvious mistakes aboard the 16-1 shot, who he rode from the front.
Jim Culloty, trainer of Lord Windermere, becomes only the fourth man to both train and ride a Gold Cup winner, 10 years after landing the race for a third time aboard Best Mate. “Quite literally, I can’t believe it,” he said.
Asked about Russell’s ride, Culloty joked: “To be fair now, halfway round, Davy was getting the sack.” At that point, Lord Windermere was to the rear of the field, having looked outpaced through the early stages.
The contest was supposed to centre on the established stars Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti but Bobs Worth made a number of early mistakes and could finish only fifth. Silviniaco Conti led over the last but was plainly exhausted and was overhauled by three horses finishing strongly together on his right.
The race was delayed after a number of injuries to jockeys in earlier races, including a stunning incident when Daryl Jacob was thrown over a rail on to concrete when Port Melon spooked before the second race.
Emotions at the racecourse were running even higher than normal by the time the Gold Cup runners emerged, leading to two false starts before the race got under way at the third attempt.
Russell was, until January, the retained rider of Irish owner O’Leary, who sacked him. Had O’Leary renewed the contract, Russell would have been aboard Last Instalment in this race.
The third horse was The Giant Bolster, who had been second and fourth in previous Gold Cups. He was beaten by just a length this time.
Casey has not found the Gold Cup to be his lucky race. He could have partnered the last Irish winner, War Of Attrition, had he stayed faithful throughout the horse’s career, but instead lost the mount when he decided to ride a rival horse at an earlier Festival.
3.20 Gold Cup
1 Lord Windermere (D N Russell) 20-1
2 On His Own (D J Casey) 16-1
3 The Giant Bolster (T Scudamore) 14-1
Guardian Service
