'queen Of Cheltenham' Lossiemouth Cruises To Champion Hurdle Win

In nan Festival's opening race, nan Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Old Park Star claimed triumph successful superb manner for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Nico de Boinville.

The favourite turned nan last area successful 3rd place, but recovered good aft Sober Glory and Mydaddypaddy forced nan highest-rated equine astatine nan Festival to activity difficult for nan success.

A delighted De Boinville told ITV nan equine was "incredibly gutsy".

"I thought he would enactment good and eat up nan elevation and that is what he has done," he said. "We moreover missed nan past and still managed to win."

Owner Gordon Hall told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "We are conscionable very happy that he has travel location successful 1 piece, and he has won.

"Not been awesome for nan nerves, but he is simply a beautiful horse. He has done tons of bully activity astatine home.

"Everything has gone right, but arsenic you know, connected nan measurement to these things, you person sewage to support nan horses correct and sound."

In possibly nan match-up of nan day, Mullins' Kopek des Bordes and Henderson's Lulamba went head-to-head successful nan Arkle Chase.

But a costly correction astatine nan penultimate, and last fence, by nan 2 favourites gave 7-1 changeable Kargese - besides trained by Mullins - nan success.

Owner Kenny Alexander told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "I person been fortunate to triumph a fewer here, but that is correct up here.

"She is simply a proper, due horse. She sewage nan occupation done and she won adjacent and square. She is top-notch, decidedly 2nd champion now by a state mile [behind Honeysuckle]."

Jockey Danny Mullins described trainer, and uncle, Willie, arsenic "a master" aft nan win.

"To beryllium portion of that squad is conscionable unbelievable," he told ITV. "To get days for illustration these - they are not a fixed - I americium fortunate that I person ridden Cheltenham winners and I dream I person more."

Meanwhile, 100-1 outsider Hansard died aft being injured while moving connected nan level towards nan extremity of nan title alternatively than successful a fall.