Midnight Shadow, a 12/1 tip from Chris Day in his Weekend View column, held on to win a dramatic running of the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Until the second last fence it looked like Coole Cody could record back-to-back wins in the Cheltenham feature but he crumpled on landing when in front, leaving the 9/1 winner clear of the closing pack.
He needed the advantage too, for after making a mistake at the last, he tired on the climb to the line.
The chasing pack took heart and 11/2 favourite Protektorat roared home but the line came in time for the leader, Ryan Mania's partner holding on by three-quarters-of-a-length.
Lalor (7/1) ran a fine first race for Paul Nicholls in third with Dostal Phil (16/1) another late closer in fourth.
Paddy Power Gold Cup reaction
Winning trainer Sue Smith said: “I probably get more emotional these days because I’m that much older! It’s special, it’s special for everyone because we’re only a small yard and northern trainers don’t get to do this very often, so it’s lovely.
“I’ve probably got about 45-50 in training, but they are not all Midnight Shadows! I probably had a few more in when we won the National, but these are once-in-a-lifetime horses, the same as Auroras Encore was – and he’s still in the field looking very well now.
“He was bought at Doncaster by Harvey (Smith) and he was bred by Mr Smith-Maxwell who actually runs the horse ambulance service here.”
Smith revealed an ambitions target for Midnight Shadow at Christmas.
She said: “I think the plan could be to go to Kempton for the big race – the King George. We’ve been thinking of stepping him up to three miles for some time so we may as well do it then, if you don’t try these things you don’t know. Eventually he will get three miles, I’m sure. You don’t often come across a horse like this, so it’s amazing to have him in our yard – he’s obviously the best horse in our yard.”
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