CHELTENHAM 15:30

All 12 ran. Fences: 22.

Time: 6m 51.3s Closing Sectional: (3.84f): 57.8s (103.8%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 116%, Betfair SP 99.4%

A representative field for the most prestigious race in jumping, only Native River of the main trial winners missing, the runners all aged between 7 and 9 and thus in theory in their prime, the race an enthralling one to watch, with all bar Elegant Escape in with a chance 3 out after the pace had been just fair, fine margins between the principals and a case for saying quite a few might win another day on different ground, or with a race run differently, or another track or just with more rub of the green, but the winner, albeit narrowly, was the right one on the day, the first back-to-back Gold Cup winner since Best Mate won his third in 2004, not by any means the best winner in that period but one primed for the day on both occasions and given a copybook ride that enabled him to run to his best, the proximity of the fourth and sixth making it difficult to rate the form as better than an average Gold Cup; Al Boum Photo gave his trainer a 4-timer on the card, including all 3 Grade 1 races, making it 5 championship races on the week, the best races dominated by the top yards, with Henderson, de Bromhead, Elliott and Nicholls winning 7 between them, leaving just the Stayers' Hurdle for one of the smaller yards, Elliott dominant through strength of numbers in the 'lesser races', including winning 4 handicaps, which at least means we should hear less about undeniable facts next year, the difficulty of less powerful yards getting a look in and the underperformance of some of the top British yards, aside from Henderson, perhaps more fruitful topics of discussion, though the shadow looming over the whole event was the wisdom in its taking place, at least in front of such large crowds, the answer to that question not yet knowable.

AL BOUM PHOTO (FR) followed the same route to Gold Cup success as he had the previous season, trained to the minute and given the ideal ride in a race which played to his strengths, his jumping largely an asset and the way he travelled meaning he could get into the best position when the tempo lifted from 3 out, this probably the best guide to his merit, showing him a top-class chaser, a game and genuine one, but not an outstanding one; patiently ridden, travelled well, mistake thirteenth, headway 5 out, led next, headed briefly home turn, joined 2 out, kept on well run-in, had nothing to spare; he's young enough to think a third win in this race is a distinct possibility.

SANTINI in first-time cheekpieces, ran as well as he ever has, just lacking the pace of the winner at a crucial stage, but emerging with his reputation enhanced; handy, led briefly before 4 out, again approaching straight, not quicken between last 2, switched soon after last, edged left, kept on well final 100 yds, just failed.

LOSTINTRANSLATION (IRE) who'd had a breathing operation since his King George flop and was in a first-time tongue strap, ran a cracker, much the brightest spot in the week for his yard, looking the winner briefly on the turn but not so strong in the final 1f as the winner; in touch, jumped well, took keen hold, headway on bridle 4 out, disputed lead next, not quicken final 100 yds; the Bowl at Aintree would be the obvious next race.

MONALEE (IRE) ran much better than he did in the Ryanair the previous March, coping well with the demands of the race and showing plenty of stamina, just lacking a turn of foot at a crucial stage, likely to have been third in a few more strides; prominent, travelled well, led fourteenth, headed when impeded before 4 out, not quicken straight, carried right run-in, stayed on.

DELTA WORK (FR) ran creditably, though his jumping let him down, to an even greater extent than it had when he was third in the RSA last season, just making too many mistakes to get into an ideal rhythm; held up, jumped none too fluently, ridden sixteenth, headway when mistake eighteenth, stayed on straight, mistake last, no extra late on; he was one of the joint-youngest in the field and will continue to make an impact at the highest level, with every chance he'll go close with a better round at Punchestown.

REAL STEEL (FR) upped markedly in trip, ran a remarkable race, belying his unconsidered status, performing as well as he ever has, though clearly running out of stamina late on; dropped out, travelled strongly, headway on bridle 3 out, shaken up 2 out, no extra; he did well enough to think he'd be a serious contender in the Ryanair another year.

KEMBOY (FR) had unseated early in last year's Gold Cup and, though he got around this time, his jumping let him down again, just making too many errors to get competitive; jumped none too fluently, led first, remained prominent, lost place eighth, labouring after 3 out, plugged on run-in; he's as good as any of these on his day and may well bounce back at Aintree and/or Punchestown, assuming they go ahead.

CLAN DES OBEAUX (FR) wasn't in the same form as last time, unlike in last season's Gold Cup not failing possibly through want of stamina, just not running his race; waited with, not fluent seventeenth, pushed along after, left behind before straight.

BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) a good third in the 2019 renewal, was below form this time, not obviously let down by his jumping; jumped on second, made most until fourteenth, mistake seventeenth, ridden after, weakened straight.

CHRIS'S DREAM (IRE) seemed not to get home, the way he went through the race promising more than he delivered; patiently ridden, travelled well, ridden approaching 2 out, found little.

ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE) had a stiff task up in grade; prominent, led briefly after second, not fluent third, pushed along fourteenth, lost place eighteenth, lost touch 3 out.

PRESENTING PERCY was likely to have run creditably had he completed, perhaps finishing somewhere around fifth or sixth, depending on how well he stayed on; held up, travelled well, mistake eighteenth, headway early in straight, ridden when fell 2 out.