Trained by Gordon Elliott – the middle part of a treble – the 20/1 chance had two and half lengths in hand on Lucid Dreams from the John Ryan yard.

The runner-up, ridden by Danny Mullins, started at 22/1, while Yeah Man (16/1) and Perceval Legallois (10/1) finished third and fourth respectively.

The Grade 3 John Lynch Carpets Monksfield Novice Hurdle also went to the Gordon Elliott team through The Yellow Clay.

The 8/11 favourite, with Jack Kennedy in the saddle, came home a comfortable 10 length winner in the colours of Bective Stud.

Where’s My Jet (4/1) took the runner-up spot, ahead of Fleur In The Park (9/2) and Prends Garde A Toi in the two and a half mile contest.

Better Days Ahead (2/1) overturned the 1/2 favourite Slade Steel in the Race And Stay Irish EBF Beginners Chase.

In the ownership of Bective Stud, Jack Kennedy had four lengths of an advantage over the Henry de Bromhead-trained favourite at the winning post.

Big win for Ray Beckett

Tipperary handler Ray Beckett tasted success in the €45,000 Bar One Racing Tara Handicap Hurdle with 28/1 chance Sequoiaspirit, in the hands of jockey Liam Quinlan.

The opening Bar One Racing Boost 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle was won by race favourite Total Look at 11/4.

Trained by Gavin Cromwell and ridden by Keith Donoghue, the French-bred son of Cloth Of Stars held off Beyond Your Dreams (18/5) by half a length.

Cast A Spell (12/1) lost her maiden tag in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Mares) Maiden Hurdle over two miles.

Ridden by Cian Quirke for handler Tom Hogan, the six-year-old daughter of Mastercraftsman crossed the finishing line two lengths ahead of the odds-on favourite Qualimita (30/100) in the 21-runner race.

Another de Bronhead/O’Keeffe winner

The good form of Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe continued as Love Me (14/1) became the Waterford trainer’s ninth winner in 14 days when taking the Gaeil Colmcille GAA Kells Handicap Hurdle.

The concluding race of the successful two-day festival went to the Emmet Mullins-handled John Gleeson-ridden Churchfield Sunset at 7/1.

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With five winners for Elliott, his stable jockey Jack Kennedy rode three winners and top owners Bective Stud and Gigginstown House Stud both had two winners each.

Wingmen wins on hurdling debut

Dual bumper winner last season Wingmen (8/15 favourite) opened proceedings, taking the Kilderry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle for Noel and Valerie Moran of Bective Stud, and jockey Jack Kennedy.

The Fairyhouse bumper winner last month Blue De Vaissy (4/6 favourite) easily won the first graded race of the afternoon, the Grade 3 Bar One Racing For Auction Novice Hurdle over two miles, in the colours of Gigginstown House Stud, again in the hands of Kerry rider Jack Kennedy.

Found A Fifty claims Fortria Chase

The Grade 2 Bar One Racing Fortria Chase then fell to Elliott’s team, as Found A Fifty (11/8 favourite) gave Kennedy a treble and owners Bective Stud their double.

Down Memory Lane (7/1), third to Caldwell Potter in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Leopardstown last Christmas, made a successful debut over the larger obstacles when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase for the Cullentra House team, jockey Mark Walsh and owner J.P. McManus.

The five-timer was completed for Elliott in the Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ bumper when Harry Swan pushed the Gigginstown House Stud-owned favourite Whinney Hill (6/4 favourite) out to claim a three and a half length success.

Home By The Lee wins his second Lismullen

The Grade 2 Railway Bar Lismullen Hurdle over two and a half miles was won by Home By The Lee (7/1).

The 2022 winner of the race, and third-place finisher last year, is trained by Joseph O’Brien for Seán O’Driscoll and the nine-year-old was ridden by Danny Mullins.

Cork jockey Michael O’Sullivan gave Slane Hill (9/1) an enterprising ride in the Lisadell Equine Hospital Handicap Hurdle. Hitting the front early doors, the seven-year-old came home in splendid isolation for trainer and owner Barry Connell.

County Waterford trainer John Flavin was also among the winners with Clarens (9/1) a battling winner of the Hotel Park St. Johann in Tirol Austria Handicap Hurdle, under Alex Harvey.

Day two of the Navan Racing Festival gets underway at 11.35am on Sunday.

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Though the British season officially runs from January 1 to December 31, the Ballydoyle trainer leads the standings by more than £3 million after a string of big-race successes.

Breeders’ Cup Classic contender City Of Troy has spearheaded O’Brien’s efforts in Britain this year, winning a Group 1 hat-trick in the Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International at York most recently.

Kyprios returned to the top of the staying division with victories in the Gold Cup and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, while Jan Brueghel led home a one-two for the stable in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.

As usual, Aidan O’Brien was quick to deflect praise as he emphasised the importance of the team effort at Ballydoyle and Coolmore.

