'It’s not the nicest way to win a race': Burning Victory takes advantage of Goshen's final flight woes

The Willie Mullins-trained Burning Victory ran out a fortuitous winner of the JCB Triumph Hurdle, the opening race of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, after 5-2 favourite Goshen dramatically unseated rider Jamie Moore when miles clear at the final flight.

It was billed as one of the strongest renewals of the Triumph in years but when they turned into the straight there was only one horse in it as the Gary Moore-trained Goshen surged into a seemingly unassailable lead.

The only danger lay in front where there was one last flight remaining but Goshen clipped the top bar and, try as he might, his jockey couldn’t keep the partnership intact.

That left Allmankind in front but it was the largely unconsidered 12-1 shot Burning Victory who came home best of all under Paul Townend to win by two and three-quarter lengths from Henry De Bromhead's Aspire Tower with the Dan Skelton-trained Allmankind back in third.

“It’s not the nicest way to win a race,” winning jockey Paul Townend acknowledged, “but I've been on the other end of that, so I know what it feels like. We take any bit of luck we get.”

Townend added: “I jumped the first two well — she didn't jump at all on her first run. She's improved so much from that. I got her out down the hill, and she started to pick up for me. I was lucky enough that I had a horse in a position to pick up the pieces.”

Mullins said: “I feel like a bit of an imposter in here (the winner’s enclosure). I'm very sorry for Gary and Jamie Moore. These things happen, unfortunately.”