Results & Reviews / Timeform / 16 March 2012 /

It is in the nature of sport that it does not always go according to the script. The script of the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup was meant to be either a repeat win for last year's top-class victor Long Run or for dual winner and racing legend Kauto Star.

In the end, both were eclipsed by Synchronised, who beat rank outsider The Giant Bolster by two and a quarter lengths, with Long Run three-quarters back in third. Kauto Star was pulled up before halfway and clearly not himself.

Then again, some things in sport do seem to be permanent - come what may - such as the brilliance of Synchronised's jockey Tony McCoy. He was pushing along from an early stage on the horse but galvanised him to come from sixth approaching two out to grab the race early on the run-in from two who had both traded at odds on at one stage.

It is not fanciful to suggest that few other jockeys could have won on the day.

In terms of form, this is most unlikely to have been a vintage Gold Cup-winning performance, though it measures up respectably against the standard that prevailed before the Golden Age of chasing of recent years.

Synchronised's provisional performance rating of 168 has him improving 2 lb on his previous best. The Giant Bolster, on 166, is up 4. That has Long Run about a stone below form, fourth Burton Port slightly below his best, and fifth and sixth, Time For Rupert and Knockara Beau, right up to their peak.

Race and prior-rating standards suggest it could be a bit higher. It is likely the form will be put to the test next at Aintree in April.

Kauto Star was reported to be "absolutely fine" afterwards, but it must be wondered whether the 12-year-old will be seen in action again. At his best, he could have won this Gold Cup by a very wide margin. The 36 lengths by which he won the 2009 King George at Kempton catapulted him to a Timeform rating of 191, the highest by any jumper in the modern era.

The Triumph Hurdle is the traditional opener on the final day, and this year's race provided a turn up as Countrywide Flame - [46.0] Betfair SP and matched at much bigger prices when tenth and under pressure between the last two - stayed on determinedly to account for Hisaabaat.

With less than four lengths between the first four (and Pearl Swan likely to have been on their heels but for falling at the last), this was probably not one of the better winners.Countrywide Flame's provisional figure - detailed below - is slightly below par.

The leaders turning in faded late on in the Triumph, and the majority of them did likewise in a County Hurdle run at nearly as good a pace. Alderwood overcame being hampered between the last two to score by three-quarters of a length from strong-finishing Edgardo Sol.

It was a different story in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, however, as Brindisi Breeze was always in the first two and toughed it out by two lengths from the never-nearer favourite Boston Bob.

There were decent margins between the unplaced horses and it seems best to rate this as an above-average winning performance for the race, if slightly below the 152 posted by Bobs Worth 12 months before.

Salsify took the Foxhunter Chase by a length from favourite Chapoturgeon, the majority of the about 8 seconds difference between the winner's time in that race and in the Gold Cup coming between halfway and three out, as the ignored clear leader flagged and the runners omitted an obstacle.

Colman Sweeney on the Irish-trained winner used his whip vigorously on the run-in, in marked contrast to Harry Haynes, who did not use his at all (had lost it between last two flights) on Attaglance when winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Handicap Hurdle.
Runner-up Toner d'Oudairies looked all over the winner, only to falter on the flat, and he and third-placed Oscar Nominee were both matched at less than [1.35]. Attaglance provided trainer Malcolm Jefferson with his second winner of the week.

In many respects, it has been Nicky Henderson's week. And the 1-2 for him with Bellvano and Tanks For That in the concluding Handicap named after his father Johnny made it seven wins in all. The majority of the seven were ridden by Barry Geraghty, but this time it was an ice-cold waiting ride from Paul Carberry that delivered the spoils.

People often refer to the Cheltenham Festival as "Christmas for horseracing fans". This year's presents will have disappointed few. It even had an element of all of Christmas Past (Kauto Star), Christmas Present (the big winners, notably Big Buck's) and Christmas Future (Sprinter Sacre).

There are only 12 months until the next one.

Final day: the winners, provisional performance ratings and closing sectionals (for leaders/winners)
Countrywide Flame h146 (54.6 sec)
Alderwood h145 (54.3 sec)
Brindisi Breeze h150 (56.3 sec)
Synchronised c168 (57.2 sec)
Salsify c140 (58.9 sec)
Attaglance h145 (56.7 sec)
Bellvano c147 (56.8 sec)

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