Newmill was the surprise winner.

By PA Sport Staff

It may not have been the fairytale most of the Irish wanted but dreams still came true at Cheltenham as Newmill delivered a surprise success for rookie rider Andrew McNamara in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The 22-year-old, in just his second season as a professional, kept his head when all were losing theirs and helped the 16-1 winner gallop all the way to a surprise victory in the two-mile championship.

In an incident-packed renewal, only six of the 12 runners managed to complete the course, with the casualties including favourite Kauto Star, who crashed out when diving through the third fence.

But all the while Newmill was setting a decent gallop in front which he maintained all the way to the line for a nine-length victory over Fota Island (4-1).

Mister McGoldrick (50-1) was third and Central House fourth, with old champion Moscow Flyer, bidding to win the event for the third time, back in fifth in his final race.

French raider Kario de Sormain lost her rider at the very first fence but that was only the beginning of the drama as Kauto Star crashed out seconds later, bringing down Dempsey and badly hampering Moscow Flyer.

River City and Oneway both came to grief at the fourth-last when in with chances and Fundamentalist was a casualty two out.

On the home turn the only danger to the winner was Mister McGoldrick but he had nothing left to give after the last as Newmill gave the Irish their fifth winner of the meeting.

"I didn't think he had the form in the book to win today but two miles is his trip," McNamara said.

"I thought we could be in trouble but he got his breath back and down the hill he really started to travel with me again.

"He has a serious amount of speed. We could have gone faster early on but I wanted him to last home.

"I heard some of the commotion behind me but he's missed it all."

Winning trainer John Murphy admitted to having backed his horse ante-post at 66-1 and 100-1 earlier in the season.

"Thank goodness it's over," he gushed. "Everything went right. I got a bit frightened when I saw Central House appear as I thought he might take him on and buzz him up.

"I was genuinely confident today that he would be in the first three. Andrew did everything correct and was top drawer.

"He will stay three miles if we can settle him but I don't know what we will do with him next as he goes well fresh. He could go to Punchestown."