Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp celebrate success at Cheltenham

TEAHUPOO was regarded as one of the Irish bankers of the week and he justified strong late support to land the Stayers Hurdle and give Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy their first success at this year's Cheltenham Festival. 

The British team certainly fought back with five winners on the day. They included victories for well-known football personalites Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp.

Teahupoo travelled stylishly into the race and, once he had mastered Flooring Porter, he stayed on strongly up the hill to register a three-and-three-quarter success and justify his 5-4 starting price.

Dual winner Flooring Porter ran a fine race in second, while Home By The Lee for west Cork owner Sean O’Driscoll was rejuvenated in blinkers and back in third at 16/1.

Jockey Jack Kennedy has hit the crossbar on a number of occasions and was relieved to get in the winners enclosure.

Kennedy said: "He makes my job very easy. You can put him wherever you want in a race and he jumps great so he’s a pleasure to ride.

"I wasn’t too frustrated because the horses have been running well but I started getting a little bit annoying yesterday evening. It’s brilliant to get off the mark now."

It was a first run since early December for Teahupoo, who defeated the highly touted Impaire Et Passe in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

This was his third Grade 1 victory on just his 15th start.

It was redemption for Teahupoo's owners Robcour, who had to settle for second with Irish Point in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle, but won the meeting's first race with the highly promising Slade Steel under Rachael Blackmore.

Protektorat proved dropping back in trip was no issue when producing a brilliant display to claim the Ryanair Chase for the red-hot Dan Skelton team at the Cheltenham Festival.

A Grade One winner over three miles, he was third and fifth when tried in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the past two years and connections resisted taking a third crack at the blue riband to revert to one of the day three features It was Skelton’s fourth victory at this year’s Festival, and also the second in the space of 40 minutes for the collective of owners that include Sir Alex Ferguson and John Hales – whose famous yellow colours Skelton donned in the saddle.

There was an emotional farewell for Paisley Park who was retired after running in his sixth Stayers Hurdle. Innishannon’s Aidan Coleman had many memorable days on this horse with trainer Emma Lavelle and owner Andrew Gemmell bringing down the curtain on a career that included four Grade 1 wins, a Stayers' Hurdle triumph and countless heart-in-mouth finishes.

The star of Lavelle's stable in Wiltshire, Paisley Park landed the Stayers' Hurdle under Aidan Coleman at the first attempt in 2019 and had been the one constant in the same race every year since.

HIGHLIGHT

The Gold Cup is the highlight of the week and promises to give Paul Townend and Galopin Des Champs another memorable day as they defend their crown. Everything is set up nicely as the Mullins'  string have been on fire all week with Ballyburn, Lossiemouth, Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File really impressing. 

The concluding race of the meeting is the Martin Pipe Conditional Riders race and Carrigtwohill’s Terrence O’Brien has a real live chance here with Answer To Kayf. The horse is locally owned by the O’Connor family which makes it extra special. John Shinnick takes the ride and the Glanworth rider knows this horse really well which is always a help in a big field handicap