Racing: My Way De Solzen landed the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in the hands of Robert Thornton. Alan King's six-year-old arrived at the third-last and sprinted clear on the run to the final flight.
Johnny Murtagh covered his every move though on Golden Cross (5-1) and challenged hard up the run-in but had to settle for second, beaten a head by the 8-1 winner.
Mighty Man, sent off the 4-1 favourite, was a further four lengths away in third.
Blue Canyon, stablemate of Baracouda, made the early running and took the 20-runner field along at a strong pace in company with the winner’s stablemate Crystal D’Ainay.
They weakened four out which allowed the complexion of the race to change and dual champion Baracouda, who ran in snatches, stayed on to take fifth at the line.
Mighty Man was another to make headway but nothing could come up the hill as strong as the principles.
King said: "We were still undecided about the ground but we let him take his chance. It was a beautiful ride and I’m just delighted for the whole team.
"The ground isn’t soft out there today and I’m just hoping he is OK in the morning. We were always reluctant to run him on quick ground because he is a seriously good horse."
Thornton also revealed his reservations about the quicker conditions.
"He’s not normally at his best in those conditions but I knew I was in with a chance when I could here them all slapping and kicking in behind me," he said.
"It was just a case keeping my head down and keeping him going to the line."
A downcast Murtagh admitted: "I am sick and I haven’t been as sick for a long time. I thought I had it and he jumped the last well. I really thought he was going to win.
"He is a great horse and has done everything well - he didn’t hit one hurdle and he jumped very big. I am just very disappointed."
Francois Doumen, trainer of the great Baracouda, winner of the race in 2002 and 2003 and runner-up the last two years, said: "If he needs soft ground to win perhaps he is not the horse he was a few years ago but he has done what was expected and has run a very good race.
"We will wait and see what to do with him and I would hate to make a decision (about retirement) without talking to JP McManus."
Fondmort, ridden by Mick Fitzgerald for trainer Nicky Henderson, won a thrilling Ryanair Chase from the fast-finishing Lacdoudal.
Henderson’s charge took up the running turning into the straight and just had enough in the tank to hold on for a well-deserved victory.
The course specialist was collecting at the home of jumps racing for the fourth time after coming a short-head second in the corresponding race last season. Impek was third.
A frenetic pace was set up front by the McCoy-ridden Impek and Timmy Murphy on board Our Vic, and when the latter cracked coming down the hill the race looked at Impek’s mercy.
However, even though McCoy had a look round turning in, Fitzgerald was getting a race-winning run out of the admirable Fondmort and the 10-3 joint-favourite went on to prevail by a length and a quarter.
Impek, the other market leader, was edged out of second by a head on the run-in by Lacdoudal, who came from the clouds up the hill as Fondmort started to tire.
"What can I say about him? He is just unbelievable," said Fitzgerald. "The boss and myself knew in our heart of hearts he was the one this year and he never lets you down.
"I thought I just got beat by a better horse last year and there was nothing of the quality of Thisthatandtother this time."
Reveillez was a smooth winner of the opening Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase. McCoy had the JP McManus-owned grey handy throughout and sent him to the front on the turn for home.
The 9-2 favourite then sprinted away up the hill to beat Copsale Lad (8-1) by one and a quarter lengths, with Ireland’s Tumbling Dice nine lengths further away in third and Direct Flight taking fourth.
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