Swansea Bay makes it four
With only three runners, Hussard Collonges set off in front but ploughed through the second fence, with Russ Garritty doing well to stay on board. He went on to put in a fine display of jumping, however, tracked all the way by Swansea Bay.
Kingsmark, bidding to win the race for the fourth consecutive time, was never really travelling and his hopes had gone before the third-last fence.
Swansea Bay headed Hussard Collonges approaching the penultimate fence and stayed on to hold the latter’s rally by five lengths.
Kingsmark was remounted after unseating David Dennis at the last to take the third prize.
Trainer Peter Bowen said: “He has won 10 of his last 13 races and we will give him a break now. He won’t go for the Hennessy, but Andrew said we should enter him for the King George at Kempton, so we will see how that goes.”
Meanwhile, 24 hours after trainer Paul Nicholls had endured a day to forget, his team struck top gear with a feature-race double on the final afternoon of Cheltenham’s Open meeting.
Thisthatandtother was a supremely-impressive winner of the Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase under Ruby Walsh, but while bookmakers were cursing the victory of the 8-13 favourite, they were celebrating when Walsh struck again 35 minutes later on unconsidered 33-1 chance Rigmarole in the Greatwood Hurdle.
