Johnson sails to Victory on Flagship

Richard Johnson today won the Cheltenham Festival race named in honour of his girlfriend's great-grandmother when he partnered 7-4 favourite, Flagship Uberalles, to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase,

Zara Phillips, the Princess Royal's daughter, admitted the famously long uphill finish was hard to bear.

"I wanted to pick him up and carry him up there," she said.

The pair maintained a discreet distance, only exchanging words as Johnson went out to ride Tensile for the following race.

It was fitting reward following dark days earlier this season when Phillips helped nurse her partner through almost 100 days on the sidelines with a broken leg.

Victory also brought to an end a troubled chapter in the injury-plagued horse's career.

Trainer Philip Hobbs - enjoying his best-ever season - is the third handler to have saddled Flagship Uberalles in two years.

With the Queen Mother a rare absentee due to illhealththe trophy was presentedby Lady Vestey, wife of the racecourse chairman Lord Vestey.

The event was also notable for another race- leader falling when looking to hold a winning chance.

Latalomne put rider Vinnie Keane on the floor with two fences remaing, leaving him devastated to have fluffed his lines on his first big-race chance.

Flagship Uberalles himself survived a terrible mistake three out before recovering to win.