Premier Magic wins the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase

Premier Magic wins the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, with Its On The Line and Shantou Flyer coming in for a second and third place finish respectively. 

The horse that entered at 66-1 took the 16.10 St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, ridden by Bradley Gibbs.

And after the race, Gibbs told ITV: ‘Unbelievable. My partner and my son haven’t come today because we couldn’t get a babysitter! My dad’s in hospital getting an operation, but it’s really special, just wish they could’ve been here.

‘It as unbelievable my fiancée’s father owns him, we came here last year thinking we had a chance. I rode him down the inside and everything just got a bit tight for him, but he just got stage fright really. 

‘I rode him wide today and he was a completely different horse. The way he’s been winning we always thought he was good enough to do it in a big race. He’s paid us back today!’

Day Four of the Cheltenham Festival saw Premier Magic come out on top of the 16.10 race

Premier Magic was ridden by Bradley Gibbs and entered the fifth race of Day Four at 66-1

Go Go Geronimo took an early lead, leading the pack into the first of the 22 fences, where Secret Investor fell early.

Go Go Geronimo found company in Rocky’s Howya, who remained at the front alongside the former for the first half of the race. 

Billaway – who had success in this race last year – fell with 12 to go to become the second early finisher.

Gibbs celebrates winning The St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase on Premier Magic

With five to go Go Go Geronimo began to lose ground, with Shantou Flyer, Chriss Dream and Vaucelet taking place with the final four fences still to come. 

Rocky’s Howya and Premier Magic were neck and neck coming into the final two jumps as the latter began to make up ground on the outside. 

Then with just one fence to go Premier Magic pulled clear and ended the race a length clear of Its On The Line.  

As a result of those earlier falls, the two loose horses ran the majority of the race among the main pack.