“It is a big team effort from everyone in Ballydoyle and Coolmore,” O’Brien said. “There are so many special people in so many different areas that if I started talking about them, I would be here until tomorrow. You can have the horses and the place but, if you don’t have the people, it won’t happen.

“The owners are the people who put the resources in every year, to try and help us make it better. They put a lot of time in and give us advice. We do our best, give information back, and try to follow the roadmap that they draw for us. Some years it goes very well, some years it is ordinary, and some years it is medium.

“This was a good year for us. We won plenty of good races. I am just delighted for everybody when we do have a good year. We don’t take anything for granted and try to look to the future.”

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The 29-year-old, who previously won the title in 2019, 2020 and 2021, finished this season with 163 winners, more than 50 clear of his closest challenger, his fellow Irish rider, Rossa Ryan.

Highlights for the Murphy include a Group 1 double at Royal Ascot with Australian challenger Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes and Khaadem in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

Commenting on his jockeys’ title success, Murphy said:

“This is something I really tried to achieve this year. I have had great support from so many trainers and owners, and having a fair lead has meant I have been able to enjoy it over the last month or so.

“It has taken a lot of hard work from my agent [Gavin Horne]. With the one meeting a day rule, it is paramount that he chooses the correct meeting to send me to, which is not easy when there are three or four meetings. I think he has done a great job, and that has been key to me riding so many winners.

Discussing future aims, the top jockey admitted:

“There are many races that I have not won. The two standouts for me are the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Derby. The Arc has so much international appeal and recognition nowadays, while the Derby has so much history.”

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The Aidan O’Brien-trained 8/11 favourite showed his strength and determination was he ran out a two and a quarter length winner of the longest race on British Champions Day.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, the son of Galileo tracked his stable companion The Euphrates throughout most of the contest, with the recent Prix Du Cadran winner at ParisLongchamp taking command on entering the home straight.

Though Sweet William (8/1 and Trawlerman (5/1) last year’s third and winner respectively, challenged last season’s runner-up, the Moyglare Stud and Coolmore partners-owned Kyprios dug deep to improve his season’s record to seven wins from seven race.

Sweet William, with Rab Havlin in the saddle, was second for John and Thady Gosden, while Trawlerman and William Buick were a length and a half back in third place.

Incredibly the victory was a first win for Ballydoyle handler Aidan O’Brien at British Champions Day since 2019.

Speaking to the assembled media post-race, O’Brien said:

“All credit goes to the team – everyone at home who has done all the work with him and have a very close connection to him. It is incredible to have him back [Kyprios had a serious infection in a joint capsule after the 2022 season]. We thought the best that would happen would be that we could save him to go to stud. He still has a massive team around him. His stable is outside the front door and we see him every day.

“He is a very special horse. Ryan was in total control on him after the first furlong, and it was a joy to watch it. He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn’t matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and he switches off. Ryan rides him incredibly and knows him inside out.”

O’Brien continued by discussing the winner’s attitude to racing:

“He is very relaxed, loves racing, and he loves this distance and finds it very comfortable. Credit to the lads for leaving him at this distance – he enjoys it. You wouldn’t have known he had had a race the last day and he didn’t lose any weight. He is so laidback, his blood doesn’t get up until after the race – you can see him now, having a buck – but it takes a race to get his blood up.

“The plan was to come here, give him the winter off, then give him two trials before the Gold Cup next year. So that’s what we are working for – we will get through the winter and the spring, and try to come back here for the Gold Cup.”

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Willie Mullins is poised to showcase some of his top stable stars in Britain before the end of the year, as he sets his sights on retaining the title of UK Champion Jump Trainer for the 2024-25 season.

The Closutton-based trainer made history on bet365 Jump Finale day at Sandown Park last April by becoming the first Irish trainer in 70 years to win the coveted title. This achievement was propelled by an impressive haul of winners at the Cheltenham Festival in March and the victory of I Am Maximus in the Randox Grand National the following month.

Mullins, the most successful trainer in Cheltenham Festival history with 103 winners, is already targeting Grade One races in Britain during the first half of the season, along with the three Cheltenham fixtures scheduled before Christmas.

One of his leading contenders is Gaelic Warrior, who triumphed in the My Pension Expert Arkle Trophy Novices’ Chase last season. Mullins is considering him for the prestigious Grade One Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day (Thursday, December 26). Gaelic Warrior’s impressive Grade One win in March came on his first attempt at two miles over fences, and Mullins describes the six-year-old, owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, as an “extraordinary horse” capable of making an impact at longer distances.

During a recent stable visit organized by The Jockey Club to see Randox Grand National hero I Am Maximus, Mullins stated, “Last year we were trying to make Gaelic Warrior into a three-miler, and I had no doubt he could handle it. However, he ended up winning the Arkle Novices’ Chase on his first attempt over fences at two miles.

