Horse racing - Native River wins Cheltenham Gold Cup duel
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates with the team after winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
LONDON (Reuters) - Native River, ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson and trained by Colin Tizzard, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup after beating 4-1 favourite Might Bite in an almighty duel on Friday.
The eight-year-old 5-1 shot led from the start in what turned into a two-horse race, with the rest well beaten on soft ground.
The pair were neck and neck as they leaped the final jump before Native River, who came in third last year, won a sprint to the finish and ultimately triumphed by four and a half lengths.
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates with the team after winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Anibale Fly (33-1) finished third in the flagship race of the four-day meeting.
"I’m speechless, he’s been a fantastic horse for me and I was lucky to pick up the ride on him. He's just amazing," said Johnson, who won the Gold Cup with Looks Like Trouble in 2000.
"He jumps for fun. I was getting squeezed, but at the second-last and the last he just wanted it so much. Eighteen years feels a long time ago now."
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson celebrates with the trophy after riding Native River to victory in the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Johnson was later fined 6,550 pounds by stewards and handed a seven-day ban for misuse of the whip.
Tizzard told ITV sport it was an unreal feeling to see Native River become the first to win at the second attempt.
"Watching the Irish winning everything for the last three days, we thought we'd got no chance," he said.
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Owners Garth and Anne Broom pose with Princess Anne and the trophy after Richard Johnson rode Native River to victory in the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
"He (Native River) wasn't quite right after Cheltenham last year so we've stuck to the plan and it has come in. I never thought in my biggest dreams that I would win a Gold Cup."
Second place was a disappointment for Might Bite's trainer Nicky Henderson, who had been hoping to become the first to win the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase at one Cheltenham Festival.
"It was a great race, to see two horses jump the last like that after a tough steeplechase, and you realise 12 others can't even get into it," said Henderson.
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson celebrates with the trophy after riding Native River to victory in the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
"Someone's got to finish second and we've made it a race. I'm very proud of the horse."
Last year's winner Sizing John was absent after suffering a fractured pelvis. It was the third year in a row the champion has missed the race after Coneygree and Don Cossack did not defend their crowns.
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Darren Staples
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond)
Horse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson celebrates with the trophy after riding Native River to victory in the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew ChildsHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Native River is cooled off after winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Darren StaplesHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Native River ridden by Richard Johnson in action before winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates after winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew ChildsHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew ChildsHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Native River ridden by Richard Johnson celebrates winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase REUTERS/Darren StaplesHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Native River ridden by Richard Johnson in action before winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson collects the trophy from Princess Anne after riding Native River to victory in the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Native River ridden by Richard Johnson in action before winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Andrew BoyersHorse Racing - Cheltenham Festival - Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Britain - March 16, 2018 Richard Johnson on Native River celebrates winning the 15.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
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