Sir Gerhard gave trainer Willie Mullins an 11th victory in the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper on Wednesday and sent Rachael Blackmore to the top of the Leading Jockey Award standings for the week at Cheltenham.

The six year old denied stablemate and 10/11 favourite Kilcruit by half a length as Blackmore notched up her third win in two days – all of which have come in Grade 1 contests.

It was also the third winner of the 2021 Festival for Willie Mullins and he heads the standings for leading trainer on account of having more placed horses than Henry de Bromhead.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Sir Gerhard only joined the Mullins team earlier this month and the Closutton trainer said: “He looks to be a natural. He has a huge long stride.

“Rachael let him enjoy himself. He was lugging out about and he was still a bit green but he has a huge amount of natural ability. He is a fine, big, rangy individual that should be made for jumping fences at some stage.”

Mullins also said he had been impressed by the way the five year old had adapted to life in a different yard.

He added: “The first evening he came we hadn’t got any of the feed they feed them in Cullentra and we fed him what we feed ours and he just licked everything up, and I thought there is nothing wrong with this fellow’s appetite!

“He stayed on our feed and we didn’t change it. He would eat anything and he would eat yourself if you stood in the way I think! He is a big strong horse with a great appetite and that is what you need to be a good racehorse.

“I have to say well done to the Cullentra team for preparing him and we were fortunate enough to get him. When he came he was very fit and I just wanted to get him settled in and I was surprised how well he settled in and then maybe not to overdo things as it is a lot of stress for horses to change stables and gallops. It was all about having the horse relaxed and having him fit enough which he was.”

Mullins added that the race had given him some food for thought of his own with regard to future targets, including next year’s Festival.

He concluded: “He will probably go for the Champion Bumper at Punchestown. I will have a word with Cheveley Park, but I think the Champion Bumper at Punchestown would be the obvious target. Looking at it, Kilcruit looks more a Ballymore type and Sir Gerhard could be a Supreme horse I think.”

NO GALLOP

Dan Skelton, trainer of third-placed Elle Est Belle said: “I’m very happy with that. Obviously they’ve gone no gallop and when you drop one in you need them to go a gallop. I’m happy with her though and she’ll have a holiday now. It was a good run and hopefully we’re back here in 12 months’ time for the Dawn Run.”

The five year old mare’s jockey Harry Skelton added: “It was a really good run. We probably could have done with a stronger gallop as she likes to be settled, but she’s very exciting for next year and we’ve always thought a lot of her.”