Tizzard given reason to smile as Lostintranslation battles for Gold Cup third

Lostintranslation's valiant Gold Cup third finally gave Colin Tizzard something to smile about after a torrid week for his Dorset yard.

Fancied by many to be in the fight for leading honours at this year's meeting, Tizzard-trained runners had fallen well short of expectations, with leading novice hurdlers Fiddlerontheroof and Harry Senior the most high-profile disappointments.

Until the Gold Cup, the trainer had managed just a solitary place from 15 runners over the three previous days and admitted his yard's poor form led him to doubt the prospects of his burgeoning chasing star.

Tizzard said: "There was a doubt in my mind before the race for sure. I can't pretend we weren't thinking about how bad the yard's form's been, some of them have bombed out far too soon this week.

"I know championship racing brings out the best and the worst in every horse but this week had almost been too bad to be true until he went out and ran like that.

Lostintranslation jumping in unison with Al Boum Photo in the Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"I thought Harry Senior was our best chance of the week only for him to go and run like that. They say this sort of thing is character building but everything can be forgotten now."

Tizzard indicated either Aintree or Punchestown could be next for Lostintranslation, who bounced back from a disappointing showing when sent off 15-8 for Kempton's King George VI Chase at Christmas.

The trainer added: "We'd have liked to have won it but it was a fantastic race and a great run. I'm just happy for everyone in the yard, when it starts going a bit badly I worry for them. We have people spending big money now and we don't want to be missing big weeks like this."

Jockeys' championship leader Brian Hughes was given a Gold Cup ride to remember as outsider Real Steel outran lofty odds of 50-1 to finish sixth.

Hughes, who was riding for Gold Cup-winning trainer Willie Mullins for the first time, said: "He probably didn't quite get up the hill but he did well.

"I thought we had a chance at one stage but unfortunately the winning post isn't at the home turn. It's nice to get a ride in a race like this and a great thrill to ride for these connections."

Hughes stretched his jockeys' championship lead over Richard Johnson to 21 winners with a winner at Doncaster on Thursday.

Read more from the final day of the Cheltenham Festival:

Al Boum Photo seals second Cheltenham Gold Cup after beating Santini in thriller

'He was having a look' – inexperienced Monkfish shows class in Albert Bartlett

Moore 'distraught' as Goshen unseats rider with Triumph at his mercy

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