The Package the perfect gift for Jamie Codd in Cheltenham Challenge Cup

The Package rolled back the years to win for the first time at the Cheltenham Festival and give Jamie Codd a second success of the week in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup yesterday.

Placed twice at the meeting and having run in Grand Nationals before, his best days appeared to be behind him but the 12-year-old looked reborn, bounding up the hill.

Codd won the four-mile National Hunt Chase on Gordon Elliott’s Cause Of Causes on Tuesday and while he was riding for David Pipe this time, it was Elliott’s Bless The Wings who came from the clouds to chase him home under Nina Carberry.

Sent off at 9-1 in the silks so closely associated with the late David Johnson, The Package won by 12 lengths, with Buddy Bolero third and Grand Vision fourth.

It is the third time Codd has won the race after Character Building in 2009 and Junior in 2012.

The well-backed favourite Champagne James never threatened to get involved for Ted and Katie Walsh.

Codd said: “It was a great training performance to get a 12-year-old to come back, he’s run great at previous Festivals and to it in the Johnson colours is absolutely fantastic.”

He added: ``I didn't realise what sort of a chance he had today until I got here and a few of the lads said they were backing him.

“When David weighed me out he said he’d win and I was a bit taken aback.

“Apparently he worked really well with Moon Racer (winner of the Bumper) last week so that form has worked out well.

“Once I got over the first couple of fences I was always comfortable. I managed to avoid the trouble at the top of the hill as I was on the inside.”

Pipe said: “That gave me immense pleasure, he's been a good horse since day one, unfortunately it took me a while to work out blinkers might help him.

“I should have run him in this last year, but we went for the handicap off 141 and he was off 137 today.

“We always take him away to work before Cheltenham and he always works better than anything.

“It’s fantastic for the Johnson family, it’s special to win any race but we always try to win when they have all their friends here and we tipped him up in the box.

“He hasn’t lost any ability, he doesn’t act like he’s 12. Hopefully you’ll see some more of him.

“I booked Jamie a long time ago, I told him he would win, I’m not sure he believed me until he saw his price.

“We’ve had two winners and three seconds so they’ve run well.”