AFTER A SUPERB race, Protektorat burst into the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture with a dominant display in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase, providing Bridget Andrews with the most notable victory of her career into the bargain.

With partner and stable jockey Harry Skelton in action at Sandown, Andrews came in for the mount on the Paddy Power Gold Cup runner-up.

For owner John Hales, who for so long has coveted the Gold Cup and has come close on several occasions with One Man and Neptune Collonges, he appears to have another viable contender for racing’s blue riband.

Beating a soon-to-be 12-year-old Native River perhaps still leaves him with plenty to find – despite the 25-length winning margin – against the top Irish horses such as A Plus Tard, Minella Indo and Al Boum Photo, but he could do no more than win as he liked.

Protektorat storms to victory in the Unibet Many Clouds Chase 🥇

Pure class 🤩

Watch LIVE
📺 @ITV4
📱 https://t.co/FI4VjrJa48 pic.twitter.com/2FdgF2tvTC

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 4, 2021

With Imperial Aura pulled up on the first circuit and dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll calling it a day not long after, as well as The Two Amigos falling, Protektorat really only had Native River to beat from a long way out.

But having raced keenly early on, he at least had to prove he stayed three miles in the mud and while he did not come under pressure, he certainly was not stopping.

“I was maybe surprised at how far we won, but the testing conditions are catching lots of horses out,” said Andrews.

“We did go a sensible gallop but he has such a high cruising speed, all he does is keep going. I fought him for so long and in the end I couldn’t waste any more energy on him.

“I just tried to relax him and hope he kept going, that was the hardest part of the race.

“He’s got endless amounts of talent and I’m just so lucky to be riding him.

“We always knew he had that talent, but he’s been keen in the past and it was a case of trying to use it right – that was my only concern as he’s a big, strong horse and I’m not very big.

“He was going around at half-speed and we couldn’t go any slower so in the end I just let him jump to the front because once you let him down all he was going to do is gallop.”

Hales, who owns the winner in a partnership with Sir Alex Ferguson, said: “We never had any doubts about Bridget and I wasn’t concerned at all about three miles given how he came up the hill in the Paddy Power. The Gold Cup is the dream again.”

Some performance - Protektorat wins the Many Clouds! pic.twitter.com/kFlDVX2y6i

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 4, 2021

The sponsors cut the winner to 16-1 from 50s for the Gold Cup.

Gordon Elliott, speaking at Navan, ruled out retirement for Tiger Roll.

“I doubt it would be his last race, definitely not,” he said.

“The ground went very soft over there so it probably wouldn’t have been ideal. We’ll see how we are.”

It wasn’t the only stunning performance at Aintree today

There is no finer sight than a bold jumping front-runner clearly having the time of their lives over the Grand National fences and it is even better when they hold on for victory like Snow Leopardess managed in the Unibet Becher Handicap Chase.

Her story is well known by now – having shown promise in her early career in bumpers and over hurdles, which included a Grade Two success at Newbury and a win in France, she was then off the track for two years with injury.

However, rather than just convalesce, her time on the sidelines was put to good use and she was sent to stud to visit Derby winner Sir Percy, with the resulting filly now a two-year-old.

Having done her maternal duties Snow Leopardess was returned to Charlie Longsdon’s care and while it is not a unique situation, it is certainly rare that the mare still has the same zest for racing, certainly at a high level.

But the grey nine-year-old has returned better than ever. She won at Haydock in deep ground last season, was second in the Rowland Meyrick and fourth at the Cheltenham Festival and this year has reached new heights.

First time out at Bangor her spring-heeled jumping was once again in evidence and if one horse was a certainty to take to the National fences, it was her.

Sure enough she devoured them, putting in huge leaps when she met them on a stride and showing her versatility when getting in close.

With half a mile to go half the field had cried enough as Snow Leopardess enjoyed a 10-length lead – but Aidan Coleman was keen to save a bit for the famous run-in, allowing Hill Sixteen and the resurgent Ryan Mania to close to within two lengths.

The mare appeared to have done enough reaching the elbow, but as so many have before she found the final 100 yards the hardest as Hill Sixteen gained with every stride, ultimately just failing to get there by just a nose.

Coleman said: “They were tough conditions and she just got lonely after the last, the poor thing. I would have been absolutely sick if we had got beat.

“I was thinking to myself that was the best fun of my life in possibly not winning! She really deserves it.”