5.20 Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle

1 Silver Jaro (N Fehily) 50-1
2 Psycho (P Carberry) 5-1 fav
3 French Saulaie (R Johnson) 40-1
4 Rio De Janeiro (Paul Moloney) 66-1

22 ran

The Festival’s annual getting-out stakes must have left plenty looking for a taxi fare home as Silver Jaro sprung a surprise.

Tom Hogan’s Irish raider came to the Festival without a win this season and on the back of a below-par effort just 12 days earlier. But that did not matter a jot - the 50-1 shot kicking clear before the last and staying on dourly to hold off the late thrust of Psycho.

Backers of Psycho, the favourite, must have been left reflecting on what might have been. Paul Carberry cruised round on the seven-year-old and still had plenty of horse left under him between the last two flights.

But he delayed asking him for maximum effort until it was too late and paid the price - Psycho running out of time to claw back the winner. French Saulaie fared best of the home team but never threatened to land a blow. Andy Stephens

4.40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup (Handicap) 2m 1/2f New Course

1 Tiger Cry (D N Russell) 15-2
2 My Petra (M A Fitzgerald) 3-1 Fav
3 Calatagan (T J Dreaper) 50-1
4 Andreas (R Walsh) 10-1

17 ran

Tiger Cry justified good market support to provide Davy Russell with his second victory of the afternoon. Meanwhile, trainer Arthur Moore was repeating his victory of 2002.

Tiger Cry, who was settled in mid-division, and Andreas, ridden with restraint and kept wide of the field, emerged from the pack travelling down the hill and jumped the last two in close company.

However, while the winner galloped all the way up the hill, Andreas had no more to give on the climb and was passed by both My Petra, who stayed on strongly, and Calatagan.

Almaydan cut out the running until two out but was a spent force from that point. Mike Brewer

4.05 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase

1 Amicelli (Mr O Greenall) 33-1
2 Bon Accord (Mr J E Tudor) 15-2
3 Arctic Times (Mr D Murphy) 40-1

23 ran

NR: Tinarana Lord

4th 33-1 Climate Control
Also: 5-1 Fav Agus A Vic.

Amicelli, 33-1, left backers reeling when running away with the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase in the hands of Ollie Greenall.

The race was dictated through most of its three and a quarter miles by Arctic Times and Climate Control, and sweeping down the hill towards the final turn they still disputed the lead.

However, Amicelli, the winner of his past two point-to-points, was gradually creeping closer and once into the straight Greenall seized the initiative and sent him to the front.

Although Arctic Times and Climate stayed on bravely the game was up for them and Amicelli was a ready six-length winner. A late rally by Bon Accord deprived both of second.

Agus A Vic could never mount any kind of challenge, and nor did Drombeag or Lou Du Moulin Mas give their supporters any serious hope of victory. George Rae

3.30 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase

1 Denman S Thomas 9-4
2 Kauto Star R Walsh 10-11 fav
3 Neptune Collonges M A Fitzgerald 25-1

12 ran

The 2008 Gold Cup had been billed as a match between Denman and Kauto Star but an epic duel between the pair never materialised and, in truth, it was a one-horse contest with Denman running out a convincing winner.

Denman has acquired plenty of nicknames this season - The Tank, The Bulldozer, The Brut - but now, it is, official, he is The King.

The eight-year-old produced a series of searing leaps and, after initially tracking Neptune Collonges, led with more than a circuit to go. Sam Thomas, the jockey of Denman, turned the screw from then on and, with Kauto Star not at his best, the final outcome was inevitable from some way out.

With Neptune Collonges third, it meant that Paul Nicholls had trained the first three home.

Thomas said: “I don’t know what to say, I’m lost for words again. What a horse. He wasn’t doing a tap in front, he just stays and stays. I went through the race in my head a million times before and it just went absolutely according to plan. He’s just such a good horse and travelled so well for me.”

Nicholls added: “That was brilliant. What a great performance and good for the whole team. Going out on the second circuit he was going really well. He’s just good.

"The moment I first saw the horse with Paul Barber (joint-owner) we said ‘wow’. Neptune Collonges has been improving all the time and Kauto ran a good race too, but they were beaten on the day by a better horse. It’s brilliant for the whole team.”

Kauto Star plugged on to finish second but only just hung on to that position from the rallying Neptune Collonges. For whatever reason, the champion simply was not in peak form - he did not jump or travel with his usual fluency - but there will be other days for him.

Denman is now unbeaten in nine starts over fences and jump enthusiasts can look forward to him being campaigned in ambitious fashion. Harry Findlay, his part-owner, has spoken enthusiastically about him taking part in next year’s Grand National and, if ever a horse was built for Aintree’s big fences, it is him.

Findlay said: “We had to get the tactics absolutely right to beat our stablemate (Kauto Star). Forget about your Grand Prix and your football and your tennis. This was two stablemates. We had to do what we had to do to break the champion.

“All this about conspiracy theories and whatever, we’ve had to do everything to break Kauto Star’s heart and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve gone through the race so many times and we knew what we had to do. It was just brilliant.

“Just like the Hennessy. He had a lovely lead after four fences. We all knew. We knew down the back he was going to win.” Andy Stephens

2.50 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

1 Nenuphar Collonges (R Thornton) 9-1
2 Liskennett (N P Madden) 16-1
3 The Tother One (S Thomas) 9-2 Jt-Fav

18 ran

4th Siegemaster

Non Runner: Battlecry.

