FAVOURITE FAUGHEEN HAS won the Champion Hurdle in the feature race on the opening day of Cheltenham.
It marked a third win today for jockey Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins with trainer Mullins making history as he trained the first three horses in the race.
Arctic Fire (20-1) and Hurricane Fly (8-1) finished second and third but it was a stunning display by the favourite Faugheen as the 4/5 favourite.
Faugheen set a steady pace with The New One and Jezki challenging well before pushing on three from home.
Arctic Fire under Danny Mullins ran well to finish in second while the great Hurricane Fly, a two-time winner of this race, was back in third under Paul Townend.
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“I don’t know if I’m the first to train the first three (in the Champion), but if I am it’s fantastic. I was hoping one of them might win it,” remarked Mullins afterwards.
“Faugheen was fantastic, Ruby was fantastic. He dictated the pace, did what he did when he wanted and quickened when he wanted.
“I thought Hurricane Fly ran a fantastic race throughout and Arctic Fire – I can’t see a rib on him yet, so I think there is far more improvement in him than the rest of them.”
