Cheltenham Festival 2020: Top five moments
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Just about recovered from another breathless CheltenhamFestival? Horse racing’s finest put on a helluva show at the home of jumpracing!
So, while the lack of top-level sports has you twiddlingyour thumbs, we thought we’d look back at some of most thrilling moments from anotherfamous week at Cheltenham.
Champ’s fightback!
Champ proved he’s no chump after he powered to victory inthe RSA
With Barry Geraghty on board, Champ was still a huge ninelengths from front pair of Allaho and Minella Indo after clearing the last. Butafter mustering the spirit of Wichita Lineman in 2009 he collard thefrontrunners to take the win at the line.
Simply magic.
Envoi Allen takes the Ballymore
Some saw this as the banker of the week – but you still haveto do the business. It looked as though the 4/7 favourite was going to beousted by the duo of Easywork and The Big Getaway. But the unbeaten six-year-oldturned on the afterburners and strode four and a half lengths clear going into thelast hurdle before finishing the job off.
It was never in doubt was it? Envoi Allen may yet have manymore special Cheltenham moments, but his second, after his 2019 victory in the ChampionBumper, was something special.
Lisnagar Oscar – 50/1 outsider wins the Stayers’
It was the supposed to be the Paisley Park party but 50/1 outsider Lisnagar Oscar spoiled things and simultaneously wrote himself into the history books.
The legendary Apple’s Jade led for the majority of theStayers’ Hurdle but it proved fruitless as she was piled back into the pack.Whilst attention turned to Summerville Boy and the fading Paisley Park itallowed the lively Lisnagar Oscar ridden by Adam Wedge to seize the initiativeand win it.
Burning Victory wins Triumph Hurdle; Goshen falls
The final day of the festival was all thrills and spills asBurning Victory took advantage of a final jump mistake from runaway leader Goshento seal a sensational Triumph Hurdle win.
Goshen had been cruising to an easy 10l victory before afumble at the last unseated jockey Jamie Moore. It left a straight shoot-out tothe line that the 12/1 shot Burning Victory edged over Aspire Tower.
It’s a race that will be remembered for Goshen’s error butone that will live long in the memory for winning trainer Willie Mullins andowner Audrey Turley!
Al Boum Photo wins Gold Cup again!
No horse had won back to back Gold Cup’s since Best Mate inthe early noughties. Step forward Al Boum Photo.
Santini and Lostintranslation were putting the squeeze onthe 2019 winner right up until the last, but it only helped produce anothergutsy Gold Cup victory with soon-to-be named Top Jockey Paul Townend on board.
And who’d back against an Al Boum Photo hat-trick next year?He’s 6/1 to complete the hat-trick.
All odds andmarkets correct as of date of publication
