Racing: Johnson calls up Flagship reserves

He paraded as a gladiator and came back a champion. He was, however, carried in on his shield. The only time Flagship Uberalles could be called the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase here yesterday was when he poked his noble, white-nosebanded head over the line. He coped with the dead ground with all the enthusiasm of a Nureyev dancing on glue, fluffed several fences and virtually broke into a standstill as he laboured up the final, gruelling climb to glory. It was only his reserves of what we would call mettle in a man that saw him home.

That, and the unstinting efforts from the saddle. The victory was the crowning moment of Richard Johnson's injury-interrupted season and he earned every stride of it, his shoulders drooping and spent almost as soon as he pulled up. He also earned the displeasure of the stewards, who handed him a four-day ban for wielding his whip with excessive frequency on the slow-motion drive to the line on the 7-4 favourite.

The two-mile race was agony for Flagship Uberalles' immediate circle watching from the stands, particularly when their hero went through the top two feet of the third-last obstacle with Latalomne still steaming along at the head of affairs. "I was not exactly confident at that point," said trainer Philip Hobbs. "In fact, I was beginning to get worried. I just had to remember that when he won at Sandown he was not on the bridle until the Pond Fence, and that he does stay very well."

After Latalomne crashed two out the contest, usually a sprint, was a war of attrition won by courage and an arrow-straight final leap from a horse whose innate talent deserved the crown. Native Upmanship stayed on to thwart Cenkos by half a length for second, with the old title holder, Edredon Blue in fourth, unable to zip over the fences with his usual élan on sticky ground. "He got that good jump when he needed it," Johnson said. "The ones in front had gone off fast enough for this ground and I never doubted he'd stay on."

Flagship Uberalles was by some way the pick of the 12 protagonists in the pre-race parade. The eight-year-old's sleek appearance was a huge credit to Hobbs and to the regime he has devised for a talented but frail performer. Sessions wading in the sea at Minehead and a weighted exercise boot have taken care of muscular problems, while the ministering of his lass, Lisa Burge, has sorted out his mind. Hobbs is the new champion's third trainer in as many years and his capricious owner, Michael Krysztofiak must surely, this time, find little to displease him.

Yesterday's opener, the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle, was wholly marred by the death of Rouble, who broke both front legs on the flat, and when Keen Leader fell in front two out and brought down two rivals there was a collective holding of breath as another set of dread green screens went up. Happily, the casualty, Ballyhampshire Lad, rose unscathed.

Meanwhile Galileo ­ no, not that one, but a Classic star nonetheless in his native Poland ­ was making the best of his way up the hill, three and a half lengths clear of Over The Bar. The six-year-old, trained locally by Tom George at Slad, had to cope with an extra hazard as he hurdled Keen Leader's prone jockey, Liam Cooper, as efficiently as the conventional obstacles. His success meant there was, after all, a Maguire on the Festival scoresheet. Galileo was ridden by Jason, nephew of injured Adrian.

The equivalent over fences, the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, went to Hussard Collonges, a return to the big time for veteran trainer Peter Beaumont, whose 1993 Gold Cup winner, Jodami, parades today. His rider, Russ Garritty, was a first-time Festival winner. "I'll be at Hexham tomorrow, back to reality," he said.

The Irish had to wait not only until the finale for their first winner, but for several tense minutes afterwards when Pizarro, ridden by the Flat star Jamie Spencer for Edward O'Grady survived an enquiry after he and the favourite, Rhinestone Cowboy, had a bumping match.