The Cheltenham ingredient was missing but the replacement Gold Cup matched the drama and excitement of the real thing as Marlborough triumphed at Sandown Park yesterday.

With the Irish missing the £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy was never likely to engender the same atmosphere as the abandoned Festival showpiece. But the specially-devised race helped to rescue a jump season that has been wrecked by wet weather and foot and mouth disease.

In a finish that rekindled memories of Special Cargo's famous victory in the Whitbread Gold Cup on this track, Marlborough pipped Go Ballistic by a short-head. First Gold, the 8-13 favourite, had exited from the course at the 11th fence when unseating his rider Thierry Doumen.

Even as the race finished there was more drama as Mick Fitzgerald quickly dismounted from Marlborough. Trainer Nicky Henderson said: "We've waited all the season for the Gold Cup and this was a great race. But Mick said he thought the horse went lame at the second last and he was lame when he pulled up.

"Fortunately he seems sound now in the winner's enclosure and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that he's fine when we get him back."

Fitzgerald rode a patient race and knew he was aboard the equivalent of a long odds-on chance once First Gold was out of the race. Thierry Doumen tried desperately to stay in the saddle on the French ace after his mount made an error. But his efforts were all in vain and he slipped agonisingly to the ground.

Dubai Millennium, the apple of Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed's eye, is suffering from an acute case of grass sickness which threatens his life. The news was confirmed yesterday by John Ferguson, bloodstock advisor to the Sheikh.

It had been thought earlier this week that the five-year-old had suffered an attack of colic and he was operated on to relieve a blockage of the small intestine.

But Ferguson revealed that a biopsy had confirmed that Dubai Millennium was suffering from grass sickness.

"We're desperately trying to find a solution to what is a very serious problem," he told Channel 4 Racing. "He is being monitored very carefully and his owner will do anything he can to keep the horse alive and happy."