“He looks like a natural for it, but he could also be a contender for the King George VI Chase. He possesses that level of ability, but we’ll have a chat with Rich (Ricci) first to determine the best direction. He can handle any trip – he truly is an extraordinary horse.”

In addition to Gaelic Warrior, other potential King George candidates include Fact To File, winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and Asterion Forlonge, who was still in contention when falling at the last in the 2021 race, which was won by Mullins’ stablemate Tornado Flyer.

Mullins noted, “We have several horses capable of competing in the King George. While Galopin Des Champs is likely to run at Leopardstown, where he won last year, both Fact To File and Asterion Forlonge, who performed admirably in the race a few years ago, could also be in the mix.”

Meanwhile, dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene, who missed last season due to injury, along with El Fabiolo, are both possible contenders for the Grade One Betfair Tingle Creek Chase over two miles at Sandown Park on Saturday, December 7.

Mullins commented, “Energumene might go for the Tingle Creek Chase, but it’s more likely he’ll head to Cork for the Hilly Way Chase after missing last season. El Fabiolo could also make the trip to Sandown; he’s making good progress in his recovery this year. We’ll assess their fitness as the autumn progresses.”

El Fabiolo started as the odds-on favorite for last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase but was pulled up following a significant jumping error at the fifth fence. Mullins reassured, “He’s a horse who typically jumps very well, and he’ll have another opportunity. He’s still young at seven and has a couple of years left to reach his peak.”

As he looks to defend his title, Mullins is expected to enter more runners at Cheltenham’s three remaining meetings of 2024: The Showcase (October 25-26), The November Meeting (November 15-17), and The Christmas Meeting (December 13-14).

He added, “I believe we will have more entries than usual for the earlier Cheltenham meetings. The recent rain in England has created favorable ground conditions, unlike in previous years. I can see us being more proactive in our approach at Cheltenham.”

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The well-handicapped The Eurphrates (7/2 favourite) and Ryan Moore took the featured Irish Cesarewitch, winning by half a length from A Piece Of Heaven (22/1), with another three-quarters of a length back to Sixandahalf (7/1).

The win completed a four-timer on the day for O’Brien, Moore and the Coolmore partners having won a Group 2 race and two maidens earlier in the day.

The Irish Cambridgeshire runner-up A Piece Of Heaven ran in the Sydnicates Racing colours for Joseph O’Brien and Luke McAteer, while the third placer Sixandahalf was ridden by Robert Whearty for Gavin Cromwell.

Group 3 Weld Park Stakes

The Group 3 Weld Park Stakes over seven furlongs went to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Heavens Gate, under Ryan Moore, the third part of their day’s four-timer.

The two-year-old daughter of Churchill was a neck winner over Fiery Lucy and Gary Carroll, from the Gavin Cromwell stable, with Barnavara a further length and a quarter third in the hands of Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington.

Group 3 Renaissance Stakes

The Group 3SBK Rennaissance Stakes was won by My Mate Alfie, a previous three-time winner over six to seven furlongs on good and good to yielding ground.

Ridden by Colin Keane, the three-year-old gelded son of Dark Angel was winning at The Curragh for the second time, having won the Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash last June.

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Carrying the colours of MacLennan, Shanahan, Magnier and Smith, the two-year-old son of Wootton Bassett battled with race favourite Antelope Canyon (5/4 favourite) and Wayne Lordan inside the final furlong of the race, with the former getting the upper hand by a head.

Despite a stewards’ inquiry being called, the result remained unchanged.

Joseph O’Brien also provided the third and fourth place finishers with Celtic Motif (16/1) and Valencia (9/1) respectively.

Celtic Motif, in the hands of Mikey Sheehy, was three lengths behind the runner-up, but had a length and a half in hand on his stable companion, Valencia and Chris Hayes.

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The Ralph Beckett-handled horse was a most impressive seven-length winner as he led home a 1-2 for the visitors.

The two-year-old son of Coulsty stayed on the stand side rail, and comfortably beat Mollie Foster (5/1) and Saffie Osborne – the runner-up trained by Ed Walker.

Jack Davison’s Lightning Bear (4/1) was best of the Irish, with Sunglow (12/1) from the Paddy Twomey stable next home, under Billy Lee.

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The win completes a perfect season for the son of Gailleo who has achieved wins in his five races in 2024.

Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien and owned by a partnership of Moyglare Stud and Coolmore Stud, the six-year-old was regaining the title he won two years ago.

Favourite upstaged in Moyglare Stakes

Race favourite Bedtime Story (4/5 favourite) was upstaged by her stable companion Lake Victoria (11/2) in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

The seven-furlong race for fillies saw Lake Victoria and Wayne Lordan come late and wide down the home straight to claim victory, winning eventually by a length and a quarter at the line.

The Ollie Sangster-trained British challenger Simmering (17/2) finished second, with Exactly (20/1) a short-head further back. There was another head back to Red Letter with Bedtime Story being run our of it, finishing last of the five runners.

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