Carlito shows the way home: Cheltenham festival

Five jockeys won their race against time as they dashed from Chepstow to Sandown to ride in the afternoon's big race, the Imperial Cup, but in the business on the track were thwarted by the flying late finish of Jamie Osborne and Carlito Brigante, who took the traditional pre-Cheltenham feature by two lengths.

Tony McCoy, on the favourite Doctoor, did best of the travellers, who had to switch to a convoy of cars after their scheduled helicopter was grounded by low cloud and reached the Esher course to weigh out with two minutes to spare. He led over the last, but had no answer to the man-in- form Osborne's whirlwind attack up the hill.

Carlito Brigante, trained by Paul Webber, picked up pounds 21,000 for his victory and may now tilt at the pounds 50,000 bonus on offer if he wins the County Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday.

Osborne, who brought his 100 for the season up on Friday and has ridden six winners from his last seven rides for Webber's Banbury stable, said: "I always thought this horse would stay on, but he finished exceptionally well. I hope this run I'm having can last until next week."

Carlito Brigante, a five-year-old owned by Carole Bamford, is in only his first season over hurdles, but Webber said: "He may be a jumping novice, but he's a mature competitor. He ran a lot on the Flat and is battle-hardened."

Two others of the Chepstow five, Norman Williamson and Charlie Swan, took third and fourth places on Express Gift and Lady Daisy respectively. The fifth, Richard Dunwoody, was out of luck on Chief's Song.

At Chepstow, Aidan O'Brien fired a Cheltenham warning shot for the Irish when the well-backed favourite What's The Verdict ran out a convincing winner of the Peter O'Sullevan Novices' Hurdle. Given a confident ride from off the pace by Swan, the five-year-old jumped past God Squad at the last to ease to victory. There was a tragic end to the race when God Squad broke down, fatally, half-way up the run-in.

What's The Verdict went straight from Chepstow to the stables at Cheltenham, where he is entered in the Festival's opening race, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He was the second horse to arrive; his compatriot Imperial Call, last year's Gold Cup winner, got there yesterday morning.

The five Grand National candidates in the Tote Ten To Follow Handicap Chase were put in their place by Giventime, who relished the testing conditions to scamper home seven lengths clear of Belmont King. If similar conditions prevail at Uttoxeter next Saturday, the little Andy Turnell-trained chestnut may turn out for the Midlands Grand National.

The real thing at Aintree is still the target of Belmont King, who was giving Giventime 27lb. The big nine-year-old did not help his cause with a couple of small errors at the fences in the straight, but stuck to his task well and erased the memories of his disappointing run at Leopardstown last month.

Seventeen horses remain in the Gold Cup after yesterday's five-day declaration stage, with no real surprises among the 10 absentees, though one notable name missing was that of the 1995 winner Master Oats. If all those remaining take part on Thursday it will be the biggest field since Silver Buck beat 21 rivals in 1982.

Relkeel, one of the Champion Hurdle market leaders and the scheduled mount of Dunwoody, will miss the race after pulling up lame during a gallop yesterday morning, the second year in succession 11th-hour injury has ruled the David Nicholson-trained grey out of a tilt at the title. His absence increases the chances of his stablemate Sanmartino being in the field, a decision about which will be taken this morning.