• Bellvano victory in last race seals memorable week
• Paul Carberry excels with brilliant waiting ride

It surprised no one that Nicky Henderson trained the winner of the final race at the Cheltenham Festival, bringing to a close what has surely been the most successful week of his career. Bellvano’s victory in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, named after the trainer’s late father, was a seventh of the meeting for Henderson, two more than the previous record for a trainer at the Festival, which was held by Paul Nicholls.

It is the third Festival training record that Henderson has broken this week. His four winners on Wednesday was an unprecedented haul for a single day at the meeting, while his career total of 46 Festival wins is six clear of the previous best, set by Fulke Walwyn.

Asked to reflect on his week’s work, Henderson said: “You know we work 365 days, we’ll start planning again on Sunday. It does come down to four days and when it goes like this, you’ve got to make the most of it because everybody knows what’s around the corner.”

Bellvano was giving a ride of great poise and confidence by Paul Carberry, who seemed to have too much ground to make up even as he turned for home, yet remained motionless. While impressed, Henderson would not accept it as a candidate for best ride of the week.

“Nothing will beat the ride Barry [Geraghty] gave Riverside Theatre, it wouldn’t be possible,” he said, referring to the winning ride in the Ryanair Chase. “That was just outstanding. It’s been an amazing week and it’s finished with an emotional day.”

Paul Nicholls had much less reason to celebrate as his dozen runners on Friday failed to make the winner’s enclosure. By the end of the Festival, it was widely accepted that something had affected the general health of his string, though it did not stop Big Buck’s from landing a fourth World Hurdle, while Rock On Ruby, trained from a satellite yard, gave him a first Champion Hurdle success.

“We’re going to parade both those horses [Big Buck's and Rock On Ruby] through Ditcheat tomorrow because they’re two wonderful horses,” Nicholls said. “Other than that, it’s been a bit of a topsy-turvy week.

“But at the end of the day, I did warn everyone a month ago that I had a little bit of a problem with the coughing. We always try and be up front and we knew we were going to struggle a bit.

“Some have run really well and somethings just haven’t gone to plan. What A Friend falling [in the Gold Cup], it’s just been one of them weeks, but listen, if you won the Champion Hurdle every year, you’d take that. We’ll get them fit and fresh for Aintree.”

Nicholls and Henderson end the week neck and neck in the trainers’ title race, which is decided by prize money. The issue is likely to be determined by their relative performances at the Grand National meeting.

There were three winners for trainers based in the north of England or Scotland on the Festival’s final day, taking the tally for such trainers to six this week. Arguably the most significant was Brindisi Breeze’s astonishing performance in making almost all the running to win the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle for Fife-based Lucinda Russell, the first Scottish Festival winner since Len Lungo’s Freetown in 2002.

The hot favourite for the race was the Irish-trained Boston Bob, who was restrained well behind what seemed a strong pace and cruised up to challenge under Ruby Walsh in the home straight, yet was unable to get past. A delighted Russell, achieving her first Festival win, ran across the paddock as Brindisi Breeze crossed the line to hug her partner, the former champion jockey Peter Scudamore, who was broadcasting for BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It means everything,” she said. “Oh dear, I didn’t wear the waterproof mascara. Good old Scotland, we’ve been trying really hard to get winners here at the Cheltenham Festival. I’m just delighted. It’s what you work for all winter.

“I’m so proud of this horse, he’s tough as anything, he kept galloping. He’s pretty slow up the gallops at home, we have to let him go in front and say to everyone, don’t pass him. He doesn’t like horses going past him.”

Russell, who has 62 horses in training and room for more, was asked if there were particular difficulties with being based in Scotland, in terms of winning major races in the south. “The only difficulty is that you tend to start longer odds when you come down south because nobody seems to take the form up north very seriously. But that’s changing.” She added that Brindisi Breeze would “make a better chaser” next season.

Malcolm Jefferson had to wait 17 years between his second Festival success and this third, here on Thursday, but added the fourth just one day later when Attaglance finished strongly to beat Toner D’Oudairies. “If I have to wait another 17 years, I don’t think I’ll be here,” the 65-year-old said.

The Triumph Hurdle was won by the 33-1 shot Countrywide Flame, trained by John Quinn, who, like Jefferson, is based in North Yorkshire. “This is a great boost for the yard. We’ve had a bit of a rough time lately,” he said, referring to the fatal injury sustained at Southwell this week by one of his best horses, Palawi.

Of Countrywide Flame, Quinn said: “He was well over-priced, as he’s not run a bad race this season. He’s won a Listed race and been placed in a Grade One but I did think he had a bit to find. He’s very tough and hardy and stuck at it really well but he’s not very big and he got buffetted about a bit through the race. Dougie [Costello, the jockey] gave him a great ride and got him back into the race.”

Costello, having his first Festival win, was ending a dreadful run of 66 consecutive losers. He reported that one trainer had recently booked him “because you’re on the cold list, like me”.

There were two Irish-trained winners on the Festival’s final day, taking the total for the week to five, the lowest total since 2007 and eight fewer than last year. Four of the successful raiders were trained by members of the Mullins family, Tom landing the County Hurdle with Alderwood to add to the three winners earlier in the week from the stable of his brother, Willie.

