Cheltenham Festival LIVE results: Epatante seals bragging rights on day one as Honeysuckle beats Benie Des Dieux
Re-live the action on day one as Nicky Henderson took the bragging rights over rival Willie Mullins thanks to an upset in the Mares' Hurdle
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Your support makes all the difference.Nicky Henderson and Henry de Bromhead both picked up two wins a piece on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, but it was a day to forget for Willie Mullins as two or his horses worked together to cost themselves victory in the Mares' Hurdle.
Benie Des Dieux went into the Mares' Hurdle as the heavy favourite, but a last-minute drift reflected some uncertainty among the 60,000-plus crowd and so it transpired. In what was built-up as a showdown with the talented Honeysuckle, another Mullins-trained contender in Stormy Ireland managed to push Benie Des Dieux wide on the final turn and open the door for Rachael Blackmore to steer Honeysuckle through into the lead and away to victory by the slimmest of margins. The setback for Mullins came soon after rival Henderson moved clear in the overall wins race, with Epatante claiming the trainer's 66th Cheltenham victory by taking the Champion Hurdle.
Henderson had opened his account with victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle as Shishkin took the opening race of the day, while De Bromhead secured his first win in the Arkle as Put The Kettle On took the spoils. The Conditional clinched the Ultima after a late surge saw off joint-favourites Discorama and Vindication, and Imperial Aura took the Novices' Handicap Chase before the Gordon Elliott-trained Ravenhill took the National Hunt Chase.
Full racecard
Tuesday
1:30pm - The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle: 1. Shishkin 6-1 2. Abacadabras 11-5 3. Chantry House 15-2
2:10pm - The Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase: 1. Put The Kettle On 16-1 2. Fakir D’Oudairies 3-1 3. Rouge Vif 9-1
2:50pm - The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase: 1. The Conditional 15-2 2. Kildisart 10-1 3. Discorama 11-2 Jt Fav 4. Vindication 11-2 Jt Fav
3:30pm - The Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy: 1. Epatante 2/1 Fav 2. Sharjah 16/1 3. Darvar Star 17/2
4:10pm - The Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Race: 1. Honeysuckle 9/4 2. Benie Des Dieux 4-6 fav 3. Elfile 16/1
4:50pm - The Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase: 1. Imperial Aura 4-1 Jtfav 2. Galvin 4-1 Jtfav 3. Hold The Note 10-1
5:30pm - The National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup: 1 Ravenhill 12-1 2 Lord Du Mesnil 11-2 3 Lamanver Pippin 33-1
Wednesday
1:30pm - The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Race
2:10pm - The RSA Insurance Novices’ Steeple Chase
2:50pm - The Coral Cup Hurdle
3:30pm - The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase
4:10pm - The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase
4:50pm - The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race
5:30pm - The Weatherbys Champion Bumper
Thursday
1:30pm - The Marsh Novices’ Chase
2:10pm - The Pertemps Network Final
2:50pm - The Ryanair Steeple Chase
3:30pm - The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle
4:10pm - The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate
4:50pm - The Festival Mares Novices’ Hurdle
5:30pm - The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
Friday
1:30pm - The JCB Triumph Hurdle
2:10pm - The Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle Race
2:50pm - The Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle Race
3:30pm - The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase
4:10pm - The St James’s Place Foxhunter Steeple Chase Challenge Cup
4:50pm - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase
5:30pm - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
Three to go and Vindication goes down on his nose, but saves it! That cost him a little ground, but the battle continues.
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
Vindication gets a much better jump and it's between him, Cepage, The Conditional and Big River...
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
The Conditional (15/2) wins the Ultima!
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
Vindication looked to be well positioned one from home, but the tank emptied early and that allowed The Conditional to sneak past on the inside. Big River came on strong late, but not as strong as Kildisart who took the fight to The Conditional. However, it wasn't enough as Brendan Powell held on to victory.
Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase
1. The Conditional 15-2
2. Kildisart 10-1
3. Discorama 11-2 Jt Fav
4. Vindication 11-2 Jt Fav
Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
1. Ballyandy (S Twiston-Davies) - 25/1
2. Call Me Lord (J Bowen) - 16-1
3. Cilaos Emery (P Townend) - 7/1
4. Coeur Sublime (D Russell) - 18/1
5. Conerstone Lad (H Brooke) - 33/1
6. Darasso (M Walsh) - 50/1
7. Darver Star (J Moore) - 10/1
8. Fusil Raffles (D Jacob) - 40/1
9. Gumball (A Coleman) - 150/1
10. Le Patriote (C Hammond) - 250/1
11. Not So Sleepy (J Burke) - 40/1
12. Pentland Hills (N De Boinville) - 10/1
13. Petit Mouchoir (R Blackmore - 33/1
14. Sharjah (P Mullins (16/1)
15. Silver Streak (A Wedge) - 25/1
16. Supasundae (R Power) - 10/1
17. Epatante (B Geraghty) - 2/1
Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
The field goes down to post with a handful of minutes until the main event of the day gets underway. Early favourite Pentland Hill has drifted massively since yesterday with fears that the overnight rain will prove too much for Nico de Boinville's charger, while there is a lot of optimism surrounding Epatante who will be looking to give owner JP McManus a very happy birthday.
Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
They get a brief look at the hurdle but a lot of the jockeys are keen to keep their horse moving and don't keep them long there before bunching up. Here we go...
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