There's been an Irish winner in the opening race of this year's Cheltenham Festival.
Ruby Walsh landed his 35th win at the festival after steering the Willie Mullins' trained "Champagne Fever" to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
The 5-to-1 shot delivered the perfect start for the Irish riders after producing a front-running performance to edge-out the favourite "My Tent Or Yours".
Winning jockey Ruby Walsh said he was confident of victory after Tony McCoy on "My Tent Or Yours" couldn't get past his mount after the final hurdle.
The second race of the afternoon saw odds-on favourite "Simonsig" claim a nervy win in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase.
The 8/15 winner stumbled a couple of times and had to fight-off a late challenge from outsider "Baily Green" before claiming a two-length win.
The start of today's action was pushed-back by half an hour due to a partly frozen track.
Todays feature, the Champion Hurdle will now go to post at the rescheduled time of 4 o'clock, while the Glenfarclas Handicap Chase on the Cross Country course has been moved to Thursday.
Image:
Champagne Fever ridden by Rugby Walsh on the way to winning the William Hill Supreme hurdle
©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
