Jodi Townend claimed her first Cheltenham Festival win courtesy of Bambino Fever in the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
The 4/1 winner gave champion handler Willie Mullins a 14th success in the race, with Irish-trained horses achieving a trifecta in the day’s final race.
Lisgoold, Co Cork rider, Townend admitted to being “on cloud nine” following the win on only her third ride at the Cheltenham Festival, adding:
“I can’t believe it – it will take a long time to sink in! I was in front plenty soon enough, she was on the way with me coming down the hill and I was looking up at the big screen thinking, ‘please someone, don’t come nab me!’. It was a big relief when I got to the line.
“I got a perfect position. I couldn’t believe it when I jumped off and managed to get where I wanted to be, usually that doesn’t happen in that race. Once we turned down the hill and they got racing, she jumped on the bridle for me.
It couldn’t have gone any better. I was [pushed a bit wide coming into the straight] and even going away from the stands I was pushed quite wide, but I just didn’t want to run into trouble. Even when she was pushed wide, I was travelling well enough, it didn’t affect her. She keeps trying, she has a heart of gold.
Heads Up (33/1) and Seán Bowen were second for the John McConnell yard, a length and a half behind the impressive winner.
Tom Cooper’s Shuttle Diplomacy (66/1), with Donagh Meyler in the saddle, were third home, another length and a half behind McConnell’s charge.
