Fergal O’Brien said the only comfort he could take from Highland Hunter’s sad death at Cheltenham on Tuesday was that he was now with Keagan Kirkby.

Kirkby had looked after Highland Hunter during his time spent with champion trainer Paul Nicholls and become very attached to the grey chaser.

Kirkby, 25, tragically died in a point-to-point fall in February and Highland Hunter led his funeral procession through the village of Ditcheat last week.

Highland Hunter, who had recently won a valuable prize at Newbury, bowled along at the head of affairs in the Ultima Chase on the opening day of the Festival, putting in some extravagant leaps under Paddy Brennan.

He weakened quickly after jumping the third-last, however, and the 11-year-old was unable to be saved despite the swift attention of racecourse veterinary staff.

“It’s obviously a tremendously sad day for the yard, especially for Scott (Sainsbury) and Sophie (Kelly) who looked after Highland Hunter,” said O’Brien, who trains locally to the Prestbury Park track.

“I suppose the only comfort we can take is that he is with Keagan now. It’s a very sad day.”

Martin Brassil’s Ose Partir also died due to injuries sustained in a fall in the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle.

A spokesperson for the course said: “Highland Hunter was immediately attended by expert veterinary professionals in the concluding stages of our third race but sadly passed away.

“In the sixth race, Ose Partir sustained an injury and was humanely put to sleep. Our heartfelt condolences are with the connections of both horses.”

Bookmakers were left reeling on the ropes following a Willie Mullins blitz on day one of the Cheltenham Festival – and they fear the Irish maestro will go on to deliver a knockout blow.

Gaelic Warrior got the ball rolling for Mullins and Paul Townend when a well-backed 2-1 winner of the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

The pair then teamed up again for Unibet Champion Hurdle glory with State Man and a Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle success with Lossiemouth, both rated odds-on bankers by many punters.

“It didn’t take Willie Mullins long to get on the scoresheet at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, his Gaelic Warrior was by far the best-backed Arkle contender and his many supporters had few concerns throughout the race as the 2-1 favourite strolled home in glorious isolation,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“Odds-on shots State Man and Lossiemouth were in many Mullins-based multiples, and neither let their backers down, meaning we head into day two already knowing victories for their stablemates Ballyburn, Fact To File and El Fabiolo will make it another costly day for the layers.”

Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “Results on Tuesday didn’t go our way and Willie Mullins will be the toast of punters up and down the land. The punters certainly have the advantage heading into day two and we can only hope a few unfancied outsiders bail us out later in the week.”

There was little relief for the layers in the other races, with no outsiders popping up at big prices to save the day.

The Rachael Blackmore-ridden Slade Steel was popular with punters at 7-2 in the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and even the sole British success was far from a surprise, with Kim Bailey’s Chianti Classico well supported at 6-1 in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Joseph O’Brien’s Lark In The Mornin was the biggest-priced winner of the day at just 9-1 in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and Corbetts Cross rounded things off in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Chase when romping home by a wide margin at 15-8 for Emmet Mullins.

That last result at least saved Paddy Power from a huge pay-out to a Chelmsford-based punter, who had picked out the first six winners in a £20 each-way accumulator and a £1 Super Heinz, but sided with runner-up Embassy Gardens in the finale.

The online customer did manage to cash out the accumulator for £36,000 and scooped up more than £14,000 in multiple bets on his other wager.

Paddy Power spokesperson Paul Binfield said: “It’s not been an ideal start to the week for the bookies and we’ve lost on the day.

“But it was nice to see one shrewd punter from Essex trouser £50k and we’re happy that our customers have full wallets for the rest of the action with everything to play for.”

Attentions are already turning towards next year’s Champion Hurdle, when Constitution Hill will hopefully be back in a bid to regain his crown and Lossiemouth could also be let loose against the opposite sex.

William Hill’s Lee Phelps said: “After what we’ve seen today, Lossiemouth could have the edge over State Man in next year’s Champion Hurdle. The grey mare was very impressive and is into 7-2 for next year’s renewal, with State Man available at 4-1.