Nenuphar Collonges made his stamina tell for the in-form Alan King-Robert Thornton combination when taking the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Lord Oaksey’s Carruthers was backed down to joint-favouritism and made a brave bid to justify the support, leading until running out of steam at the second-last.

By then, though, Siegemaster, who had travelled well throughout, moved smoothly through to dispute the lead with The Tother One, whose jockey, Sam Thomas, was looking for a pre-Gold Cup winner.

Yet as the race looked as though it would resolve itself into a battle between those two, The Tother One began to swerve back and forwards across the course, handing the initiative to Siegemaster.

But, by the last flight, Nenuphar Collonges and Liskennett had launched late runs and they swept through to fight out the finish, Nenuphar Collonges having the last word by two and threequarter lengths.

The Tother One, his chance compromised by his antics in the straight, was half a length away third with Siegemaster fading into fourth. George Rae

2.15 JCB Triumph Hurdle 2m 1f New Course

1 Celestial Halo (R Walsh) 5-1
2 Franchoek (A P McCoy) Evens Fav
3 Won In The Dark (A J McNamara) 16-1

14 ran

Also: 25-1 Songe 4th

This was all about the two market leaders, Celestial Halo and Franchoek, who were in the van throughout and had the race between them turning back for home.

Celestial Halo, a high-class recruit off the Flat, was sent to the front by Ruby Walsh almost from the start, with the hot favourite Franchoek never more than two lengths in arrears.

Dictating no more than a sensible gallop, Walsh quickened the tempo from the top of the hill and was immediately followed by Franchoek. Jumping the last two lengths in front, Celestial Halo put his head down and, try as hard as he could, Franchoek could not get past his quarters, with McCoy accepting his fate close home. The winning margin was two-and-a-quarter lengths, with the same distance back to the third, Won In The Dark.

The winner, who is trained by Paul Nicholls, was a first Festival success for owner Andy Stewart. Walsh, who won the Ballymore Properties on Fiveforthree, was completing a double. Mike Brewer

1.40 Coral Cup (Handicap)

1 Naiad du Misselot (D N Russell) 7-1
2 Kicks For Free (R Walsh) 11-1
3 Junior (R Thornton) 12-1
4 Mendo (T Siddall) 14-1

24 ran

Also: 11-2 fav County Zen

The Coral Cup invariably produces an exciting climax and this year’s renewal proved no exception, with Naiad Du Misselot holding off Kicks For Free by a short head.

It was difficult to know which of the pair had won as they flashed past the post together but Ruby Walsh, the rider of Kicks For Free, feared that the bob of heads had gone against him and he was proved right.

You had to feel a degree of sympathy for Walsh, who had delivered the top weight with what looked a perfectly-timed challenge from off a strong pace.

Naiad Du Misselot travelled within himself most of way and Ferdy Murphy’s charge responded gamely when Davy Russell asked him for everything in the final 50 yards. It was Murphy’s seventh Festival winner.

The supporters of Junior and Song Of Songs also got great runs for their money. The former traded at 1-5 when he led after the last but could not stay on quite so strongly as the front two. Song Of Songs loomed large at the final flight but did not quite get home.

Sadly, Whispered Promises fell fatally at around halfway. Andy Stephens

1.05 Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle

1 Fiveforthree (R Walsh) 7-1
2 Venalmar (P W Flood) 11-1
3 Trafford Lad (T Doyle) 9-1

15 ran

NR: Logans Run
4th Forpadydeplasterer

The grey Fiveforthree seized the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle from Venalmar in another pulsating finish.

There was no shortage of candidates as the field turned for home with Venalmar, who had always been prominent, leading a host of challengers into the straight.

Forpadydeplasterer looked dangerous after travelling well for much of the race, but it was Ruby Walsh on Fiveforthree who was making the making the most significant headway.

A good jump at the last gave him the advantage, but he needed all his resources as, finishing up the stands’ rail, he held the determined Venalmar by a neck. Trafford Lad was four lengths away third with Forpadydeplasterer fading into fourth.

The race was a triumph for the Irish, who, apart from the Willie Mullins-trained winner, filled the first four places. Aigle D’Or, sent off 4-1 favourite, could never land a blow for Tony McCoy and was last to finish.

McCoy’s mood would not have been helped by a four-day suspension imposed for his riding of Refinement in the opener. He received two days for excessive use of the whip and the same again for using his whip in the wrong place. George Rae

12.30 David Nicholson Mares Hurdle 2m 4 1/2f New Course

1 Whiteoak (J M Maguire) 20-1
2 Refinement (A P McCoy) 10-1
3 Chomba Womba (M A Fitzgerald) 100-30 Fav

13 ran

The inaugural running of this mares’ race saw the best finish of the week so far as Refinement came from the clouds to head Whiteoak 50 yards out before the latter rallied to regain the advantage virtually on the line.

Whiteoak, trained by Donald McCain, made smooth headway coming down the hill to jump ahead of Chomba Womba at the last and, with the favourite treading water up the climb, Whiteoak looked set to win well.

However, that did not allow for the run that Tony McCoy got out of Refinement, who had been pushed and scrubbed along in rear from early in the race. However, having seemingly done the hard work to get to the front, Refinement’s thrust faltered and she was reheaded close home.

Chomba Womba, the 100-30 favourite, was two and a half lengths back in third. Gaspara, who led from the start until three out, kept on for fourth. Mike Brewer