RICHARD JOHNSON: My Cheltenham Gold Cup Win On Native River

When I got on him and went down to post, again, he felt really well, and he was on his game. As we were going around at the start it was one of those days when everything just seemed to fit and work, it was all happening at the right times.

We got a good start and he jumped the first two really, really well and from then onwards he got into a lovely rhythm.

It felt for me that we weren’t going very quick, it felt as though he was just having a nice time. After the race it was amazing when people said they thought it was a real end-to-end gallop all the way – for me I thought we hadn’t gone that quick the first circuit. We jumped and travelled really well.

When we went out for the second circuit, that’s when I thought we haven’t gone that quick and we need to up the tempo slightly because stamina is one of his fortes.

I started to gradually ask him for more and more and he kept giving it to me.

Obviously, Might Bite was the horse before that we thought we had to beat and I could just see him out of the corner of my eye, almost eyeballing me from halfway down the back straight – so I knew where he was and again, the stamina was a big thing I thought I had in my favour, but he jumped so well, travelled so well, he answered every call I asked of him really.

He gave me a huge jump over four out and I knew then I obviously had plenty left as well.

When you come down the hill at Cheltenham, there is massive noise from people and everything else, but in that situation you’re oblivious to all that. I knew Nico de Boinville was next to me on Might Bite and I knew what I had to do.

Off the bend, for everybody watching, Nico was travelling really well on Might Bite and I was almost scrubbing along on Native River – but I knew the fact that he stayed so well, and the Cheltenham hill is a long way up.

With two more fences, I still felt I had every chance, but I wasn’t confident of winning by any means.

Again, he jumped the last two really well and just after he landed over the last, I think that’s when I felt I was getting on top and he just never stopped.

For me, that’s the biggest race of our season and to win that was unbelievable.

It is only once you pull up you suddenly hear the noise and the atmosphere just hits you.

Until that moment you’re in a bit of a bubble – which is important because you need to be concentrating on what you’re doing – but it’s amazing how suddenly the relief hits when you pass the line and it has all gone so well.

When you win as well, the crowd and everybody around you... There’s no better feeling in the world! Especially after the event, because you can then begin to enjoy the moment to the full.