Flooring Porter put up a brilliant performance to make all the running and repeat last year’s win in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
And there were wild celebrations in parade ring afterwards as Flooring Porter's owners - an Irish four-man syndicate - hoisted jockey Danny Mullins in the air as they were cheered on by hundreds in the crowd.
Concerns on how Flooring Porter would react to a massive crowd after winning in near silence behind closed doors were allayed, as the Gavin Cromwell-trained seven-year-old put paid to the opposition.
Flooring Porter (4-1) was given a superb ride by Mullins to join the elite band of multiple winners.
He enjoyed an easy lead with Mullins able to control the race throughout and had enough in hand to see off his rivals at the business.
Flooring Porter ran out a cosy winner by two and three-quarter lengths from Thyme Hill with Paisley Park, the 2019 winner, a nose away in third.
Cromwell said: “The plan was to make it, but of course he has the issues with the start. We wanted to make the running and he was foot perfect everywhere.
“Danny was fantastic on him, when he jumped the third last he eased off and let him fill up, but to be honest I was worried he might get done for a turn of foot. Danny was cool though and knew what he was doing.
“I wasn’t too bad when he was down at the start as I was pretty confident he was going to be OK today, he seems to have matured and he’s behaved himself all the time he’s been here.
“At Leopardstown (at Christmas) Klassical Dream got a flyer and we didn’t, and it made the difference – he was beaten just over two lengths. We didn’t want the same to happen in this race.”
Cromwell hailed Mullins’ ride, adding: “Danny is so good on front- runners, he has a serious clock in his head.
“He maybe did get an easier lead this year, whether they might not have felt he was as good as he was, I don’t know.
“His jumping is unbelievable, he jumps more like a champion hurdler, he’s so slick, long or short, he gains ground at every hurdle.
“Last year was great but the crowd here is magic. I came here and won the Champion Hurdle with Espoir D’allen but he was an outsider. To win a big race with a fancied horse was brilliant, it all worked out.
“We’ll try to get him back here next year.”
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