“Constitution Hill is still obviously the one they’d all have to beat at 6-4, but he could have been backed at evens before we saw the performance of Lossiemouth, who don’t forget would be in receipt of 7lb in a Champion Hurdle.”

Trainer Emmet Mullins took the race named in honour of his late grandmother as Corbetts Cross was much the best in the Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

A 15-8 chance under Derek O’Connor, the chestnut travelled well throughout and let Mr Vango and Gina Andrews make the running.

As the race wore on Corbetts Cross advanced, and up the hill he pulled effortlessly clear of Patrick Mullins and Embassy Gardens (7-4 favourite) to secure a 17-length triumph.

Mullins – the son of renowned horse transporter George Mullins – said: “It was a great honour from the Jockey Club to name the race after granny and it’s extra special that we were able to win it.

“We were always very hopeful, I suppose he had the form in the book to be second in the Arkle today and he was able to show the same turn of foot over this longer trip. Derek got him into a great rhythm and he showed his true colours today, I think.

“The trip was probably a little worry with ground being so heavy, even though he has plenty form on heavy ground. I think having Derek on board was the main reason we decided to run in this race, to have his expertise is a big advantage.

“That race is a special test, so we’ll take it one day at a time and see how he is after it.”

O’Connor said: “It was a super performance, Emmet has done a wonderful job, he had him trained to perfection and he turned up in great shape.

“He had a very pleasing schooling session last Thursday morning in the hood. It’s not for me to say where he’ll go, but that was a very good performance.

“I have a nice book of rides for the week, but today was important to get us off to a good note.”

Nicky Henderson did not want to speculate on what might have been after seeing his admirable mare Luccia finish third in a Unibet Champion Hurdle lacking stable star Constitution Hill.

The undoubted ace in the Seven Barrows pack, Constitution Hill was mesmeric when leaving the Willie Mullins-trained State Man in his wake 12 months ago, but a very public sub-par workout at Kempton, followed by unsatisfactory scopes and blood test results meant he was unable to defend his crown.

State Man was therefore a short price to claim the feature event on day one of the Cheltenham Festival and duly landed the odds, but the proximity of the 140-rated Luccia in third, beaten just three and a half lengths, only made Constitution Hill’s absence all the more conspicuous.

“I’m thrilled for State Man and Willie and Joe and Marie (Donnelly, owners), I’ve got three runners for them (Donnellys) on Friday and they’re the best,” said Henderson afterwards.

“We’ve had plenty of banter throughout the winter of how State Man and Constitution Hill are going to have a good battle and it wasn’t to be, which is a shame.

“There’s no point in speculating where Constitution Hill would have finished in front of Luccia, I think you can probably guess where he’s going to finish, but that’s for another day.”

Whether Constitution Hill will run again this season, either at Aintree or at Punchestown for a belated rematch with State Man, remains to be seen, but Henderson did issue an upbeat update on his well-being.

He added: “Constitution Hill was ridden out with the others this morning, which was nice to see. His bloods are better, but we’ve got a long way to go.

“He’s not 100 per cent (over the infection), but it’s a long way going down the road of improving dramatically.”

Constitution Hill’s setback aside, there is no doubt Henderson’s string has not been firing on all cylinders ahead of the Festival and the fact both Supreme Novices’ Hurdle contender Jeriko Du Reponet and Champion Hurdle hope Iberico Lord were pulled up gave the trainer further food for thought.

“Some of these horses probably aren’t running how they ought to, in which case he (Constitution Hill) is probably safer where he is,” he said.

“Everything you do at home tells you they’re all perfectly right, otherwise to be honest with you they wouldn’t be here.

“We’ll just have to play it quietly and take them as individuals. (The tests) say they’re all OK, but this ground has gone against quite a few of them, so we’ll have to regroup. I can think of two or three that won’t want to be running on that ground, but I need to talk to the owners first.”

The owner of National Hunt racing’s pre-eminent star, Michael Buckley, was also in attendance.

