Owner Robert Waley-Cohen was gracious in defeat after Long Run was beaten by Sir Des Champs in a thrilling finish to the Bet Online With TheTote.com Punchestown Gold Cup.

The eight-year-old, trained by Nicky Henderson at Lambourn and ridden by Waley-Cohen’s son, Sam, went down by three-quarters of a length to Willie Mullins’s charge, with First Lieutenant half a length back in third.

Waley-Cohen snr, who lives at Edgehill, near Banbury, said: “He was beaten by a better horse on the day and that’s the second time he’s beaten us, but I think that’s the best race he’s run for a long time.

“We’ll prepare for the King George again and make a plan for the second half of the season. He won’t run in France.”