Fund flop a blow for New Year punters

Revellers who braved the inevitable New Year hangovers to be at Cheltenham on Saturday suffered something of an anti-climax as rising star Fundamentalist fluffed his lines badly in the Unicoin Homes “Dipper” Novices’ Chase.

Sent off the 4-7 market leader to further his Festival claims – for which he has been touted for anything from the Arkle Chase to the Gold Cup – the seven-year-old never jumped with any fluency and eventually unseated Carl Llewellyn at the 10th fence.