He said: “It’s not very gracious but I think if he ran, he’d have won the race, that is what I think. If I don’t believe in my horse, no one else will.

“He had his blood test yesterday and while they were remarkably improved from where they were a week ago, they weren’t ‘normal’ – but he is out and about.

“It’s not really for me to talk about Nicky’s horses, but on home work Iberico Lord would beat Luccia so, as everyone is commenting about, Nicky has something running about his yard.

“Obviously, Luccia is fine but Iberico Lord pulled up and so did the one in the first (Jeriko Du Reponet), so maybe I’m better off out of it and in a weird way I’m better off not running.”

While the Constitution Hill questions kept coming, Henderson was keen to praise 33-1 shot Luccia’s better than anticipated performance, saying “It was all Paul’s (Sandy, owner) idea to run, the idiotic trainer said ‘you’re mad’ and if I’d had any say in the matter she’d have run in the County Hurdle, but I’m not the boss.

“From two months ago, we’ve said we’d run her and give it a go, she’s a very good mare. She might be going to stud now, but I’ll try to persuade Paul to have another bash.”

Lossiemouth was a straightforward winner of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The top-class five-year-old grey is trained by Willie Mullins in the colours of Rich Ricci, and Paul Townend never had any reason for concern at any stage riding the 8-13 favourite in a field of 11.

Townend was a picture of patience, allowing others to make the running before cruising through to sweep up the hill to an unchallenged success from Telmesomethinggirl aboard a mare who had been talked of as a possible Champion Hurdle contender after her scintillating win on Trials day in January.

State Man justified short-priced favouritism to take the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ridden by Paul Townend, the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut started as the 2-5 market leader in the absence of reigning champion Constitution Hill, who had run out such a convincing winner 12 months ago.

The seven-year-old enjoyed an untroubled passage through the race on the inside rail and when he kicked for home only Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point could go with him, but it was State Man who held the upper hand to go one better than last year by a length and a quarter.

Luccia ran a fine race in third for Constitution Hill’s trainer, Nicky Henderson.

Mullins said: “I was amazed with the way Paul rode him, I thought he’d be much more forward, I didn’t dream that he’d only be fifth or sixth jumping the fourth-last. But he just rode him with supreme confidence.

“I thought he’d make more use of his stamina, but Paul seemed to ride him for speed today and he clearly felt there was enough in the ground to take it out of the horses in front of him.

“But when jockeys are riding with confidence, they can do things like that and I feel that’s the way he’s been riding all season. He’s a fantastic jockey.”

Asked if his charge is truly suited by Cheltenham and whether Constitution Hill would have been a big challenger, Mullins added: “He’s probably a better horse around Leopardstown, but he’s a Champion Hurdle winner. You’ve got to turn up to win a Champion Hurdle – we turned up.”

Kim Bailey’s Chianti Classico produced a smooth round of jumping to take the Ultima Handicap Chase for David Bass and Kim Bailey.

The gelding was one of two runners in the contest for Bailey, and after Trelawne fell early on it was left to his stablemate to carry the hopes of the yard.

He did so dutifully and travelled well throughout to turn for home full of running and claim victory at 6-1, getting British trainers off the mark for the week.

Bass said: “It meant a lot, it’s actually quite a good feeling to win here. It’s a privilege to ride these horses. It’s hard to win here though – 2020 was the last time and it’s been too long.”

Bailey said: “I thought at one stage ‘oh no, David is getting too brave’, but he jumped for fun and was cantering coming down the hill wasn’t he?

“David has been confident the whole way through, so he was right. He was absolutely adamant from day one he was riding this horse (instead of Trelawne). He adores the horse and says he’s a complete terrier, and he’s done that today like a terrier.

“He’s as hard as nails, he’s not very big but he’s got so much ability and is so agile, he always has been.

“When Aiden Murphy and I bought him, we said we’d bring him here, but I never thought it would actually happen!

“We’ve been knocking at the door for a while, so it’s great for everybody that we got it today. It’s huge for team, having a runner at Cheltenham is what it’s all about.

“Today has been the plan for a long time, we trained him for today.”