“He’s been working very well in the past three weeks,” Mullins said, “and everything was right for him. That’s my first winner and I hope it’s not the last. It’s great to do it and match Tony [another brother] and Willie and my father and my first cousin, Seamus, in having winners at the Festival. I’ve been feeling left out.”

When it was pointed out that all the Irish winners to that point had been Mullins-trained, he replied: “I hope the Irish have more winners than the Mullinses.”

That came to pass when Salsify held off Chapoturgeon in the Foxhunter Chase for Cork-based Rodger Sweeney, ridden by the trainer’s son, Colman. The jockey had shed two stones since November to make the necessary weight.

As on Day Three of the Festival, there were no serious equine injuries to add to the five fatalities through the first two days and nor were there any major problems for the jockeys, though Robert Kirk went to hospital with a suspected neck injury. He was able to walk back to the weighing room.

The final-day crowd was 70,458, a new record for the Festival, and took the total for the four days to 236,730, another record.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Synchronised triumphs under never-say-die ride
• Favourite Long Run finishes back in third

Tony McCoy, jump racing’s most famous son, triumphed aboard 8-1 chance Synchronised as former champions Kauto Star pulled-up and Long Run finished third in a dramatic Betfred Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Hopes that Kauto Star might deliver an incredible third success in the race were dashed early on. He lost his position from an early stage and was pulled up by Ruby Walsh before the runners had even completed a circuit of the contest.

Favourite Long Run held every chance at the final fence, but was simply unable to match the determined finish of the winner, who didn’t always jump with aplomb but stayed on determinedly to overhaul the leaders having turned for home back in sixth place.

The Giant Bolster, belying his 50-1 odds, finished a brilliant second, two and a quarter lengths behind the winner with Long Run a further three-quarters of a length back third.

A year ago this week the pint-sized Synchronised was running over four and quarter miles in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter, finishing a laboured third of the four finishers.

But this season has seen a revolution in the form of the JP McManus-owned horse, who took some notable scalps in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on his latest start.

He had been under consideration for the Irish Hennessy last month, but the decision was taken to wait for Cheltenham.

“A big, big team effort has gone into this horse at home,” said trainer Jonjo O’Neill, who himself won the Gold Cup as a jockey aboard Dawn Run in 1986. “He came home and he just wasn’t right and took a long time to recover. I can’t tell you everything, because I’ll give all my secrets away, but he wasn’t right.”

McCoy, whose only previous success in the race came 15 years ago aboard Mr Mulligan, showed his delight as he punched the air all the way back to the winner’s enclosure.

“It was always going to be the case that he might get a bit outpaced and might get into a bit of trouble, but he’s got so much heart,” he said. “Whatever he’s got in class, he’s got so much more in heart. Like me, he’s not a looker, but he’s got more will to win than any other horse I’ve sat on.

“It’s the big races like these that everyone wants to win and I’ve been lucky enough to do it now for JP in this race, the Champion Hurdle and the Grand National. Jonjo was happy and confident and I knew he’d run a big race. People give Jonjo a bit of stick and think that it’s a closed shop at Jackdaws Castle but he’s come here with a few and won three races now this week and I don’t think he gets the recognition he deserves.”

David Bridgwater, trainer of the runner-up, was also celebrating the performance of his charge.

“I’ve put my cock on the block with this horse this season and I told everyone I knew he was good enough to run a big race,” he said.

An unprecedented round of applause had broken out in the stands as Walsh dropped Kauto Star out of the race and trotted him back to the unsaddling area, before watching the climax of the race on the adjacent big screen.

Owner Clive Smith said that there would be no immediate decision over the future of Kauto Star, although he made it clear that he was pleased with the decision of Walsh to pull the horse up rather than persevere.

It was only an hour earlier that McCoy had belatedly broke his duck for the Festival when forcing 20-1 chance Alderwood home in the County Hurdle.

The champion survived interference on the final bend which nearly brought his mount down, gathered the winner together and brought him back to challenge and defeat Edgardo Sol by three-quarters of a length.

Winning trainer Tom Mullins was celebrating his first Festival victory.

“We’ve had a few chances over the years, but I was beginning to think I’d never be able to match Willie (his brother) and my father (Paddy) so this is just brilliant,” he said.

Northern stables have traditionally struggled at the Festival in recent years, but Countrywide Flame supplemented the Coral Cup success earlier this week of the Malcolm Jefferson-trained Cape Tribulation.

An unconsidered 33-1 chance, Countrywide Flame came from a long way off the pace to win the JCB Triumph Hurdle. One of the first to be asked a question by jockey Dougie Costello, he ate up the ground in the closing stages and won going away, beating Hisaabaat by three lengths.

“I expected him to run a good race as he’s never run a poor race over hurdles yet, but I didn’t think he would win,” said Quinn.

“He’s very tough and hardy and stuck at it really well. He’s not very big, and got buffeted about, but he jumped brilliantly.

“I’m delighted to have another winner for the north, I was delighted for Malcolm (Jefferson) on Thursday and I’m delighted for myself today. He’ll go to Aintree now.”

