Cheltenham Festival: Vintage Clouds wins Ultima Handicap Chase

By Nathan Salt For Mailonline

Published: 10:41 EDT, 16 March 2021 | Updated: 10:58 EDT, 16 March 2021

Vintage Clouds upset the odds by winning the Ultima Handicap Chase in the first big upset of Cheltenham Festival. 

There was a great deal of anticipation around the 16-strong field and while it was Pym as the leader out of the gate, Sue Smith-trained Vintage Clouds came through to take victory over the three-mile run. 

Happygolucky, the favourite, rallied late on to take second with Aye Right in third. Cepage, trained by Venetia Williams, took fourth.   

Vintage Clouds caused the upset of Cheltenham this year by winning Ultima Handicap Chase

‘I never thought I’d hear those words mentioned,’ winning jockey Ryan Mania told ITV Racing on riding his first Cheltenham Festival winner. 

‘It’s been a long road back, five years out of the game, absolutely over the moon. 

‘A hell of a training performance, it’s just unreal. He was loving it. 

The 16-strong field was expected to be dominated by Happygolucky, the runner-up

‘Never did I think he was going to storm up the hill like he did.’

This was Vintage Clouds’ fifth run in the Ultima Handicap Chase and it proved fifth time lucky as the 11-year-old roared to victory.   

In 2019 he took second in the Handicap Chase but managed to go one better two years on with a thrilling run. 

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