Cheltenham round-up: Katie Walsh landed her second success of the Cheltenham Festival when steering home Thousand Stars to victory in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.
Walsh, younger sister of top jockey Ruby, brought Willie Mullins’ 20-1 shot with a perfectly-timed run to lead at the last and power up the hill to the line.
Marodima soon set up a long lead but he was grabbed by Dee Ee Williams who went on before the second last.
Izita Star came down at that flight hampering Bahrain Storm as the field packed in tight for the closing stages.
Thousand Stars came through to lead and Walsh, successful on Poker de Sivola on Wednesday, kept her mount going to beat the strong-finishing Arcalis by three lengths.
Dee Ee Williams stuck on for third a length and a quarter away, with Zanir fourth.
In the day's opener Soldatino caught long-time leader Barizan in the closing stages to win a thrilling JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Barizan, who went haring off in front and built up a considerable lead, had nearly all his rivals in trouble coming down the hill towards the turn for home.
But Nicky Henderson's charge, under Barry Geraghty, gave chase and had the leader in his sights going to the final flight before sweeping past to take the spoils.
Barizan to, a winner at the track back in October, was sent straight to the head of affairs from the off and soon opened up a huge lead over his rivals.
The rest were still a long way behind jumping the second last but Barizan’s tank began to empty up the hill and Soldatino (6-1) came to tackle him after the final flight.
Barry Geraghty’s mount quickly went to the front, but Barizan stuck on well to go down by just a length and a quarter.
The strongly-fancied Alaivan stuck on for third but was never in the race, while favourite Carlito Brigante was fourth.
Berties Dream sprung a 33-1 surprise in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle to give jockey Andrew Lynch his second winner of the week.
Successful in the Arkle on Sizing Europe, Lynch had to work much harder on Paul Gilligan’s seven-year-old.
The rain came just before the race and turned the three-mile affair into a real war of attrition.
Restless Harry made a bold bid for home and had them all on the stretch running down the far side, but Timmy Murphy loomed up on Paul Nicholls’ Najaf.
Restless Harry began to waver and was a tired horse when he fell at the last, and Berties Dream plugged on relentlessly to beat Najaf by six lengths with
Kennel Hill staying on for third. The well-fancied trio of Tell Massini, Quel Esprit and Shinrock Paddy were all big disappointments.
Baby Run completed a famous double for Gold Cup-winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies by landing the Christie's Foxhunter Chase.
Just 40 minutes after Imperial Commander had floored Denman and Kauto Star in the blue riband of steeplechasing, Baby Run landed the amateur riders’ version for the Naunton handler.
And to cap it all, Baby Run was partnered by the trainer’s son, Sam Twiston-Davies. The leader took no prisoners as he went on from the start and very few got into the race.
Kilty Storm and Reach For The Top were his closest pursuers for much of the stamina-sapping three-and-a-quarter-mile test and that is the way it stayed.
The 9-2 joint-favourite tired on the run-in but still had five lengths to spare over Kilty Storm with Reach For The Top seven lengths away third.
Pause And Clause defied a welter burden to land the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle under Johnny Farrelly.
Emma Lavelle’s 14-1 chance, third in the Coral Cup 12 months ago, travelled strongly throughout the contest and held the lead heading into the straight.
Nicky Henderson’s Radium travelled as though he might pick him up but he blundered at the final flight and Pause And Clause stayed on well up the hill to score by three and a quarter lengths, with Clova Island third and Peveril fourth.
While David Pipe may not have won his father’s race, at least Farrelly is attached to the Pond House yard.
Twiston-Davies crowned a day to remember with a stunning victory for Pigeon Island in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase with Paddy Brennan again on board.
Favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle two years ago, he has found life over fences pretty tough. However, he scraped in at the bottom of the handicap and not surprisingly ridden with supreme confidence, the 16-1 chance flew up the famous Cheltenham hill.
French Opera, saddled with top weight, made a bold bid under David Bass to come the race in the Henderson family and he was only a length and a quarter away in second.
Consigliere travelled well for a long way and finished third, with Cornas fourth.
Cheltenham Results: Day four
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle
1 Soldatino (B J Geraghty) 6-1
2 Barizan (T J O'Brien) 14-1
3 Alaivan (A J McNamara) 9-2
17 ran
Also: 7-2 Fav Carlito Brigante 4th
2.05 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle
1 Thousand Stars (Ms K Walsh) 20-1
2 Arcalis (Denis O'Regan) 33-1
3 Dee Ee Williams (L Treadwell) 20-1
4 Zanir (P J Brennan) 50-1
28 ran
Also: 7-1 Fav Tito Bustillo
2.40 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
1 Berties Dream (A E Lynch) 33-1
2 Najaf (T J Murphy) 25-1
3 Kennel Hill (J M Maguire) 66-1
19 ran
Also: 10-3 Fav Tell Massini, 28-1 Arvika Ligeonniere 4th
3.20 Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup
1 Imperial Commander (P J Brennan) 7-1
2 Denman (A P McCoy) 4-1
3 Mon Mome (A Coleman) 50-1
11 ran
Also: 8-11 Fav Kauto Star, 33-1 Carruthers 4th
4.00 Christie's Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup
1 Baby Run (Mr S Twiston-Davies) 9-2 Jt Fav
2 Kilty Storm (Mr D Queally) 16-1
3 Reach For The Top (Mr B Tuckey) 66-1
24 ran
Also: 9-2 Jt Fav Roulez Cool, 10-1 Gentle George 4th
4.40 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
1 Pause And Clause (J W Farrelly) 14-1
2 Radium (Harry Skelton) 14-1
3 Clova Island (G Hawkins) 14-1
4 Peveril (D Bass) 5-1
24 ran
Also: 9-2 Fav Ashkazar
5.15 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup Handicap
1 Pigeon Island (P J Brennan) 16-1
2 French Opera (D Bass) 10-1
3 Consigliere (T Scudamore) 16-1
19 ran
Also: 13-2 Fav You're The Top, 16-1 Cornas 4th