On Bass, he joked: “I’m not sure he’s that special, we’ve been trying to get rid of him for ages. We’ve got nothing in common, I’m not a vegan anyway!

“He’s been a huge supporter of the yard and we’ve been together for 11 years now. He’s a do-or-die pilot and I thought he was quite reserved today!”

Ballyburn heads a Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle line up dominated by Willie Mullins-trained contenders.

The six-year-old has been beaten just once in five runs under rules, winning two bumpers before coming home behind Gordon Elliott’s Firefox on his hurdling debut.

Next time out he won a Leopardstown maiden by 25 lengths and then followed that success up with another at Grade One level when taking the Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle by seven lengths from Slade Steel.

The latter run was over two miles, but the one before came at two and a half and the bay, who is a three-mile point to point winner, will step up a furlong at Cheltenham.

“Ballyburn is starting to walk the walk and I hope he can go close on Wednesday,” Mullins said.

“His pedigree suggests that he shouldn’t have any problem staying this trip.”

Paul Townend will be aboard as he has been on each of the horse’s hurdling starts and he was relishing the ride whether connections had opted for this race or the shorter Supreme.

He said: “Whether he turned up Tuesday or Wednesday, he was one I was looking forward to.

“I believe he has scared off a lot of them and it’s a bit of a Willie Mullins show.”

Mullins is set to field four further runners, including the Tony Bloom-owned Ile Atlantique.

The gelding won his hurdling debut by 25 lengths and was last seen finishing second by a neck to Readin Tommy Wrong in the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles.

“He’s been great, it was a Grade One race that he ran in at Naas and I suppose he ended up doing all the donkey work and set the race up for Readin Tommy Wrong,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to Bloom.

“He had a hard enough race that day, so we decided to miss the Dublin Racing Festival and go straight to Cheltenham. This race was always the plan because we think the trip will suit him.

“Four weeks ago I wasn’t thinking Ballyburn would run in the race, so we could be racing for a bit of placed prize money rather than win prize money.

“People don’t want to take on short-priced horses as they think there’s no point in turning up, yet year after year you see so many of them beaten.

“We’re going into the race with a horse in great form, who’ll do his absolute best, the cards could fall our way.

“Ballyburn would have to under perform for us to win but these things can happen.”

Mullins will also saddle Predators Gold, who finished second at Leopardstown in both the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle and the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle, two Grade One contests.

The former run was over two miles and the latter over two miles and six and a half furlongs, leaving him well proven in terms of stamina ahead of his Cheltenham start.

Mercurey, first in a Punchestown maiden hurdle when last seen, is also entered for the yard alongside Clonmel winner Jimmy Du Seuil.

The British challenge is led by Ben Pauling and Handstands, a five-year-old gelding unbeaten in three runs under rules as well as a point to point.

His most recent success was a length-and-a-half defeat of Nicky Henderson’s well-regarded Jango Baie in the Listed Sidney Banks at Huntingdon.

He was ridden by Harry Cobden for the first time on occasion and the same jockey retains the ride and will take up the reins at Cheltenham.

“He has come through all his preparations in good order and, all being well, goes there with a chance,” said Pauling.

“He won without being fully extended at Huntingdon which is an exciting thing. We don’t really know where the ceiling is with this fella but I’m sure we’ll find out on Wednesday.”

Of the jockey booking, Pauling added: “It’s not been an easy decision. Woodsy (Kielan Woods, stable jockey) has never sat on him and Ben Jones did brilliantly on him (at Newcastle) but was unfortunately banned for the Sidney Banks.

“This is not a fact that I don’t have faith in my boys because I do, but it was very much the belief of the owner Tim Radford that Harry hadn’t a ride in the race, had won the Sidney Banks on him and we should probably keep him straight.”

Henderson’s Jingko Blue and Harriet Dickin’s The Grey Man both represent the home side and complete the field.

Gaelic Warrior came out on top in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase, to get Willie Mullins off the mark on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Twice runner-up on his previous Festival visits, the Rich Ricci-owned bay was one of three Mullins-trained contenders in the race and was partnered by first choice jockey Paul Townend.

