Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins
set out his Festival stall early in 2013 with a treble on day one.
Champagne Fever, the winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in
2012, won the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Hurricane Fly
regained his title in the Stan James Champion Hurdle, reversing 2012
form with Rock On Ruby, and the admirable mare Quevega won the OLBG
Mares’ Hurdle for the fifth year running.
All three were ridden by Ruby Walsh,
but Mullins’ son, Patrick, joined the party early on day two,
making up 6 lengths on the run-in to win the John Oaksey National
Hunt Chase on Back In Focus, also saddled by his father. Mullins Snr.
and Walsh added Briar Hill – unbelievably a 25/1 chance – in the
Weatherbys Champion Bumper later in the day to their respective
totals and that was enough for the pair to take the leading trainer
and jockey titles.
Elsewhere, Sprinter Sacre turned the
Queen Mother Champion Chase into the anticipated procession, barely
coming off the bridle to win by 19 lengths, Solwhit won the Ladbrokes
World Hurdle and Bobs Worth won the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup. The
hitherto unbeaten Our Conor, trained by Dessie Hughes and ridden by
Brian Cooper, was the easiest winner of the JCB Triumph Hurdle for
many a year, effortlessly drawing clear in the closing stages to win
by 15 lengths.
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