Lucinda Russell became the first Scottish trainer to taste victory at the meeting for 10 years when Brindisi Breeze delivered a high-class performance to floor well-backed favourite Boston Bob.

It was jumping which won the day for the 7-1 chance, as he met every hurdle on the perfect stride, repeatedly taking ground out of his rivals.

Despite showing far less fluency, Boston Bob looked as if he might peg back the leader on the run to the final flight, but another flying leap under Campbell Gillies sealed success for Brindisi Breeze.

“I was getting ready for people to can Campbell for going too soon, but they just kept jumping and galloping and he’s such a genuine horse,” said Russell, whose partner Peter Scudamore is far more familiar with Cheltenham Festival glory from his days in the saddle.

“He’s a real athlete. He had his ears pricked the whole way round.”

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Murphy says he is still in shock after accumulator win
• Nicky Henderson describes bet as ‘amazing piece of foresight’

The stable lad Conor Murphy was back at work at Nicky Henderson’s yard this morning despite winning around £1m on a Cheltenham accumulator.

Henderson has sent out six winners at the Festival meeting this week with Murphy having backed five of those late last year to land a bumper pay-out.

Speaking to NewburyToday, Murphy said that he is still in shock after the win. “I still cannot believe it, even this morning it is still sinking in. I haven’t even thought about the money yet. It was just pure luck. I put the bet on just before Christmas in December, I just picked the five best horses and hoped for a lot of luck, I didn’t think much about it.”

Sprinter Sacre kicked off his winning spree with victory in Tuesday’s Arkle, Simonsig in the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle and Bobs Worth in the RSA Chase obliged on Wednesday along with Finian’s Rainbow, who is looked after by Murphy, in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Riverside Theatre’s win in the Ryanair Chase on Thursday sealed the bonanza for Murphy despite his poor start. “From the moment it set off it never looked like winning, he made loads of mistakes and looked miles off. I could not believe it when he came back to win,” he said. “I wasn’t really thinking about the bet when they all started coming in; you try so hard to get even one winner here, the day just draws you in.”

Speaking on Friday morning, Henderson said he was delighted for Murphy: “Everybody here is absolutely thrilled for him. It was just an amazing piece of foresight. Just the chances of all five getting to Cheltenham and all of them running in the right races, that would be long odds, particularly as with Simonsig we didn’t even know what race he would be running in until the other week. The chances of them getting there must have been at least 100-1 and the chances of them all winning, that must have been a 1,000,000-1.”

Henderson described Murphy as one of the “linchpins here [at the stables]” saying: “He’s the most lovely man, though, a fantastic guy and very quiet. He rides out Finian’s Rainbow every day of the week and he would probably know more than anyone else in the world about that horse.”

The only Henderson-trained winner Murphy did not have in his accumulator was Une Artiste, who triumphed in Wednesday’s Fred Winter at 40-1. However, Henderson revealed that Murphy could not possibly have included that filly as she was not even part of his team at the time he placed the bet. “He’s backed five out of our six winners and he couldn’t even have backed the other one as she wasn’t in the yard then, she was still in France,” he said.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, Bobs Worth start Cheltenham run
• Finian’s Rainbow and Riverside Theatre complete five-timer

A stable worker from Lambourn has gone into hiding after apparently landing the bet of a lifetime, winning a sum that rumours suggest was approaching £1m. The “lad”, an Irishman in his late 40s who works for the trainer Nicky Henderson, placed his wager months ago, picking out five horses from his employer’s yard, all of which have won at his week’s Festival, netting him a life-changing sum.

The news was broken through Twitter last night by Clare Balding, broadcasting from the Festival for BBC Radio 5 Live. “The lad who looks after Finian’s Rainbow had a 5-timer on Nicky Henderson winners & has won £1 million!” she tweeted. “Says he’ll still be at work tomorrow.” Others on Twitter later named him as Conor Murphy.

Reporters scrambled to contact the lucky punter, who is thought to have remained at Henderson’s Seven Barrows stable on Thursday while the final runner in his bet was competing here. He was apparently contacted by phone by Sky but did not wish to be quoted and flatly refused the offer of an interview.

In ordinary circumstances, the bookmaker in such a case would attempt to make as much as possible from the related publicity. However Bet365, which is believed to have laid the bet, takes a different approach.

“We’re pleased for all our customers who’ve had a winning day today but we don’t discuss individual accounts,” said the spokesman, Pat Cooney. “This one particular customer’s had an extremely good time of it,” he added, but refused to confirm any details.

The bet got off to a flying start on Tuesday when Sprinter Sacre was an easy winner of the Arkle Trophy at odds of 8-11. It stayed alive through Wednesday when Simonsig (2-1), Bobs Worth (9-2) and Finian’s Rainbow (4-1) landed a series of top-class races and finally came to fruition on Thursday when Riverside Theatre (7-2) won the Ryanair Chase.

Had the bet been placed at those odds on Monday, to the £50 stake the lad is believed to have risked, his return would have been a mere £32,050. But his bet was placed towards the end of last year, when the odds on offer were much bigger.

