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Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh brought home the first winner of the festival when Klassical Dream won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
A good win by 4 1/2 lengths to Thomas Derby with Holy Feet a further 1/2 away third and Fakir d'Oudaires fourth.
Mullins then won the second race, the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase with Duc Des Genievres and Paul Townend in the irons. That was an impressive victory margin of 13 lengths from the second home Us And Them, with Articulum third. Lalor and Glen Forsa were both pulled up and Hardline only 6th.
The Ultima Handicap Chase Gr 3 had a field of 24 and saw our roughie Beware The Bear win at 12/1. Vintage Clouds 16/1 was 1 1/4 lengths away in second and Lake View Lad 25/1 2 lengths further back. Big River 28/1 was fourth which would have made a very nice Pick 4 if your sharp pins had obliged.
Big upsets in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy with Espoir d'Allen winning from our roughie Melon and Silver Streak third. Apple's Jade was a big disappointment finishing sixth and Buveur d'Air fell at the third finishing his hopes of a year-to-year double.
The Mares' Hurdle Gr 1 had 15 runners and went to Roksana for the Skeltons who won by 2 1/4 lengths from Stormy Ireland with Good Thyne Tara 25/1 third.
The stewards were unimpressed by some of the riding of the amateur riders in the NH Challenge Cup with a number getting suspensions and serious reprimands, mostly for not pulling up their mounts when the horses concerned were obviously too tired to continue to have any chance of jumping cleanly. In the end it went to Le Breuil 14/1 from Discorama 9/2 and Jerrysback 16/1.
Wednesday's festivities had been threatened by a forecast of strong winds which fortunately did not eventuate. The Baring Bingham Gr 1 saw City Island defeat Champ and Bright Forecast which was probably an omen considering the reprieve from the threatened windy conditions. Battleoverdoyen was pulled up and Brewinupastorm was fourth.
The RSA Insurance Nvoices'Chase Gr 1 didn't have to many upsets as Topofthegame beat Santini by half a length and Delta Work not far away in third.
The Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle Gr 3 had 6 of the 26 runners pulled up and contained a few upsets when William Henry just got in ahead of our old friend Wicklow Brave and Ballyandry third. Uradel was a disappointing 7th but Brio Conti managed 4th.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase Gr 1 was another win for Altior although he had to dig deep to overcome the challengers, led by our roughie Politologue with the final margin being 1 1/4 and a similar margin to Sceau Royal in third. Bit of a gap then to Hell's Kitchen and Min.
