Joseph O’Brien’s ‘miracle horse’ Edwulf won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown racecourse

EDWULF caused a 33-1 shock as he won a dramatic renewal of the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

In another incredible chapter in Edwulf’s story, he stayed on best up the run in to take the Grade 1 contest.

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Joseph O’Brien’s chaser went wrong in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last year and looked as if his time might have been up.

Vets at the course worked wonders to keep him alive and he was miraculously back racing in December.

However, he was pulled up in the Christmas Chase on his return and this looked to be another step too far.

But O’Brien somehow nurtured him back to his best and he defied his 33-1 odds to beat a classy field.

There were plenty of thrills and spills during the race, with Killultagh Vic jumping the last in front only to sprawl on landing.

Anibale Fly also took a crashing fall, while Our Vic seemed to be back-peddling when he made a mistake second-last.

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Djakadam was prominent throughout but gave best on the run to the last where Outlander took over.

The Leopardstown specialist Outlander looked sure to add another Grade 1 but jockey Derek O’Connor had other ideas as Edwulf got on top close home and won by a neck.

Djakadam ended up finishing third, another 10 lengths away.

O’Brien said: “He’s always been a great horse.

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“It’s a credit to everyone involved – the staff at home, the vets at Cheltenham last year and JP (McManus, owner) and Frank Berry (racing manager) who gave him all the time in the world.

“It’s been a long road to get him back from where he was at Cheltenham when we thought he was gone.

“Derek is an unbelievable horseman. Horses just jump unbelievably well for him and he gets on great with this fella. We’re over the moon.

“We’ll see how he comes out of this first and we’ll think about Cheltenham then.

“It’s not too often you get a horse good enough to run in the Gold Cup so if he’s well, I’d imagine he might go there.”