MICHAEL VERNEY’S DAY 2 RACE READS

1.30 GRADE ONE BALLYMORE NOVICES’ HURDLE 2M 5F 26YDS

ONE of the most eagerly anticipated races of the week didn’t disappoint with Gordon Elliott’s hot favourite Samcro settled in seventh on the outside as Scarpeta and Go with the flow took it up while Black Op was handy in behind.

With Next Destination hugging the inside rail under Ruby Walsh, Samcro was always creeping closer throughout and travelling sweetly in the hands of Jack Kennedy while Noel Fehily drew closer on Black Op in the back straight.

Kennedy said go between the last two and quickly asserted to the approval of a buoyant Cheltenham crowd with Fehily giving pursuit but the ship had already sailed and a mistake at the last put paid to his chance of victory.

Samcro surged clear and was driven out to score by two-and-three-quarter lengths with the pack well behind as Walsh earned his riding fee aboard Willie Mullins’ Next Destination, which stayed on stoutly past stablemates Scarpeta and Duc Des Genievres to take third despite looking well beaten.

2.10 GRADE ONE RSA INSURANCE NOVICES’ CHASE 3M 80YDS

AS is his wont, Black Corton took it up at the third fence and set a decent gallop alongside Elegant Escape with Monalee handy in third and favourite Presenting Percy held up and second from the back of the ten-runner field.

It was ten lengths from first to last with eventual second Monalee taking it up under Fehily as Davy Russell crept closer all the while on the free-wheeling Presenting Percy, trained in Galway by Pat Kelly.

Going down the hill, Russell looked to be travelling the best while Al Boum Photo was in contention for Walsh three out before finding little and crumpling on landing at the next as the race heated up.

Jumping like a stag, Presenting Percy cruised up alongside Monalee and quickly drew clear between the final two fences before staying on impressively to score by seven lengths as just five came home in tough conditions for novices with Elegant Escape well back in third.

2.50 GRADE THREE CORAL CUP HANDICAP HURDLE 2M 5F 26YDS

ALL but four of the 26 runners made it around and 2016 winner Diamond King was unfortunate to have his chance totally compromised at the second by the fall of Dusky Legend and Elliott’s runner was soon pulled up.

Joint-favourite Max Dynamite was held up on the inside rail in the hands of Paul Townend – who replaced the injured Ruby Walsh and gave up his ride on Bleu Berry to Mark Walsh – but a mistake four out saw him trail in last as five runners went to the last together with a chance.

Stowaway Magic, The Organist, joint-favourite William Henry, Barra and Topofthegame all held a chance with the latter pair looking the most likely winners until Bleu Berry was galvanised by Mark Walsh.

Mullins had thrown five darts at the race but it was the unheralded Bleu Berry which stayed on to lead narrowly in the final 100 yards and kept on gamely up the hill to score by a neck from Topoftehgame with Barra a further length and three quarters back in third and William Henry fourth.

3.30 GRADE ONE BETWAY QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE 1M 7F 199YDS

DEFENDING champion Special Tiara jumped to the lead in the early stages of Wednesday’s showpiece, which was filled with drama from start to finish.

Douvan, with Patrick Mullins deputising for Ruby Walsh, settled in third but with Special Tiara not fluent at his fences, the 2016 Arkle winner took it up much to the delight of the crowd.

Jumping boldly in front, it looked as if the dream match between Mullins’ Douvan and Henderson’s Altior would materialise only for Douvan to fall three out when travelling strongly.

Nico de Boinville was niggling away at the favourite Altior approaching three out and he looked to be in distress as the Mullins second string Min led approaching two out.

Altior rallied magnificently, however, and joined him at last to quickly lead before forging clear of his nearest rival to score in emphatic fashion by seven lengths – the same distance between the pair two years ago in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – to notch his 13th consecutive win with outsider God’s Own a further 11 lengths back in third.

4.10 GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE 3M 6F 37YDS

LAST year’s second Bless The Wings took it up with eventual winner Tiger Roll always handy alongside favourite The Last Samuri while Cause of Causes – victorious 12 months ago – never looked to be travelling with his usual zest at the back of the field and was later pulled up.

Bless The Wings threw Russell to the sod at the 12th in a nasty fall with Beeves assuming the lead but Keith Donoghue was travelling well on Tiger Roll and he took it up with five to jump of this unique cross-country circuit.

French horse Urgent De Gregaine threw down a strong challenge to the leader under Felix De Giles but could not get on terms with Tiger Roll, which claimed his third Festival win by two lengths with The Last Samuri third.

4.50 GRADE THREE BOODLES FRED WINTER JUVENILE HANDICAP HURDLE 2M 87YDS

A THIRD win of the day seemed unlikely for Elliott when his first string Mitchouka was badly hampered by the fall of leader Knight Destroyer at the third but compensation would await.

The King Of May and favourite Nube Negra took it up and brought the heat until the second last when Jack Kennedy came with a winning run on stable second choice Veneer Of Charm.

Despite wandering greenly in the home straight, the four-year-old ran on well to defeat Style De Garde (second) and Nube Negra (third).

5.30 GRADE ONE WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER 2M 87YDS

MULLINS ran five but they were a good five and the master of Closutton dominated the lucky last with Carefully Selected getting a handy lead from flag fall.

Danny Mullins, the trainer’s nephew, dictated the pace with a strong gallop closely followed by favourite Acey Milan – which would eventually finish fourth and split seven Irish runners

– as Rhinestone tracked the leaders alongside his Leopardstown conqueror Blackbow.

All the while, Katie Walsh had Relegate out the back of the 23 runners and she looked an unlikely candidate for victory before making significant headway to ease through on the outside with two furlongs to run.

The mare still had a lot to do in the final furlong but kept on resolutely under the urgings of Walsh to collar her stablemate in the shadows of the winning post and score by a neck in a barnstorming finale.

Paul Townend couldn’t keep pace with the leading pair aboard Tornado Flyer but took the third spot while Blackbow (fifth) and Colreevy (seventh) completed a remarkable performance for the Mullins contingent with Elliott’s Felix Desjy finishing in sixth.