Dorset hero Native River fourth in Cheltenham Gold Cup

Minella Indo edged out A Plus Tard to give trainer Henry de Bromhead a one-two.

Tizzard’s other hopeful, Lostintranslation, continued a disappointing season when jockey Robbie Power pulled up the 33-1 chance.

Earlier in the day, the Tizzard-trained Oscar Elite had defied expectations to claim a stunning second behind Vanillier in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

READ MORE: Cheltenham Gold Cup - how it happened

Dorset, and Tizzard, enjoyed five placings across the Festival, with Eldorado Allen, Fiddlerontheroof and The Big Breakaway adding to the honours.

But the show belonged to jockey Jack Kennedy and Minella Indo (9-1) who got the better of gallant stablemate A Plus Tard, partnered by Festival sensation Rachael Blackmore.

The victory capped an incredible week for De Bromhead, who also collected the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase and has had six winners in all.

Willie Mullins’ Al Boum Photo – seeking a third successive win in the race – was ridden patiently but as the field galloped down towards the home turn, it became a fight between the two De Bromhead runners.

Minella Indo held the upper hand and repelled the determined challenge of the runner-up to win by a length and a quarter.

Al Boum Photo was four and a quarter lengths away in third. Native River, the winner in 2018, was fourth and Frodon fifth.

Minella Indo, left, won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham Picture: TIM GOODE/PA WIRE

De Bromhead said: “It was incredible. Jack was brilliant on Minella Indo, who is just such a tough horse.

“It’s all down to the crew at home, who work so hard. And the support of all our clients, it’s just brilliant.

“Whatever it is about here – he’s a little bit like Put The Kettle On – he just comes alive.

“He’s fast asleep at home on a daily basis, but even saddling him today, he was like he was before the Albert Bartlett (in 2019) – he was kicking the back door and so up for it.

“We obviously had the mishap at Christmas and he wasn’t as good in the Irish Gold Cup, but we wanted to get a clear round that day and Rachael rode him brilliantly.

“It’s all come together here and it’s fantastic.

“To win a Cheltenham Gold Cup is something you dream about.”

De Bromhead added of riding arrangements for his pair: “Rachael had the choice. I always try to stay out of that and I left it to her.

“Everyone has been asking me on the run-up to the race which had the better chance, but I couldn’t split them.

“I don’t like to interfere (with Blackmore’s choice) as I’d hate to put her the wrong way.

“She knew they were both training well.”

Kennedy told ITV Racing: “I can’t believe it, this is what I’ve dreamt of since I was a child. I’m just so grateful to Henry and (owner) Barry Maloney for giving me a chance and the opportunity to ride him. I can’t thank them enough, I’ll owe them forever.

“This is what I live for. I just can’t believe this is after happening, I’m delighted.

“I was there very soon on him, but I didn’t want to disappoint him, he carried me into it and I didn’t want to be taking him back.

“I landed over the last and he pricked his ears, he was pulling up, but it wasn’t out of tiredness and when he heard Rachael coming back at him, he took off again. it’s unbelievable stuff.”