Gordon Elliott has a strong team to pick from at Fairyhouse

Everybody has had their fill of Cheltenham previews for this year, via endless panels and paragraphs, and so what better way to start afresh than with the first Cheltenham preview of the 2019 Festival.

Blow By Blow led home a one-two for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud in the Thurles Racecourse Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle.

Top-class bumper horse Blow By Blow made a pleasing debut over hurdles at Fairyhouse after 567 days off the track - despite being beaten into third place by Mind's Eye.

Manchester, in something of a role-reversal, was chosen ahead of London as the location for the first parade to celebrate the record-breaking achievements of Great Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic stars in Rio this summer.