MASTER MINDED sent shivers around Cheltenham yesterday then Inglis Drever provided the warm feel-good factor as the hugely-popular Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner became the first horse ever to land the 'stayers' crown three times.
On a misty afternoon, there were more than a few misty eyes around the festival as Howard Johnson's star dramatically overhauled the French hope Kasbah Bliss to win by a length with Kazal best of the Irish seven lengths further back in third.
For a long time, however, only Finger Onthe Pulse's victory for Tom Taaffe and Barry Geraghty in the Jewson Novices' Chase prevented Irish tears at what threatened to become a home rout over the 10-race marathon.
But for the sixth time in the 15-year history of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, Willie Mullins came to the rescue as Cousin Vinny led home an Irish one-two-three in the finale and in particular kicked off huge celebrations in the Mullins family.
The trainer's 18-year-old son, Patrick, who is studying for his Leaving Cert in the summer emerged best of his father's four runners on board Cousin Vinny who beat Corskeagh Royale with the heavily backed favourite Zaarito only third after meeting some interference in running.
"At the top of the hill I couldn't believe how well he was going. I thought it was a case of 'how far', which is usually when you end up beaten. But he was great," said Mullins Jnr who is just the third amateur to win the race after his father and a certain Ruby Walsh.
As for an emotional Mullins Snr, he said: "I've been lucky enough to have had some great moments but this is very special.
"Patrick is a big lad so he won't be able to do this for very long so this might be a once-off for him. We came up with a plan this morning and he stuck to it perfectly."
Finger Onthe Pulse had earlier continued Barry Geraghty's streak of riding a festival winner every year since 2002 with a neck defeat of the Queen's runner Barbers Shop that gave Tom Taaffe and owner Conor Clarkson a second Cheltenham success after Kicking King's 2005 Gold Cup.
"His jumping won it for him. He was brilliant from three out," said Geraghty while Taaffe quipped: "Barbers Shop ran exceedingly well and I was getting a bit nervous, but I'm sure the Queen will have another day!"
If Finger Onthe Pulse's first steeplechase victory was gritty, then he'd clearly been given some tips in the stable yard by the ultimate grit-machine, Inglis Drever, who was guided to victory by his Cork -born rider Denis O'Regan, the third different Irish jockey to win on him at the festival.
O'Regan won the Arkle on Tuesday on Tidal Bay, also owned by Graham Wylie and he exclaimed afterwards: "What a fantastic week to get on these two horses. What a horse this is. We got a good jump at the last and he did the rest himself."
Wylie described Inglis Drever as a "street fighter" and praised his trainer, Howard Johnson, who didn't rule out one more attempt on the race next race, but surprisingly also didn't rule out early-retirement for Inglis Drever.
"I don't want anything to happen to him but we might come back for one more next year. There aren't many races left in him but this is near enough the greatest training performance of my life and I'm very proud," Johnson said.
Kazal's trainer Eoin Griffin reported: "Turning for home I thought we might have it but he has acquitted himself well and what can you say about Inglis Drever."
Kasbah Bliss' rider, Christophe Pieux, received a three-day whip ban from the stewards.
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