MEMORABLE triumph there was, but terrible tragedy, too. As one great horse, Looks Like Trouble, came up the Cheltenham hill to the uproar of the stands, another, Gloria Victis, lay further down the course after taking what proved to be a fatal fall.

National Hunt racing can be dreadfully distressing as well as immensely inspiring and, inevitably, the death of the six-year-old Gloria, prepared by the country's leading trainer, Martin Pipe, cast a deep shadow over the open-air party that is Cheltenham Gold Cup day.

Gloria had led all the way until the second last, when Looks Like Trouble and Florida Pearl came to challenge him, and he took a crashing fall and suffered a leg fracture.

It was so sad, so depressing, but the majority of the 50,000 on site were unaware of the tragedy.

The Pipe horse was taken to the stable yards at the course in the horse ambulance. Said Jockey Club vet Peter Webbon: ''At first after he was treated on the spot we thought we could save him, but on closer examination of the fracture to the cannon and sesamoid bones, it became clear the breaks could not be repaired. The owner and trainer explored every option to save the horse. Sadly, it could not be done.''

It can be no consolation to his connections or any horse lover, but Gloria Victis had made a massive contribution to what was a tremendous opening Gold Cup of the century. His bold, exhilarating front running was thrilling to see.

There was also the best effort yet from the horse that may never fully stay up the hill, Florida Pearl, the powerful final domination of the winner, and the return to form after injury of Strong Promise.

On ground that was very quick, the race was run at a moderate speed to begin with but, although jumping to the right, Tony McCoy on Gloria Victis gradually wound up the pace. By the time they had reached the top of the hill and started down towards the final straight, a little bunch of contenders had broken clear.

After the fall of the Pipe challenger, Looks Like Trouble took control and hard though Paul Carberry on Florida tried, there was no catching the horse whose owner, Tim Collins, had ''jocked off'' Norman Williamson a couple of weeks ago. Florida finished second, with Strong Promise a close third.

The deputy, Richard Johnson, did a great job but it is hard to imagine that Williamson would not have been just as efficient.

Trainer Noel Chance was winning his second Gold Cup, following the success of Mr Mulligan in 1997. His insistence that Looks Like Trouble is a top-class horse was proven correct. ''He has a high cruising speed, he jumps, and always battles.

''After he won last year's Sun Alliance Chase he did not get the credit because the favourite, Nick Dundee, fell. Even then I told everyone he was a good one.''

Chance was diplomatic about the replacement of Williamson. ''I always stick by my owners.No jockey has ever put horses in my yard.''

Williamson was not in diplomatic mode, however. ''Of course I am gutted. I think every one of you would like to know why I lost the ride on Looks Like Trouble. Well, so would I.''

Chance's Lambourn yard went through a bad time, and he was down to 11 horses but now he has built it back to 30.

The ever optimistic Willie Mullins, trainer of Ireland's big hope, Florida Pearl, said: ''He has run a marvellous race and maybe it will be 3 2 1 next year (Florida Pearl has now finished third and second in the last two Gold Cups). ''I said before that if he lost it would not be because he didn't stay.'' The trainer knows best, of course, but the fact is that his horse did not make any ground on the leader on the run-in, and was almost caught from behind by Strong Promise.

The United Nations nature of this festival was illustrated when a French bred, French trained, and French ridden filly stormed up away to win the Triumph Hurdle.

It may have been a Gallic success but punters of a few other mother tongues were giving La Marseillaise plenty of volume as Snow Drop dashed home as 7-1 favourite.

Father-and-son team Francois, the trainer, and Thierry Doumen, the jockey, were ecstatic. Dad, usually a circumspect individual, was truly animated. ''I am a very happy man,'' he said. ''It is very hard to come to Cheltenham and win . . . it took me three years with The Fellow . . . but it is a great challenge.''

Twenty-year-old Thierry was full of praise for the filly, who had given him his first taste of Festival glory. ''She is amazing,'' he said, ''she has so much pace. I have dreamed of winning here for three or four years and to come over and do it is very special.''

Snow Drop, beautifully and calmly ridden in a race that is notorious for its scrimmaging and bumping as the novice hurdlers try to find space to attack on the final circuit, had slammed Architect, who had been much fancied for the Triumph by nine lengths at Kempton.

Francois added: ''Thierry managed very well against 28 runners and the best jockeys in the world. I trained the filly's father and dam and bred the jockey.''

The Irish investors had already been badly damaged when Limestone Lad was beaten by the progressive Bacchanal in the Stayers Hurdle, although their hopes were revived temporarily when their heavily backed representative's jockey, Shane McGovern, objected, claiming this ground was taken after the last.

A stewards enquiry then ensued but in the end the placings remained the same.

Owner-trainer James Bowe said: ''Shane said the winner crossed him three times in the straight.

''Limestone Lad would have preferred the ground to have been easier but he has run a great race.''

Bacchanal is trained by Nicky Henderson, who was genuinely amazed that the horse did so well on the fast ground.

''I always thought he wanted a bog. He revealed that he and Tuesday's winner, Marlborough, have been having consistent jumping tuition from horse guru Yogi Breisner.

Being good at the jumping game, none the less, does not guarantee success or even life. The people down at Pipe's yard at Nicholashayne, who lost a rising star of this tough, at times heartbreaking business, would tell you all about that.