'Fire in his belly' - when Maximize achieved the improbable in the Kim Muir to give student a winning Cheltenham debut

Fab Festival Finishes is a series running throughout February in the Weekender, recalling some of the most dramatic and famous finales up the Cheltenham hill. First up, Jack Haynes recalls the 2004 Kim Muir. The Weekender is out every Wednesday and is available in all good newsagents, or you can subscribe here.

“A furious gallop” reads the first three words of the Racing Post’s analysis of the 2004 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, which produced one of the festival’s most thrilling finishes.

Several of the amateur riders were keen on pushing the pace from the outset and the big field was strung out in almost single file after the first mile.

The Charlie Mann-trained Merchants Friend was a 20-1 shot under Paul Cashman and took up the running with just over a circuit to go in what proved a big mid-race move.

Merchants Friend had run some fair races in defeat that season, including a fifth in the Hennessy, but it appeared a career-best performance was in the offing on the final lap.

Cashman’s mount quickly piled the pressure on his rivals and jumped with aplomb, stretching clear down the far side for the final time from Montifault, who was in turn clear of the remainder. In truth, many of his rivals were in trouble.

Mann says: “He jumped beautifully all the way round and was in a great rhythm under Paul.”

The Martin Pipe-trained Maximize, a Feltham winner in 2001 when trained by Henrietta Knight, was a 40-1 shot under Darren Edwards and on the back foot. While Merchants Friend was motoring along in front at the top of the hill, Maximize looked to have an almost hopeless task.

Maximize (far side) clears the final fence behind Ibis Rochelais during the 2004 Kim MuirCredit: David Rogers (Getty Images)

Edwards, who was at university at the time and having his first ride at the Cheltenham Festival, estimates he was 40 lengths back from the leader at this point.

He recalls: “Martin had seven runners and I was offered the ride on what effectively was number seven! Maximize had a lot of ability and it was a case of he could do it if he wanted to do it – but there were no great expectations.

“I was told to not sit too far back as the chances were he was going to go backwards rather than forwards and he was flat out through the race. The strong gallop they went suited him, though, as he was a strong stayer.

“I was in the middle of the pack on the final circuit and Merchants Friend really strode on in the back straight. Maximize kept going, though, and I just kept kicking. We were miles behind at the top of the hill but he was going as fast as he could.”

Cashman afforded himself a peek over his right shoulder on the downhill run and if anything his advantage over the chasing pack had increased to a double-figure margin. Simon Holt, who was calling the race, said: “This leader is going to take some catching here.”

Maximize crept into the back of the television shot at this stage but was upwards of 25 lengths behind the runaway leader.

Edwards says: “With the field being so strung out he was able to pass horses one by one, which seemed to put some fire in his belly. Coming down the hill I was thinking we could finish in the first six, then first five, and then first four.”

Merchants Friend brushed through the third-last and nodded slightly on landing at the penultimate fence. He was still well clear of his pursuers on the approach to the home straight, with Maximize plugging on into fourth.

The leader’s stride started to shorten, though, on entering the straight, while Maximize was picking off his rivals one by one, moving into second after jumping the last.

Merchants Friend was still 12 lengths clear at the final fence, but the distress signals started to show. By the time he reached the final climb, he was out on his feet and Maximize was staying on dourly.

Edwards switched Maximize to the outside of the leader on the approach to the line and overtook the weary Merchants Friend just strides from the winning post for a most unlikely victory.

The winning rider recalls: “I never expected to win and it was almost surreal when he got up right near the line. It wasn’t until it happened that I realised what had happened.

“His head dropped in front on the line and the next thing you know you’ve won a race at the festival. It made me think it was easy, but I probably had another 15 festival rides and never got anywhere near the front.”

For Mann, the race does not bring back the happiest of memories but he can reflect with pride on the effort of Merchants Friend.

Mann says: “I was running to the winner’s enclosure after he jumped the last. I thought he was home and hosed. He jumped the last close to 15 lengths clear but he was nailed right near the line. I thought he had won but all of a sudden he hadn’t. I had plenty of winners at Cheltenham but never managed one at the festival despite several placed horses.

“Paul gave him a great ride and the horse gave everything. It was just one of those things. The hill just caught him out at the end.”

Maximise finished a distant third in the Scottish National on his next start at Ayr when ridden by Jamie Moore, who was claiming 3lb.

He was successful in just one of his next 14 starts under rules for Pipe, winning a handicap chase under Timmy Murphy at Exeter in 2004, and eventually entered the point-to-point sphere.

Darren Edwards: jockey was at university on his first ride at CheltenhamCredit: David Rogers (Getty Images)

Maximize’s story went full circle as he was trained and ridden by Edwards in his final two seasons pointing, with his last victory coming at Mounsey Hill Gate in 2006.

Edwards says: “He was with Ian Stark and trained as an event horse before joining Henrietta Knight and I think he never had the appetite to try too hard. I had some fun with him point-to-pointing, though, and retired him myself.

“He was a lovely horse and definitely a character. All the ability was there but he seldom wanted to use it – although he did that day at Cheltenham.”

Merchants Friend was a 15-length winner of the Tim Molony Handicap Chase at Haydock in late 2004 and was sent off an 80-1 shot for that season’s Grand National at Aintree. He fell at the tenth fence in a race won by Hedgehunter.

Mann says: “He won his first race for me at the Pardubicka meeting and was a good horse over the years. He managed to carry out AP McCoy on the leader Clan Royal at Becher’s Brook on his run in the National.”

Merchants Friend went on to join John Dufosee to go point-to-pointing and was successful at Godstone in 2008. His connection with Cheltenham continued that year with a head second to former Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Take The Stand in a hunter chase at the track in April at the age of 13. He raced until he was 14.

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