Earthmover (14/1) defied his veteran status to land the Christie's Foxhunter
Chase in dogged fashion.
The Paul Nicholls-trained 13-year-old, winner of this race in 1998, went to
the front approaching the fourth from home.
Never Compromise and Oneminutetofive were on his shoulder turning for home,
but the latter soon dropped away.
Earthmover and Never Compromise jumped the last virtually together, but it was
the old boy who found most on the run-in for a four-length success.
County Derry was 12 lengths away in third, but favourite Lord Atterbury was
never going or jumping that well and could not get in a serious blow.
Winning rider Rilley Goschen said: ``It's a tremendous thrill to ride a Festival
winner - he is such a smashing old horse.
``I was always happy with him in the race. He is a lovely horse to ride and
dictates to you what he wants to do.''
Nicholls added: ``I really did fancy him, though with no disrespect to the
others it wasn't the greatest of Foxhunters. But everything went right for him
and Rilley give him a fantastic ride.
``It is up to the owner (Roger Penny) whether he is retired. It is something
to think about.
``He is just an unbelievable horse and has been so hard to get right again. He
was at death's door after a fall at Newton Abbot a few years ago and to come
back and win a race he had won six years ago is unbelievable. All credit too
him.''
Trainer Ted Walsh said of the runner-up: ``There are no excuses whatsoever. He
ran his heart and soul out - it was just that the old fella outstayed him from
the last.
``He might run in the Foxhunter at Liverpool.''
County Derry's rider Neil Harris said: ``That was as near as I could get. They
went a strong pace and I had to come from a long way back.
``He was doing his best work from the second-last.''
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