MICHAEL VERNEY’S DAY 1 RACE READS

1.30 GRADE ONE SKY BET SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE 2M87YDS

IRISH eyes were on Getabird as the iconic Cheltenham Roar went up and after tracking Debuchet to the first, the 7/4 favourite duly pulled his way to the front before the second in the hands of Ruby Walsh with most of the leading fancies racing prominently.

Kalashnikov, Paloma Blue and First Flow tracked the leader as they passed the post with a circuit to go with David Bass sending First Flow to join Getabird in the back straight.

The distress signals were clear to see when the favourite was picked up coming to the third last by Jack Quinlan with Kalashnikov always keeping close order, followed by Jack Kennedy and Mengli Khan.

All the while eventual winner Summerville Boy made eyecatching progress approaching the second last for Noel Fehily only to barrel through the hurdle and slip back to seventh as Quinlan surged clear.

Mengli Khan looked menacing at the last as Fehily’s mount rallied into third place but his chance of victory was greatly reduced by throwing the Cork pilot into the air at the final hurdle.

Kalashikov looked the winner only for Summerville Boy to find extra and get up a neck for a remarkable win, with Elliott’s Mengli Khan a length and threequarters back in third and punters left stung with Getabird trailing in 11th.

2.10 GRADE ONE RACING POST ARKLE NOVICES’ CHASE 1M 7F 199YDS

FOOTPAD was one of the bankers of the week and didn’t disappoint despite settling 10 lengths behind early front-runners Saint Calvados and Petit Mouchoir, which set a searching gallop from the off with Brain Power and Robinshill well strung out.

Davy Russell blazed a trail up front jumping boldly aboard Petit Mouchoir, with Walsh forced to sit tight on Footpad after clouting the first fence in the back straight and he subsequently drifted to 2.38 in running on Betfair.

Russell was going head-tohead with Aidan Coleman on Saint Calvados but opened up a sizeable lead at the top of the hill as Walsh sat patiently before making steady progress.

He skipped past Saint Calvados and a great jump at the fourth last ate in Petit Mouchoir’s lead as Walsh stalked him at the third last. They went side by side but there was vastly different body language between the pair with Walsh motionless and Russell hardatwork.

Footpad surged clear between the final two fences and a magnificent jump at the last saw him open up a commanding lead before careering up the hill to score by 14 lengths with Brain Power battling past Petit Mouchoir in the shadow of the post to take second.

2.50 GRADE THREE ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE 3M 1F

TWO greys were at the head of affairs from the off with Vintage Cloud and Yala Enki leading the way while eventual winner Coo Star Sivola tracked them on the inside the whole way around with the 18 runners – but no Irish representative – neatly bunched.

Teenage sensation James Bowen hugged the rail on Shantou Flyer behind Lizzie Kelly on 5/1 favourite Coo Star Sivola and with Yala Enki beginning to struggle before the water jump, bottom-weight Eamon An Cnoic jumped to the front.

David Noonan’s mount totally compromised his chance when clouting the third last, however, as Kelly began to make steady progress and cruised into the lead. A fine jump at the last saw her two lengths ahead going up the hill but Bowen refused to throw in the towel.

He galvanised Shantou Flyer on the run-in and was catching the winner with every stride but Kelly always had just enough in hand and was all out to secure her first Festival success in dramatic circumstances by a neck.

Early leader Vintage Clouds was third home with Beware The Bear back in fourth.

3.30 GRADE ONE UNIBET CHAMPION HURDLE 2M 87YDS

THE Champion Hurdle is one of the most anticipated races of the week and this year’s renewal didn’t disappoint with reigning champion Buveur D’Air and Willie Mullins’s Melon fighting out an epic finish up the home straight.

There was much drama before then, however, as 2015 Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen set off in front but unlike his heyday, the 10-year-old wasn’t able to shrug off the opposition and take them out of their comfort zone.

