McCoy doubles up on Gilgamboa in feature

Tony McCoy swooped on Gilgamboa to land the Grade One Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase for Enda Bolger and JP McManus.

The seven-year-old gelding was fully five lengths off the battle up front between Gitane Du Berlais and Smashing at the second last. As that pair jumped the final fence together Gilgamboa had closed on the outer. A fluent jump saw him land full of running as he cut down the aforementioned pair to win at 7/1. The Tullow Tank flew home from even further back to get within half a length at the finish. He had to settle for the runner-up berth at 9/1. Smashing was two and a quarter lengths away in third at 25/1. Gitane Du Berlais, who cut out most of the running, was a head out of the placings in fourth after being collared at the last.

Trainer Enda Bolger said: "Tony has ridden a few for me but that's the first winner we've had together. It's great to win a race like this and to have that man on top.

"The ground was a big help, and he just wasn't right the last day and Mark Walsh looked after him. I don't know whether he'll go to Punchestown for the three mile novice or not.

"I won this (formerly known as Powers Gold Cup) before as a rider in 1983 on a horse called Step Together. I was only 19 and beat Frank Berry which was a feather in my cap!"

This gave McCoy a double on the day as Sir Scorpion won the second race on the card.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee