RACING fan Mark Blandford said seeing his horse win at the Cheltenham Festival was one of the best days of his life.

The county entrepreneur is the proud owner of Next Sensation who stormed to victory in the A.P. McCoy Grand Annual Chase.

The eight-year-old charge, who was a 16-1 shot, has strong county connections – he was bought through Brightwells, is trained by Michael Scudamore and was ridden by Tom Scudamore.

The horse, which finished fourth in the same race last year, beat nearest challenger Eastlake by four lengths.

Legendary jockey A.P. McCoy, who is retiring at the end of the season, could only finish fourth aboard Ned Buntline.

“It was a highly emotional day for us,” said Blandford, who bought Next Sensation through Brightwells as a winning Irish point-to-pointer.

“We’ve owned several horses that have been trained by the Scudamore family.

“Michael Senior was my godfather and we knew this was a good horse.

“But there was an awful lot of work to do with him but with young Michael and Tom riding, it was a massively emotional day for all of us.

“It will probably be one of my best days of my life.

“Having a runner good enough to go to the festival on merit was always an ambition of mine and I did that last year.

“I then I had to set the bar a bit higher and I achieved that by winning a race.

“Almost every national hunt owner dreams to win at Cheltenham and if I don’t win there again, I will still be happy with what I’ve achieved in racing.”

Blandford said it was an emotional day, not just for his family, but also the Scudamores after Michael Scudamore senior, who rode Oxo to victory in the Grand National in 1959, and his wife Mary died within days of each other last year.

“This was my father’s 70th consecutive festival, I think it must be some sort of record” said Blandford.

“Both of my parents met Mary and Michael Scudamore and they are the grandparents of Michael and Tom Scudamore.

“When you put all that into perspective, it was an emotional day for everyone.”

Michael Scudamore, who reminisced about the race with the Blandfords at his stables un Bromsash, near Roiss-on-Wye on Sunday, said celebrating his first festival win was an amazing feeling.

“Watching is was very exciting as the further it went on you realise that you’re in with a chance,” said Scudamore.

“One by one they started falling and then I heard a big roar.

“I think a few people though that McCoy was going to get there, but luckily Tom left enough in his reserve to go up the hill and win.”

Heavy rain leading up to the race meant that it was doubtful whether Next Sensation would even run the race.

But Tom Scudamore advised his brother that the ground was good enough to ride on after earlier competing in the Gold Cup.

“It was a 50/50 chance, but we decided to run it and luckily it worked out well.

“It was a big occasion and to have Tom riding it meant that it was extra special.

“It was also great for the Blandford family who have been very good to us.”

Meanwhile, Tom Scudamore, who also rode Moon Racer to victory in the Wetherby’s Champion Bumper, said that if it was not for his grandfather, the win would not have been possible.

“We lost grandad and grandma in a short space of each other in the summer,” he said.

“Grandad was an integral part of our lives. If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t be here, whether it be me riding or Michael training.”

The horse may compete in Aintree next month, as well as the Irish Fesitval in Punchestone.

"He won't be riding in the Grand National, but may be in some of the shorter races," said Blandford.

"There is also a very valuable two-mile race at Sandown Park at the end of the season.

"There are some exciting options for us."