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Champ comes from nowhere to win the RSA Chase

It's another win for Nicky Henderson at this year's Cheltenham Festival after an incredible finis...
Will O'Callaghan
Will O'Callaghan

14.55 11 Mar 2020


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Champ comes from nowhere to wi...

Champ comes from nowhere to win the RSA Chase

Will O'Callaghan
Will O'Callaghan

14.55 11 Mar 2020


Share this article


It's another win for Nicky Henderson at this year's Cheltenham Festival after an incredible finish from Barry Geraghty on board Champ to claim victory in the RSA Chase.

The eight-year-old, who is named after former champion jockey AP McCoy, recovered from a series of mistakes in the race to pip Allaho and Minella Indo in the closing stages.

“I thought Barry seemed happy enough on the outside for most of the race and it looked to me we were going to finish an honourable third," Henderson said after the race.

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Then halfway up the run in, when I was watching the other two in front, he suddenly came into my sights.

"The fall last time did him no damage – he had a racecourse school and Nico has done a lot of work in the indoor school with him – even yesterday morning he jumped half a dozen poles."

Geraghty admitted on ITV that it was slog around the course:

"He was on the back foot all the way, the ground was tacky and it was hard work.

"It was all about finding a bit of nice ground and trying not to ask too many questions early. Nico (de Boinville) and Nicky worked hard to get him where he is – it’s paid dividends today.

"This is a great race – all Grade Ones at the Festival are. I thought I had no chance jumping the last, but three strides later I was starting to smell the money."


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