MINELLA INDO produced a stunning round of jumping to take a historic Gold Cup for Irish trainer Henry De Bromhead.
His new staying star out-gunned stablemate A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore up the famous hill under 20-year-old Jack Kennedy.
Defending champion and hat-trick hunting Al Boum Photo completed an all Ireland front three.
De Bromhead becomes the first ever trainer to win ALL the major Festival races in one season – the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup.
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Blackmore’s hunt for a remarkable seventh win of her stunning week fell agonisingly short as she was beaten just over a length.
And it was winner number 21 for Irish-trained horses this week – a rout in all but name.
Home favourite Frodon and Bryony Frost made a fist of things out front for much of the way.
But Nicky Henderson’s pair of Champ and Santini were both pulled-up. Champ was never jumping, while Santini was never travelling.
Frost and Frodon ran out of petrol with two fences to jump and like a pack of wolves the Irish trio lay in wait.
Kennedy made the first move with a stellar jump handing Minella Indo the iniative.
Blackmore was on the back foot and despite a last-ditch attempt over the last couldn’t reel in the eventual winner who is now as short as 6-1 to win next year’s race.
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