By the last fence it was a straight shootout between the leading three; Melleray's Belle, Sir Lindsay and Shaun Goilin.

[4] So close was the finish that James Mason, riding Melleray's Belle, initially thought that he had won.

The horse gave me such a confident feeling that the only surprising thing was that I didn't win by a wider margin.

The field gradually thinned down, but no matter what came along to join us in the front rank, I felt my horse going strongly, and I had no fear.

"[7]Shaun Goilin's owner Midwood apparently gave Cullinan a cheque for £1,000 out of the £5,000 prize money he received for the win.