Teaforthree takes Diamond Jubilee

Teaforthree and JT McNamara took top honours in the Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 5-1 favourite sat handily throughout the four-mile test and produced some prodigious leaps in the hands of his top amateur.

While plenty were struggling down the hill, Teaforthree continued to pour it on, with another prominently-ridden horse, Four Commanders, his closest pursuer under Nina Carberry.

There was little to choose between the pair jumping the final fence, but it was Teaforthree that got away from it the quicker.

He stayed on up the hill to score by two lengths, giving trainer Rebecca Curtis her first Festival winner.

Harry The Viking, part-owned by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, finished off his race strongly to beat Four Commanders to the runner-up spot.

McNamara, claiming his fourth victory at the Festival, said: ``He jumped a little bit to the right, but he never missed a beat.

“It’s unbelievable, and it’s great to ride a winner at Cheltenham.”

Curtis said: ``It's very special (to have a Cheltenham winner).

“It wasn’t the plan to go out and make the running, but he settled well and we know he jumps and stays.

“It doesn’t happen too often (winning at the Festival) and I’m going to enjoy it.

“It’s great just to have runners, let alone a winner.”