Willie Mullins endured a second day of mixed fortunes but ended it on the right note when Champagne Fever, ridden by his son, Patrick, provided him with a seventh success in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
The grey looked vulnerable when New Year’s Eve, the favourite, and Pique Sous, his better-fancied stablemate ridden by Ruby Walsh, loomed into contention, but he stuck on tenaciously in a driving finish.
“This horse has a huge cruising speed but lacks a finishing kick, so it was always the plan to make plenty of use of him,” the winning jockey said. “People have crabbed him for having a high head carriage, but it’s just his posture.”
Finale boosts good cause
Cheltenham will wear its charity hat today with the St Patrick’s Derby (5.15), which is run in aid of Cancer Research UK. A fitting winner of the 12-runner event, run over a mile and five furlongs, would be Lindsey Hunting, who will ride the Charlie Longsdon-trained Wild Desert.
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Hunting is a nurse at Worcester Royal Hospital and looks after people with cancer most days. The jockeys were selected from 100 applicants and each will be sponsored. Over the past two years, more than £400,000 has been raised by the race.
Scudamores’ day to forget
Dreams can just as easily be broken at Cheltenham — ask the Scudamore family. Tom, the jockey, was deflated after the tame surrender of Grands Crus in the RSA Chase, and his trainer-brother Michael was cursing when Saphir River only got as far as the second flight in the Coral Cup. Meanwhile, Peter, their father, watched Blenheim Brook, whom he helps to train with Lucinda Russell, his partner, finish last in the National Hunt Chase.
Neck verdict in fashion
Racing scarves are a growing trend, but below-par performances can hit sales. Plenty of the Hurricane Fly variety, at £15, were surplus to requirements after his defeat on Tuesday. Punters seeking a discount were rebuffed, but had other options. Arkle scarves were sold out, yet there is a gap in the market — none carried the colours of Sprinter Sacre.