David Williams of Ladbrokes estimated that at that time Sprinter Sacre would have been around 7-1, Simonsig 20-1, Bobs Worth 6-1, Finian’s Rainbow 12-1 and Riverside Theatre 16-1 for accumulated odds of 259,895‑1. An especially clever feature of the bet is that it anticipated Simonsig would run in the Neptune Novice Hurdle, as he eventually did, at a time when most people expected him to take part in a different race at the Festival.

Contacted as he was leaving the racecourse, Henderson said: “It’s absolutely wonderful. He’s the nicest, kindest, gentlest man and he rides Finian’s Rainbow every day. He’s got more confidence in me than I have and he obviously took a rather strong view, before Christmas, I gather.”

Asked if he expected the lad in question to turn up for work on Friday, Henderson laughed and replied: “He’d better.”

It has been a sensational week for Henderson, whose six winners have taken his career total of Festival winners to 45, five clear of the previous record. His four winners on Wednesday was unprecedented for one day at the Festival and there may be better to come.

He sends another 13 horses to Cheltenham today, including the favourites for two races, one of which is Long Run in the Gold Cup, the most important race of the week.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Opposing Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup is not easy but Long Run will devour the final climb and Nicky Henderson could not be in better form

Fortunes have fluctuated over the 12 months since Long Run sprinted up the hill to lift the Betfred Gold Cup, but the memory of that performance lives on vividly. He can settle the score with his old foe Kauto Star and take steeplechasing’s most prestigious prize at Cheltenham on Friday.

The justifiable expectation that Long Run may improve even further this season left connections feeling deflated when their pride and joy met with defeat at the hands of his resurgent rival at Haydock and Kempton earlier this season.

However, rather than finding more speed it is stamina that has emerged as Long Run’s greatest asset. He will devour the final climb to the winning post that has seen so many results transformed in past Gold Cups.

Not that opposing Kauto Star is easy, given the way he has turned back the clock so far this season producing bursts of mid-race acceleration that have left his rivals on the ropes.

However, his preparation has not been ideal and, in contrast, Long Run’s performance in beating his stablemate Burton Port at Newbury last month has probably been undervalued. It was the enthusiasm with which he travelled and jumped that was so impressive and the trainer Nicky Henderson could not be in better form.

1.30 Tough, nimble and talented, Grumeti ticks more boxes than most in a wide-open Triumph.

2.05 Trainer Jessica Harrington is delighted to see Citizenship creep in at the bottom of the weights. He still has more to offer.

2.40 Although untried over this searching trip, Boston Bob has thrived for every test placed in front of him so far and could be a class apart from these rivals.

4.00 Stamina will be at a premium in a contest packed with front-runners. Cloudy Lane retains all of his enthusiasm and can bridge the five-year gap since he powered up the hill over course and distance to win the Kim Muir Chase.

4.40 Stopped in his tracks when hampered by a faller in the Betfair Hurdle last month, Empire Levant is higher in the weights than when chasing home Rock On Ruby at Newbury earlier this season, but that form couldn’t look much stronger now.

5.15 Faster ground would be preferable for Eradicate, but he comes into this contest with a most attractive mark after a mixed campaign in novice chases. He has been deliberately kept back for this race since beating a fair rival at Southwell.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Opposing Kauto Star in the Cheltenham Gold Cup is not easy but Long Run will devour the final climb and Nicky Henderson could not be in better form

Fortunes have fluctuated over the 12 months since Long Run sprinted up the hill to lift the Betfred Gold Cup, but the memory of that performance lives on vividly. He can settle the score with his old foe Kauto Star and take steeplechasing’s most prestigious prize at Cheltenham on Friday.

The justifiable expectation that Long Run may improve even further this season left connections feeling deflated when their pride and joy met with defeat at the hands of his resurgent rival at Haydock and Kempton earlier this season.

However, rather than finding more speed it is stamina that has emerged as Long Run’s greatest asset. He will devour the final climb to the winning post that has seen so many results transformed in past Gold Cups.

Not that opposing Kauto Star is easy, given the way he has turned back the clock so far this season producing bursts of mid-race acceleration that have left his rivals on the ropes.

However, his preparation has not been ideal and, in contrast, Long Run’s performance in beating his stablemate Burton Port at Newbury last month has probably been undervalued. It was the enthusiasm with which he travelled and jumped that was so impressive and the trainer Nicky Henderson could not be in better form.

1.30 Tough, nimble and talented, Grumeti ticks more boxes than most in a wide-open Triumph.

2.05 Trainer Jessica Harrington is delighted to see Citizenship creep in at the bottom of the weights. He still has more to offer.

2.40 Although untried over this searching trip, Boston Bob has thrived for every test placed in front of him so far and could be a class apart from these rivals.

4.00 Stamina will be at a premium in a contest packed with front-runners. Cloudy Lane retains all of his enthusiasm and can bridge the five-year gap since he powered up the hill over course and distance to win the Kim Muir Chase.

4.40 Stopped in his tracks when hampered by a faller in the Betfair Hurdle last month, Empire Levant is higher in the weights than when chasing home Rock On Ruby at Newbury earlier this season, but that form couldn’t look much stronger now.

