Lossiemouth has won the Champion Hurdle, the feature race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The 7-to-5 favourite, ridden by Paul Townend and trained by Willie Mullins, finished comfortably in front of Brighterdaysahead and Kerry's Jack Kennedy, with The New Lion in third.
Denis Kirwan reports
Willie Mullins also enjoyed Grade One success in the Arkle with 7-to-1 shot Kargese earlier.
And Nicky Henderson won the opening race of the Festival, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, with Old Park Star.
A horse has died on the opening day.
Hansard lost his life following a fatal injury during the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase.
A spokesperson for Cheltenham Racecourse said it decided "that the best course of action for the horse’s welfare was for him to be humanely euthanised."