Instead, he was joined by Nicky Henderson’s Charli Parcs, which set a searching gallop and upset Walsh’s game plan aboard the ‘Machine’. Buveur D’Air tracked the leaders with the enigmatic Yorkhill switched off in the hands of David Mullins while Melon and the eventual third Mick Jazz settled in midfield.

Buveur D’Air, with Barry Geraghty up, joined Faugheen in the back straight as Charli Parcs faltered and there were roars when the title holder lent on Walsh’s mount when travelling well with three to jump.

Geraghty (above) took the lead before two out with Russell just behind but he had an almighty battle on his hands as Paul Townend jumped upsides with Melon looking ripe for victory.

There would be no passing Buveur D’Air, however, as Geraghty threw the kitchen sink at JP McManus’s seven-year-old – which found a little extra despite edging right towards the line – to score by a neck from the brave Melon in a thrilling finale.

4.10 GRADE ONE OLBG MARES’HURDLE2M3F 200YDS

APPLE’S JADE was the warmorder favourite to secure backto-back wins in the Mares’ Hurdle for Gordon Elliott and jumped into the lead from the off under Kennedy with 10 lengths covering the field.

Walsh had eventual winner Benie Des Dieux switched off while Jer’s Girl travelled prominently under Geraghty as Kayf Grace came to grief at the fifth and hurled Altior’s rider Nico de Boinville – who thankfully got up unscathed – to the turf.

La Bague Au Roi joined Apple’s Jade at the front approaching the sixth and it was clear that the hotpot wasn’t travelling with her usual zest as Walsh crept closer with the sole Closutton runner, while Russell travelled menacingly well at the head of affairs approaching the home bend.

Apple’s Jade kept on gamely and was produced on the outside before finishing third but Midnight Tour led before the last and looked the winner going up the home straight until his stamina faded when drifting left on the run-in.

The final 100 yards saw Walsh at his best as he drove his versatile seven-year-old mare all the way to the line to score in a race that Mullins has farmed with nine wins since its inception in 2008.

4.50 GRADE TWO NATIONAL HUNT CHALLENGE CUP AMATEUR RIDERS’ NOVICES’ CHASE 3M 7F 170YDS

THE two pace setters – Sizing Tennessee and Ms Parfois – set a decent gallop from the off in this marathon four-miler as favourite Jury Duty settled in midfield in an eventful contest restricted to amateur riders only.

Keeper Hill was a faller at the sixth while Katie Walsh was given an awful time by the sketchy jumping of Pylonthepressure and miraculously made it around to finish fifth against all odds after a series of bad mistakes.

Impulsive Star joined Sizing Tennessee at the head of affairs halfway through with Ms Parfois taking a breather while Elliott’s Mossback unfortunately suffered a fatal injury after taking a horrible spill at the 18th fence.

All the while, Rathvinden (Patrick Mullins) and No Comment (Derek O’Connor) were travelling sweetly two out as Jury Duty unseated Jamie Codd at the same juncture when looking well beaten.

No Comment didn’t pick up but when Mullins produced Rathvinden – trained by his father Willie – it looked like he would do the business efficiently but Ms Parfois was recovering gamely from a blunder at the second last in the persistent hands of Barry O’Neill.

The brave mare challenged strongly to the finish line for young English trainer Anthony Honeyball but despite being headed in the final 75 yards, Mullins was able to find a little extra aboard Rathvinden in a riproaring finish.

5.30 LISTED CLOSE BROTHERS NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE 2M 4F 78YDS

WALSH ended up on the deck in the last as Livelovelaugh came to grief and it summed up a frustrating finale for the Irish as English horses took the first seven places with Mr Whitaker scoring for former English soccer international Mick Channon.

Any Second Now looked poised to challenge for Ted Walsh three out but failed to pick up while Elliott’s De Plotting Shed pulled up before the second last despite travelling well to that point.

Long-time leader Rocklander was collared by Henderson’s Rather Be with Jeremiah McGrath driving to the line but Brian Hughes refused to lose and got Mr Whitaker up by a head.