5.15 Faster ground would be preferable for Eradicate, but he comes into this contest with a most attractive mark after a mixed campaign in novice chases. He has been deliberately kept back for this race since beating a fair rival at Southwell.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Nicky Henderson lands sixth winner of Festival
• Sir Des Champs posts impressive win for Mullins

Just as this Cheltenham Festival seemed at risk of being engulfed by negative coverage relating to equine deaths and allegations of official incompetence, Riverside Theatre and his owner, James Nesbitt, arrived to cheer everyone up. Day three passed without any serious injuries to the participants and, half an hour before Big Buck’s won the World Hurdle, the crowd was electrified by a Ryanair Chase of sustained drama.

Riverside Theatre set off as favourite but seemed in trouble from the first fence. He often jumped poorly yet he kept on dourly and somehow found the strength to fight his way past two rivals on the run-in.

Few Festival winners can have shown such bravery or achieved victory when so much had obviously gone against them. Nesbitt, who first came to Cheltenham 21 years ago, long before he found fame in Cold Feet, showed an enthusiast’s understanding of what he had witnessed.

“I rarely am lost for words but it was extraordinary,” he said, surrounded by dozens of well-wishers and reporters in the winner’s enclosure.

“He just wasn’t travelling that well and I was very nervous and then to find the courage he showed and how Barry [Geraghty, the winning jockey] got that out of him. It was a hell of a battle. I’d never in a million years dream of it.

“Forget the Oscar. That’s it, I’ve done it all now.”

Nesbitt said he was sure the horse was beaten until he saw the trainer, next to him in the grandstand, starting to cry. “Nicky crying is a good sign. We’re all getting a bit emotional and I would cry at Little House on the Prairie, but Nicky’s worse. It’s a fantastic sport, this. It’s far too hard on itself. You’ve got tens of thousands of people here today, from all walks of life, enjoying it and racing needs to embrace that rather than be so laden with worry.

“It’s easy for me to say that, having just won the Ryanair, but it was a glorious celebration of everything that’s good about sport, not just horse racing.

“The courage the horse showed, the ride that Barry gave him and the training performance that Nicky has given. Even to have a wee bit of that, it’s pasted into the album of my memory, I’m telling you.”

Henderson was enjoying his sixth success of an incredible week. He said he had always been convinced that the Ryanair was the right race for the horse but now feels that Riverside Theatre needs a longer distance and will consider running him in the Gold Cup next year.

“He couldn’t get into a comfort zone,” the trainer said, “he couldn’t get his rhythm, he couldn’t get anything going. He was just having to fight his way round. It was uncomfortable to watch, I should think it was uncomfortable to ride.

“The pace was, all the way, too frenetic for us. I was watching with Jimmy and Brian [Stewart-Brown, co-owner] and nothing looked like happening, it looked like doom and gloom but you can’t say enough about what sort of a ride Barry’s given him.”

Sir Des Champs, who won the Jewson Novice Chase that opened the card, also has next year’s Gold Cup as his long-term target. Indeed, his trainer, Willie Mullins, revealed he had that race in mind for him even before this week.

Asked to compare him with Florida Pearl, who he trained to win the King George VI Chase in 2001, Mullins said: “He’s right up there with him, one of the best I’ve had. Make no mistake, this is a racehorse.”

Sir Des Champs was winning at the Festival for the second time, having landed the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle last year. He is a best price 10-1 for the 2013 Gold Cup, while Riverside Theatre is not yet quoted.

The long-term aim is not yet clear for Peddlers Cross, the beaten favourite in the Jewson, but it will probably not be over fences. “We’ve given it a try and we’ll be going back over hurdles; he’s a happier horse over hurdles,” said his trainer, Donald McCain.

“Jason [Maguire, the jockey] said he’s neat and he’s grand but he’s just not as effective. As much as he tries, he’s just not the same horse over fences as over hurdles.” McCain added that he would not race the horse again this season.

Sunnyhillboy has next month’s Grand National as his target after winning the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase that closed the card. A well-supported favourite, he came four and a half lengths clear on the run-in, finishing strongly.

“I think he’ll handle it,” said his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, when asked how Sunnyhillboy would respond to Aintree. “I don’t see any reason why he won’t but you don’t know until they’ve jumped the first couple. If he has a safe first round, I think he’ll run a big race.”

A 25-1 shot for the National, Sunnyhillboy may well end up as the mount of Tony McCoy, though Synchronised is another possible ride for him in the Aintree race, after he runs in Friday’s Gold Cup. He is reported to be “in great form” by O’Neill.

Malcolm Jefferson was overcome with emotion when trying to express the importance of a Festival success after landing the Pertemps Final with Cape Tribulation. “You get up every morning for it,” he said, his voice trembling. “We don’t have a lot of money to spend, so, when you get a good horse, you just hope that one day you’ll go to one of the big meetings and you can crack it, but it’s the hardest thing to do in the world. Everything has to go right.”

This was Jefferson’s third Festival success, 17 years after the second. “Go Informal was second in the Sun Alliance Hurdle [in 1996] but since then I may as well have stayed in Malton,” he said.