Having stayed out of trouble throughout, despite the Gordon Elliott-trained Found A Fifty looking dangerous Gaelic Warrior was cruising in behind and powered up the hill to canter to an easy victory as the 2-1 favourite. Another Mullins runner, Il Etait Temps, took third.

Mullins said of his winner, who was well-beaten when unseating Townend at the Dublin Racing Festival: “You could see what difference a hood made to him. He wasn’t trying to jump right and Paul could ride a race on him.

“I thought coming down the hill ‘what was I doing running him over three miles last season when he has that speed’. I think he has enough class now to do two miles and he’ll probably stick to that game now, although you could push him out to the Ryanair distance as well. He’s very adaptable.”

Slade Steel was an impressive winner of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as the 2024 Cheltenham Festival got under way.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore, the 7-2 chance travelled in the middle of the field and stalked the leaders before mounting a challenge on the turn for home.

Then he began to pick off the horses ahead of him and jumped into the lead before accelerating again up the hill when strongly challenged by Mystical Power, taking top honours by a length and a half.

“I’m delighted with him, Rachael gave him a super ride and fair play to the Robcour team – they said Ballyburn has beaten us twice and we need to just avoid him, so that’s what we did and it’s worked out really well for us,” said De Bromhead.

Nicky Henderson is optimistic Jonbon can give familiar foe El Fabiolo a run for his money when they clash for a third time in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Jonbon was a narrow victor when the top-class pair first clashed in a Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree in April 2022, but El Fabiolo took his revenge 12 months ago when running out a facile winner of the Arkle Trophy.

With Jonbon making a fine start to his season with wins in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham and the Tingle Creek at Sandown, and El Fabiolo successful on his reappearance in the Hilly Way at Cork, their rivalry was scheduled to resume in January’s Clarence House Chase, but the abandonment of racing at Ascot meant they instead went their separate ways.

While El Fabiolo stretched his unbeaten record over fences to six at the Dublin Racing Festival, Jonbon suffered a shock reverse in a rescheduled Clarence House on Cheltenham Trials day, with Henderson of the opinion that the extra week proved detrimental to his charge.

“I was really looking forward to Ascot and the clash with El Fabiolo, we were in absolute tip-top shape and I was very confident for that, we were very prepared for it,” he said.

“Jonbon is the one horse, when you’ve wound up the clock, a week was a long time for him, I couldn’t wind him up anymore and it gave us a headache of a week.

“They’ll go some gallop in the Champion Chase and I think that suits him. It looks as if Edwardstone has come into pacemaking duties and he looked very good at Newbury, but in some ways I don’t think that is a bad thing for us.”

El Fabiolo will look to provide Willie Mullins and Paul Townend with a third successive Champion Chase victory following the back-to-back triumphs of Energumene.

Townend said: “He’s made the step into open company well this year and goes here off the back of a good win at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s another exciting one for the week.”

Edwardstone won the 2022 Arkle for Alan King, and while he was no match for Jonbon in either the Shloer or the Tingle Creek earlier in the season, he looked right back to his best under a positive ride in last month’s Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

“He’s never really been away and his two runs behind Jonbon were very good. All right his run at Kempton over two and a half (miles) didn’t work, which was disappointing, but he has done very little wrong in his life,” said King.

“He’s in good order, but this is a totally different ball game to the Game Spirit.”

On whether Edwardstone could attempt to make all the running, the trainer added: “We’ll worry about tactics on the day, but there will be plenty of pace on and the Tizzard horse (Elixir De Nutz) will go forward. We’re certainly not going to drop him in, but we’ll see what happens.

“We’ve had a good preparation, but it’s up to him now. It’s nice to be part of it, but I’m not going there with any great expectations that we are going to win it.”

Elixir De Nutz was the horse that inflicted defeat upon Jonbon in the Clarence House, a first Grade One success for trainer Joe Tizzard and his nephew rider Freddie Gingell.

