KINGSWELL THEATRE was a shock 22-1 winner of the Cross Country at Cheltenham as Tiger Roll and Easysland failed to show up to their own show.
Two-time Grand National champ Tiger Roll was the first horse beat and was pulled-up at halfway.
And odds-on favourite and French raider Easysland made too many mistakes to challenge under a huge weight.
It left the race wide-open with Tom Scudamore taking it by the scruff of its neck and making all.
Jockey Robbie Power was never happy on Gordon Elliott’s two-time National winner.
He reported the star ‘absolutely lifeless’ in the aftermath and before the off Tiger Roll was drenched in sweat.
Eyes were then drawn to French star Easysland in the green and gold of JP McManus, but it was far from plain sailing.
A number of crunching falls meant rider Jonathan Plouganou had too much to do late in the day and could only plug on for a remote fourth.
It left Kingswell Theatre and a brave Beau Du Brizais to fight out the finish.
But it was the Scudamores who held the ace as their horse stayed on best to win the same race he took three years ago.
Winning trainer Michael Scudamore said: “Bar the top two or three, nothing was given a chance!
“But he just loves it around here, he just comes alive when he gets here.
“Tom has given him a great ride and a lot of credit has to go to the horse.
“To win it 2017 and come back after all the problems he has had it’s a great credit to him and the team at home.”
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