Tony McCoy produced an exceptional ride as he guided Synchronised to victory in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup after Kauto Star was pulled up on the first circuit.
Synchronised, rated at odds of 8-1, stayed on best of all to catch The Giant Bolster, the 50-1 outsider, on the run-in. Long Run, the 7-4 favourite, was always well placed under Sam Waley-Cohen but had to be content with third place.
Kauto Star, who was looking to record a third victory in the race, never raised a gallop and did not finish the race. Paul Nicholls, the trainer, said that the horse was fine, adding “Ruby [Walsh, the jockey] has done the right thing” and that this was probably his last tilt at the Gold Cup. Walsh said:”That’s horse racing. These things happen. I had no choice but to pull up. He’s been the horse of a lifetime.”
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