 She was a hot favourite to win that season's Cheltenham Gold Cup, despite the fact that no horse had ever completed the Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup double, she was still virtually a novice over fences, and the three and a quarter mile trip of the Gold Cup over the stiff Cheltenham course was further than she had ever run before.In January 1986, she was given a prep race at Cheltenham, which she was expected to win easily.Her usual jockey, Tony Mullins, the son of the trainer, was on board.