NATIVE River, ridden by Richard Johnson, prevailed over favourite Might Bite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in one of the all-time classic racing duels.
In the very definition of a two-horse race, the pair led from the off and were never troubled by the chasing pack - Native River in particular making most of the running.
Might Bite had travelled the better of the two going into the final two jumps, but Native River displayed superior stamina on testing ground to pull clear for victory.
It was a second win in successive races for Dorset-based trainer Colin Tizzard, who saddled victor Kilbricken Storm in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
Speaking to ITV Racing, Tizzard said: "It's unreal. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is everything in everyone's life, there's no pretending it's not.
"Might Bite came to him and I thought it was a good second. He's just carried away again.
"We've had a wonderful preparation with him and his form has gone on from last year. I can't believe it."
The triumph is Tizzard's first career Gold Cup win.
Harry Fry's American did not place.
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