Milan Native provided leading point-to-point rider Rob James with a first success at the Cheltenham Festival with a gutsy victory in the £70,000 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase.
Trained by Gordon Elliott and owned by Giggnstown House Stud, the seven-year-old ran on strongly in the closing stages to repel the sustained challenge of 8/1 chance Kilfilum Cross, recording a length and three-quarter win, which was also the gelding's first victory over fences.
James has ridden over 200 winners on the Irish point-to-point circuit and said: "I have always dreamed of this and it is unbelievable. The horse took me everywhere and jumped everywhere. Gordon is a genius and I am just grateful to Gigginstown for giving me the ride. I can't believe it.
"I was jumping and actually getting there a bit too soon, so I held on to him the whole way down the hill until I got going to the second last.
"He has just taken off with one slap down the neck, winged the second last and was gone. He was pricking his ears going to the line and had loads left.
"The further he was going, the better he was going, and he had loads left coming up the hill.
Trained by Gordon Elliott and owned by Giggnstown House Stud, the seven-year-old ran on strongly in the closing stages to repel the sustained challenge of 8/1 chance Kilfilum Cross, recording a length and three-quarter win, which was also the gelding's first victory over fences.
James has ridden over 200 winners on the Irish point-to-point circuit and said: "I have always dreamed of this and it is unbelievable. The horse took me everywhere and jumped everywhere. Gordon is a genius and I am just grateful to Gigginstown for giving me the ride. I can't believe it.
"I was jumping and actually getting there a bit too soon, so I held on to him the whole way down the hill until I got going to the second last.
"He has just taken off with one slap down the neck, winged the second last and was gone. He was pricking his ears going to the line and had loads left.
"The further he was going, the better he was going, and he had loads left coming up the hill.
"I have ridden over 200 winners in point-to-points and it's going well. I haven't really done too much on the track but maybe I might get going now."
Gordon Elliott was recording a 549/1 treble on day three of The Festival and he paid tribute to James.
The Cullentra maestro said: "I am delighted for Rob James, who is a great fella. He is one of the top point-to-point riders and a nice fella too.
Gordon Elliott was recording a 549/1 treble on day three of The Festival and he paid tribute to James.
The Cullentra maestro said: "I am delighted for Rob James, who is a great fella. He is one of the top point-to-point riders and a nice fella too.
“I thought that the trip would suit, and this race has been the plan. It's a race we like - we didn't have Jamie Codd today, but I told Rob to just go beside him for the first half of the race. He has done it to a peach."
Eddie O'Leary, representing his brother Michael, who has stayed at home this week attending to his Ryanair business, said that the Gigginstown team has always liked Milan Native but he gave much of the credit to the rider, who enjoys a big reputation in the point-to-point fields
O'Leary said: "He's a very valuable seven-pound claimer. He almost never rides on the track, but he's ridden hundreds of point-to-point winners. He gave that a fantastic ride."
O'Leary said: "He's a very valuable seven-pound claimer. He almost never rides on the track, but he's ridden hundreds of point-to-point winners. He gave that a fantastic ride."
What a moment!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2020
Rob James won't forget this one for a while. Cracking ride %uD83D%uDC4F #CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/w7cTDA0Gww
