Celestial Gold completed a famous double by taking the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury today.
The 9-4 favourite, ridden by Timmy Murphy, was adding this long-standing staying handicap chase to his victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham earlier this month.
Celestial Gold, trained by Martin Pipe and owned by David Johnson, held the game novice Ollie Magern (13-2) by a length and a half, with Royal Auclair (11-2) another length and a quarter back in third and Lord Transcend fourth.
Celestial Gold was very keen on the run to the first fence and had to be heavily restrained at the rear by Murphy as Midland Flame and Lord Transcend set the early pace, with Ollie Magern close up.
There was little change up front, with all the field jumping well with the exception of Nil Desperandum, who was pulled up at the 15th fence.
After Midland Flame cried enough four out, Lord Transcend went on, but Celestial Gold was making stealthy progress, as was Royal Auclair.
Ollie Magern took a definite advantage at the second-last, but he could not hold Celestial Gold, who just led at the final fence and held his game rival on the run to the line.
Murphy told Channel 4 Racing: "He settled brilliant today and he jumped fantastic. He just jumped the first couple a litle bit well. He made the one mistake, but apart from that he was foot-perfect all the way."
Asked about the horse's best trip, he added: "He's got plenty of pace over two and a half miles, but the trainer has got all angles covered."
Pipe said: "He is settling really well and jumping well. I don't know where we will go next. I suppose we will have to enter him in the Gold Cup."
"He's in the Tripleprint (now the Bonusprint.com Gold Cup) back over two miles and five, but we will have to see about that. He is still only six and just a baby."
Owner Johnson added: "AP (McCoy) was always going to be a tough act to follow. Timmy has lived up to every expectation we could have had."
"I'm pleased for him and it's great to have three winners on a big day like this. I had a few shillings on after he won the Paddy Power, and that makes the win even sweeter."
Filed by Katie Byrne