“We should have a north/south handicap for horses from the north, really. They want dropped a stone when they come anywhere down here because you go up 8lb or 9lb and you come down here, you’re a stone too heavy. You never, ever get a look-in.”

From his Devon base, David Pipe has found major handicaps more accessible and he entered the winner’s enclosure after the Byrne Group Plate with Salut Flo, which he had named as his best chance of the meeting at several Festival preview evenings. “He’s had tendon trouble and we’ve had to be patient with him and it’s paid off,” he said. “We knew he was ready for his comeback when he ran here in December. He was running a massive race when he made one blunder, three out, which put him out of it.”

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Nicky Henderson lands sixth winner of Festival
• Sir Des Champs posts impressive win for Mullins

Just as this Cheltenham Festival seemed at risk of being engulfed by negative coverage relating to equine deaths and allegations of official incompetence, Riverside Theatre and his owner, James Nesbitt, arrived to cheer everyone up. Day three passed without any serious injuries to the participants and, half an hour before Big Buck’s won the World Hurdle, the crowd was electrified by a Ryanair Chase of sustained drama.

Riverside Theatre set off as favourite but seemed in trouble from the first fence. He often jumped poorly yet he kept on dourly and somehow found the strength to fight his way past two rivals on the run-in.

Few Festival winners can have shown such bravery or achieved victory when so much had obviously gone against them. Nesbitt, who first came to Cheltenham 21 years ago, long before he found fame in Cold Feet, showed an enthusiast’s understanding of what he had witnessed.

“I rarely am lost for words but it was extraordinary,” he said, surrounded by dozens of well-wishers and reporters in the winner’s enclosure.

“He just wasn’t travelling that well and I was very nervous and then to find the courage he showed and how Barry [Geraghty, the winning jockey] got that out of him. It was a hell of a battle. I’d never in a million years dream of it.

“Forget the Oscar. That’s it, I’ve done it all now.”

Nesbitt said he was sure the horse was beaten until he saw the trainer, next to him in the grandstand, starting to cry. “Nicky crying is a good sign. We’re all getting a bit emotional and I would cry at Little House on the Prairie, but Nicky’s worse. It’s a fantastic sport, this. It’s far too hard on itself. You’ve got tens of thousands of people here today, from all walks of life, enjoying it and racing needs to embrace that rather than be so laden with worry.

“It’s easy for me to say that, having just won the Ryanair, but it was a glorious celebration of everything that’s good about sport, not just horse racing.

“The courage the horse showed, the ride that Barry gave him and the training performance that Nicky has given. Even to have a wee bit of that, it’s pasted into the album of my memory, I’m telling you.”

Henderson was enjoying his sixth success of an incredible week. He said he had always been convinced that the Ryanair was the right race for the horse but now feels that Riverside Theatre needs a longer distance and will consider running him in the Gold Cup next year.

“He couldn’t get into a comfort zone,” the trainer said, “he couldn’t get his rhythm, he couldn’t get anything going. He was just having to fight his way round. It was uncomfortable to watch, I should think it was uncomfortable to ride.

“The pace was, all the way, too frenetic for us. I was watching with Jimmy and Brian [Stewart-Brown, co-owner] and nothing looked like happening, it looked like doom and gloom but you can’t say enough about what sort of a ride Barry’s given him.”

Sir Des Champs, who won the Jewson Novice Chase that opened the card, also has next year’s Gold Cup as his long-term target. Indeed, his trainer, Willie Mullins, revealed he had that race in mind for him even before this week.

Asked to compare him with Florida Pearl, who he trained to win the King George VI Chase in 2001, Mullins said: “He’s right up there with him, one of the best I’ve had. Make no mistake, this is a racehorse.”

Sir Des Champs was winning at the Festival for the second time, having landed the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle last year. He is a best price 10-1 for the 2013 Gold Cup, while Riverside Theatre is not yet quoted.

The long-term aim is not yet clear for Peddlers Cross, the beaten favourite in the Jewson, but it will probably not be over fences. “We’ve given it a try and we’ll be going back over hurdles; he’s a happier horse over hurdles,” said his trainer, Donald McCain.

“Jason [Maguire, the jockey] said he’s neat and he’s grand but he’s just not as effective. As much as he tries, he’s just not the same horse over fences as over hurdles.” McCain added that he would not race the horse again this season.

Sunnyhillboy has next month’s Grand National as his target after winning the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase that closed the card. A well-supported favourite, he came four and a half lengths clear on the run-in, finishing strongly.

“I think he’ll handle it,” said his trainer, Jonjo O’Neill, when asked how Sunnyhillboy would respond to Aintree. “I don’t see any reason why he won’t but you don’t know until they’ve jumped the first couple. If he has a safe first round, I think he’ll run a big race.”

A 25-1 shot for the National, Sunnyhillboy may well end up as the mount of Tony McCoy, though Synchronised is another possible ride for him in the Aintree race, after he runs in Friday’s Gold Cup. He is reported to be “in great form” by O’Neill.

