Weapon's Amnesty delivers in RSA Chase

Weapon's Amnesty dented a couple of lofty reputations in Long Run and Punchestowns when running away with the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.

Sent off at 10-1, having won just one of his previous five starts over fences, the Charles Byrnes-trained gelding was recording his second successive Festival triumph after landing the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle 12 months ago.

The seven-year-old travelled strongly throughout in the hands of Davy Russell and moved smoothly into contention down the hill.
Citizen Vic was still in front jumping the second-last but took a crashing fall, after which Weapon's Amnesty quickly went to the lead and powered up the hill to score by seven lengths.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run could not quicken in the straight and was eventually caught by stablemate Burton Port on the run-in for second.

The disappointment of the race was last year's World Hurdle runner-up Punchestowns, also trained by Henderson, who was beaten a long way from home.

Winning owner Michael O'Leary, said: 'It was unbelievable, I didn't think we had any chance today and thought the ex-French horse (Long Run) looked very hot and Punchestowns too.

'It was a brilliant ride by Davy Russell and I think he's proved today what a fantastic jockey he is. He won here at the Festival last year but Albert Bartlett winners tend not to come back again.

'I thought we were hopeful in the Triumph later on in the week (Carlito Brigante) and while Charles had a disappointment with Solwhit (in the Champion Hurdle) yesterday, he's done a great job with this horse.'

Sam Waley-Cohen, the rider of Long Run, said: 'I felt that in order to get him jumping I needed to ask him to stand off one, but it was always difficult getting him to settle.

'Obviously we are very disappointed that he didn't win, but ultimately he's a five-year-old and needs to grow up a bit.'

Tony McCoy said of runner-up Burton Port: 'He was flat-out all the way but, to be far to him, he came home well.'