Tizzard feels he merits his place in the Champion Chase field, even if he is a big outsider.

He said: “He’s in top nick and Fred had a sit on him last Monday. He’s ready to go.

“He’s probably had his Gold Cup this season but if there are any flaws in the others, then he will be bang there.”

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Captain Guinness was best of the rest behind Energumene in last year’s renewal and is back for more after placing third behind El Fabiolo at Leopardstown.

“He was just a bit unfortunate at Christmas, but other than that he’s been brilliant,” said De Bromhead.

“It would be amazing if he could go one better than last year, fingers crossed.”

Paul Nicholls believes putting cheekpieces on Stay Away Fay for the first time could prove key to a second Cheltenham Festival success for his charge in Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old sprang something of a surprise when prevailing in last season’s Albert Bartlett as an 18-1 chance and has taken well to jumping fences this term.

He rallied gamely when scoring at Exeter in November and then stayed on strongly to get the better of the reopposing Giovinco at Grade Two level at Sandown over three miles.

Taking on open company in the Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park on Trials day proved just too stiff a test, as Stay Away Fay finished third behind Capodanno and The Real Whacker, who famously landed this prize 12 months ago when edging out Gerri Colombe.

However, Nicholls was far from discouraged and is looking forward to taking on much-vaunted Irish raider Fact To File.

The Ditcheat handler said: “He’s in good form and will run in cheekpieces, they will sharpen him up a little bit and he’s in good shape.

“The Cotswold run was perfect (as a prep run), he ran very well and he’s much improved since then.

“I just probably wish it was on the New course, which is a bit stiffer, but I can’t complain.

“They seem to think the Irish horse will win every race he starts in from now onwards and obviously he is a very good horse and people who know what they are talking about seem to think he’s a very nice horse, so we will have to see on the day.”

Fact To File was second in last year’s Champion Bumper, after which Willie Mullins opted to bypass a stint over hurdles and send him straight to novice chasing.

He was outjumped by American Mike when second at Navan first time out this term but was much more fluent over the obstacles when trouncing Champion Hurdle third Zanahiyr at Leopardstown over Christmas.

That set up a fascinating match with Gaelic Warrior at the Dublin Racing Festival and Fact To File had already got the measure of his stablemate when Paul Townend was unseated by that sole rival at the final fence.

Mullins said: “Fact To File has done everything right. His speed figure at the Dublin Racing Festival was fantastic.

“Someone told me at Christmas that in his beginners’ chase he did a huge one, I’m into what I see visually and the way they do it, but the run at Christmas it transpired was right and he doubled down on it.”

American Mike followed up his triumph over Fact To File with a disappointing effort at Limerick but returned to winning ways when stepped up to three miles for the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase back at Navan.

The seven-year-old was subsequently supplemented for this contest over the same trip and Gordon Elliott said: “We just thought it was the race to go for, so that’s where we’re going.

“He’s a good horse and we’re looking forward to running him. Obviously, Fact To File has gone the right way (since we beat him), but we’ll see how we go.”

Henry de Bromhead is hoping Monty’s Star can remain on an upward curve after he followed up a fair third behind Corbetts Cross at Fairyhouse with a convincing Punchestown victory.

“He’s in great form, he’s travelled over well and all is good,” said the trainer. “He won nicely in Punchestown and he’s progressing.”

Sandor Clegane was third behind Stay Away Fay in the Albert Bartlett last term and renews their rivalry after a couple of solid second-place finishes in graded company across the Irish Sea over fences, most recently when chasing home Embassy Gardens at Naas.

“He had a good run here last year and we’re hoping he’s in a better place,” said Paul Nolan.

“I think his last run, even though he was beaten a long way by Embassy Gardens, was a good run. He sort of went around on his own on the inside and we were delighted after schooling him last week. He took all his fences better and I think he’s a better horse than he has been all year.

“One of the best horses in Cheltenham this year seems to be Fact To File, Willie has spoken very highly of him and he’s going to be very hard to beat, but I think our fellow is there with a chance and I’m hoping we’ll be in the first three.”