Jazzy Matty strikes again at Cheltenham in poignant victory

The six-year-old Jazzy Matty is already a two-time Cheltenham Festival winner as the youngest horse in the 20-runner line-up proved too good in the customary hurly-burly of the Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, handing trainer Cian Collins a first Cheltenham Festival victory. 

And on a remarkable and poignant afternoon at Cheltenham, the two horses ridden to success by the late Michael O’Sullivan at the meeting two years both triumphed here within the space of an hour after Marine Nationale landed the Bet MGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The top-weight JPR One travelled strongly coming down the hill along with My Mate Mozzie, but it was last year’s winner Unexpected Party who led the way turning in and he was more or less there until the final fence when Jazzy Matty genuinely went upsides and moved on to strike by a length and a half, with Midnight It Is three lengths behind the winner in third. My Mate Mozzie took fourth and Jasko De Dames finished fifth as Irish-trained horses filled five of the first six places home.