Monkfish continues the Willie Mullins winning streak with thrilling win in the Albert Bartlett
MONKFISH proved slippery for his opponents as he wriggled through a gap to win the Albert Bartlett.
The six-year-old displayed a likeable attitude to rally for a narrow win over Latest Exhibition, with Fury Road and the luckless Thyme Hill not far away in third and fourth.
The progressive hurdler provided Willie Mullins with his third victory from the first three races on Gold Cup day - but it didn't always look likely.
He made a terrible error mid-race but recovered impressively under Paul Townend, who moved him into a challenging position on the run to the last.
But he had Latest Exhibition, Fury Road and Thyme Hill snapping at his heels and he looked as though he could prove vulnerable up the hill.
However, having briefly been headed, he rallied tenaciously to get back up in the last strides to win by a neck, with Thyme Hill catching the eye in fourth having been short of room up the straight.
Owner Rich Ricci said: "It was unbelievable, and I thought he was quite keen going round. Wow.
"He kept finding, I thought we were definitely beat in the last 100 yards. He has got a bit of class about him.
"He made a howler, but that was magic. He is definitely a chaser. We bought him as a Gold Cup horse.
"Hopefully fingers crossed he stays healthy and he can grow into one."