CHELTENHAM can do no wrong and is one of the great sporting success stories. However, apart from the tremendous reception for My Tent Or Yours, there was a subdued atmosphere on Saturday and the loss of Starchitect in the very valuable Caspian Caviar Gold Cup left many in the crowd sad and deflated.

The race, a typically intricate Cheltenham Grade 3 handicap chase, was won by Nicky Richards’ 9/1 chance Guitar Pete, who was formerly with Dessie and Sandra Hughes.

However, there is little doubt that David Pipe’s Starchitect, runner-up in the similar BetVictor Gold Cup last time and seven lengths ahead running to the penultimate fence, was about to prevail when suddenly losing his action. He was pulled-up by Tom Scudamore, a leg injury proving fatal. The jockey could hardly speak afterwards.

The first and third in the BetVictor, Splash Of Ginge and Le Prezien, were unplaced and it was Paul Nicholls’ 3/1 favourite Clan Des Obeaux who moved up to join eventual third King’s Odyssey when Starchitect departed the scene.

Fourth at that stage, Guitar Pete was receiving 24lbs from Clan Des Obeaux and ground him down as they met the rising ground, going on to score by nearly three lengths under young 3lb claimer Ryan Day.

“He was my first ever ride at Cheltenham a month ago (when unplaced in the BetVictor) but we nearly fell at the first,” Day said. “This is a big thing for my career and you need winners like this to keep moving forward.”

“It was just a freak accident,” Pipe said of Starchitect’s demise. “It looked to be his day. He was a tough customer and a real character.” Similarly downcast was Jason Maguire who, as racing manager to owners Paul and Clare Rooney, looked after Starchitect during the summer.

EASY FOR APPLE’S

It was a good day for the McManus/Henderson/Geraghty team, 1/10 favourite Apple’s Shakira easing home from Nube Nebra in the four-runner JCB Triumph Trial.

Although this was hardly a stiff task, she was a filly giving weight to two geldings and cruised home, justifying her position at the head of the Triumph Hurdle market, although Henderson will want to see her in a bigger field with a stronger gallop and more cover before March.

It is good to see former Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Jim Old with a good horse in his care.

Although officially working with Nigel Twiston-Davies, Old arrived with the talented novice hurdler Count Meribel, who promptly won three off the reel this term before finding Kilbricken Storm too good in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle last week.

This looks very useful form, the pair pulling a long way clear in a four-runner event. Trained by Colin Tizzard and ridden by Harry Cobden, Kilbricken Storm (rec 3lb) had a couple of lengths to find on the run-in but has the stamina of an Irish point winner and was well on top at the finish. The Albert Bartlett in March may be the target but Count Meribel’s connections will also think about the Pertemps Final.