Malcolm Jefferson was overcome with emotion when trying to express the importance of a Festival success after landing the Pertemps Final with Cape Tribulation. “You get up every morning for it,” he said, his voice trembling. “We don’t have a lot of money to spend, so, when you get a good horse, you just hope that one day you’ll go to one of the big meetings and you can crack it, but it’s the hardest thing to do in the world. Everything has to go right.”

This was Jefferson’s third Festival success, 17 years after the second. “Go Informal was second in the Sun Alliance Hurdle [in 1996] but since then I may as well have stayed in Malton,” he said.

“We should have a north/south handicap for horses from the north, really. They want dropped a stone when they come anywhere down here because you go up 8lb or 9lb and you come down here, you’re a stone too heavy. You never, ever get a look-in.”

From his Devon base, David Pipe has found major handicaps more accessible and he entered the winner’s enclosure after the Byrne Group Plate with Salut Flo, which he had named as his best chance of the meeting at several Festival preview evenings. “He’s had tendon trouble and we’ve had to be patient with him and it’s paid off,” he said. “We knew he was ready for his comeback when he ran here in December. He was running a massive race when he made one blunder, three out, which put him out of it.”

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Outstanding stayer equals all-time hurdling record
• Winner records his 16th straight victory

Big Buck’s once again defied all the doubters to make racing history as the first four-times winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sent to the front earlier than usual by Ruby Walsh, he fought off every challenger to equal the record for the most consecutive jumps races won, making it 16 from 16 over the past four seasons.

The Irish mare Voler La Vedette gave Big Buck’s a bigger scare than most have done when looming up in his slipstream on the run to the final flight, but Walsh’s mount met it on a perfect stride and galloped all the way to the line to win by a length and three-quarters.

In the final minutes before the race, Big Buck’s had drifted out to 5-6, having been far shorter in the betting earlier in the day, a series of poor performances from Paul Nicholls-trained runners seemingly leaving punters lacking in confidence.

Relief was evident as Nicholls celebrated the victory. “Apart from the Champion Hurdle it’s been a bit of a disaster this week,” the trainer said. “It wasn’t easy to get him here, to bring him back four years winning. We have had a problem with a cough as everyone knows and some have been running a bit below-par. I was worried, of course I was. Thank God for this horse. He pricks his old ears, keeps galloping and keeps winning. It means a lot to us that everyone is so fond of him and God willing, we’ll be back next year to try and win it again.”

Nicholls added that Big Buck’s will now aim to make it 17 and beat Sir Ken’s record when heading to the Aintree Grand National meeting next month.

Walsh also paid tribute to his mount, saying: “They were starting to doubt us, but boy, this lad is good. It’s not been a great week, but this is a horse you can always rely upon.

“I’m not dissing [unbeaten Australian mare] Black Caviar for one minute, but she’s running in five-furlong, six-furlong races – it’s easy to keep your horse fit for the Flat than to run him over jumps where it’s so much harder to keep bringing him back. I was up against speed horses so I knew I wanted to ride him handy, but the only one who really stayed was this lad.

“He drifted out in the betting today but anything near even money was good. He doesn’t lose. He’s better than the banks.”

It was not the only thrilling finish to the afternoon’s racing. Still riding the crest of the wave after securing a treble for Nicky Henderson on Wednesday, Barry Geraghty produced another brilliant performance in the saddle to take the Ryanair Chase aboard 7-2 favourite Riverside Theatre.

With the errant Captain Chris colliding into him in mid-air at most of the early fences, Riverside Theatre was losing ground at virtually every obstacle and Geraghty was niggling away at his mount from an early stage.

But Riverside Theatre, owned by a syndicate headed by the actor James Nesbitt, kept finding more and dug deep in a thrilling finish to draw alongside the reigning champion, Albertas Run, 100 yards from the winning post before edging ahead to score by half a length with Medermit the same distance back in third.

“Nothing would have ever prepared me for that,” Nesbitt said. “The courage of the horse and the skill and the perseverance of the jockey – it’s the thrill of a lifetime. There was bound to be the notion that he might not handle the track and the bounce factor but he looked beautiful in the paddock and Nicky has done a great job. He wasn’t travelling well right from the start, but what a ride. What a ride.”

In victory, Henderson passed Paul Nicholls in the trainers’ championship and could be on course for his first title for 25 years. “In fairness that was some great ride,” Henderson said. “I don’t think either of us was enjoying that a lot and I don’t think Barry was either as it didn’t look very likely all the way.

“They were always travelling a gear higher than he wanted to be in and it was some ride to get him home. You’d have to say he wants a step up in trip now.”

Willie Mullins continues to fly the flag alone for Irish-trained runners at the Festival and his third winner of the meeting came when Sir Des Champs maintained his unbeaten record in the opening Jewson Chase.

Also successful at the meeting 12 months ago, the 3-1 chance faced his stiffest task to date but relished the challenge and caught the enterprisingly-ridden Champion Court on the run to the final fence before pulling away to score by four and a half lengths under Davy Russell.

Mullins was left looking forward to next year’s Gold Cup and understandably so, for until he is beaten we still just don’t know how good Sir Des Champs could be.

