Congratulations, Take The Stand

Take The Stand, 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

Congratulations, Take The Stand, on winning your 11th race - The Munkey Espresso Hunters Chase at Cheltenham (your favourite course), at the ripe old age of 12. I am sorry I had forgotten that you were running tody, otherwise I would have bet on you, as I have so many times in the past. You made a mistake and still won... well done!

This is what The Racing Post said about the race:

This hunter chase is normally one of the best races of its kind, and this did not look to be a bad edition with a former winner of the Foxhunter and the second from this year's running both in the field.
However, in a race that had only five finishers, it was the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup second TAKE THE STAND who emerged triumphant after getting the better of Merchants Friend in a rousing battle through the closing stages.
Take The Stand had won his first chase for four years at Newbury last month, but that came on soft ground, which has never suited the 12-year-old, who was even better on the quicker conditions he faced here. He has been, and remains, a grand servant to the sport.

Later, in Reports, this was written:
Take The Stand, runner up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2005, has found a new lease of life at the age of 12 and followed up his recent Newbury success to secure the hunter chase under amateur Donel Devereux.

Winning trainer Peter Bowen said: “He has obviously been a grand old servant to the yard as he has won loads of races for us besides being second in the Gold Cup.”

And:
Star performance
Take The Stand, second in the Gold Cup four years ago, showed them the way home in the hunter chase.