“He was very good and I’m really looking forward to next year over longer trips,” the trainer said. “He was foot perfect. Davy asked him plenty of questions and he came up every time. A good pace and plenty of jumping will suit him best.”

The favourite, Peddlers Cross, failed to fire and will be sent back over hurdles next season, according to his trainer, Donald McCain.

Cape Tribulation (14-1) took the Pertemps Final under Denis O’Regan, beating Catch Me (14-1) by three-quarters of a length. “Days like these are why you get up in the morning,” said the Yorkshire trainer Malcolm Jefferson.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

• Outstanding stayer equals all-time hurdling record
• Winner records his 16th straight victory

Big Buck’s once again defied all the doubters to make racing history as the first four-times winner of the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sent to the front earlier than usual by Ruby Walsh, he fought off every challenger to equal the record for the most consecutive jumps races won, making it 16 from 16 over the past four seasons.

The Irish mare Voler La Vedette gave Big Buck’s a bigger scare than most have done when looming up in his slipstream on the run to the final flight, but Walsh’s mount met it on a perfect stride and galloped all the way to the line to win by a length and three-quarters.

In the final minutes before the race, Big Buck’s had drifted out to 5-6, having been far shorter in the betting earlier in the day, a series of poor performances from Paul Nicholls-trained runners seemingly leaving punters lacking in confidence.

Relief was evident as Nicholls celebrated the victory. “Apart from the Champion Hurdle it’s been a bit of a disaster this week,” the trainer said. “It wasn’t easy to get him here, to bring him back four years winning. We have had a problem with a cough as everyone knows and some have been running a bit below-par. I was worried, of course I was. Thank God for this horse. He pricks his old ears, keeps galloping and keeps winning. It means a lot to us that everyone is so fond of him and God willing, we’ll be back next year to try and win it again.”

Nicholls added that Big Buck’s will now aim to make it 17 and beat Sir Ken’s record when heading to the Aintree Grand National meeting next month.

Walsh also paid tribute to his mount, saying: “They were starting to doubt us, but boy, this lad is good. It’s not been a great week, but this is a horse you can always rely upon.

“I’m not dissing [unbeaten Australian mare] Black Caviar for one minute, but she’s running in five-furlong, six-furlong races – it’s easy to keep your horse fit for the Flat than to run him over jumps where it’s so much harder to keep bringing him back. I was up against speed horses so I knew I wanted to ride him handy, but the only one who really stayed was this lad.

“He drifted out in the betting today but anything near even money was good. He doesn’t lose. He’s better than the banks.”

It was not the only thrilling finish to the afternoon’s racing. Still riding the crest of the wave after securing a treble for Nicky Henderson on Wednesday, Barry Geraghty produced another brilliant performance in the saddle to take the Ryanair Chase aboard 7-2 favourite Riverside Theatre.

With the errant Captain Chris colliding into him in mid-air at most of the early fences, Riverside Theatre was losing ground at virtually every obstacle and Geraghty was niggling away at his mount from an early stage.

But Riverside Theatre, owned by a syndicate headed by the actor James Nesbitt, kept finding more and dug deep in a thrilling finish to draw alongside the reigning champion, Albertas Run, 100 yards from the winning post before edging ahead to score by half a length with Medermit the same distance back in third.

“Nothing would have ever prepared me for that,” Nesbitt said. “The courage of the horse and the skill and the perseverance of the jockey – it’s the thrill of a lifetime. There was bound to be the notion that he might not handle the track and the bounce factor but he looked beautiful in the paddock and Nicky has done a great job. He wasn’t travelling well right from the start, but what a ride. What a ride.”

In victory, Henderson passed Paul Nicholls in the trainers’ championship and could be on course for his first title for 25 years. “In fairness that was some great ride,” Henderson said. “I don’t think either of us was enjoying that a lot and I don’t think Barry was either as it didn’t look very likely all the way.

“They were always travelling a gear higher than he wanted to be in and it was some ride to get him home. You’d have to say he wants a step up in trip now.”

Willie Mullins continues to fly the flag alone for Irish-trained runners at the Festival and his third winner of the meeting came when Sir Des Champs maintained his unbeaten record in the opening Jewson Chase.

Also successful at the meeting 12 months ago, the 3-1 chance faced his stiffest task to date but relished the challenge and caught the enterprisingly-ridden Champion Court on the run to the final fence before pulling away to score by four and a half lengths under Davy Russell.

Mullins was left looking forward to next year’s Gold Cup and understandably so, for until he is beaten we still just don’t know how good Sir Des Champs could be.

“He was very good and I’m really looking forward to next year over longer trips,” the trainer said. “He was foot perfect. Davy asked him plenty of questions and he came up every time. A good pace and plenty of jumping will suit him best.”

The favourite, Peddlers Cross, failed to fire and will be sent back over hurdles next season, according to his trainer, Donald McCain.

Cape Tribulation (14-1) took the Pertemps Final under Denis O’Regan, beating Catch Me (14-1) by three-quarters of a length. “Days like these are why you get up in the morning,” said the Yorkshire trainer Malcolm Jefferson.

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary