First Cheltenham Festival winners for three sires on opening day

Three sires got on the Cheltenham Festival scoreboard for the first time on a thrilling Tuesday of action, with 2001 Hardwicke Stakes winner Sandmason responsible for the gutsy Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle scorer Summerville Boy, despite his limited opportunities at stud.

He was joined by Great Pretender, whose daughter Benie Des Dieux became the fourth French-bred winner of the day when landing the OLBG Mares' Hurdle, and Creachadoir, whose son Footpad was foot perfect when powering up the hill in the Racing Post Arkle Novices' Chase.

Of those sires to have previously supplied winners at the festival, Assessor - the sire of Arkle and World Hurdle winner My Day De Solzen - saw his son Coo Star Sivola spring up in the Ultima Handicap Chase, while the late Heron Island sired his second festival winner in three years, with Rathvinden successful in the 4m National Hunt Chase.

LEADING SIRES AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2018

Boardsmill Stud had a richly rewarding festival last year, with three of its four-strong roster supplying Grade 1 winners, among them Court Cave who sired the Neptune [now Ballymore] Novices' Hurdle scorer Willoughby Court.

The County Meath stud got off to an impressive start this year, with Court Cave responsible for the final winner on Tuesday, Mister Whitaker, and Kalanisi siring the first two runners-up on the day in Kalashnikov and Brain Power.

Meanwhile Buveur D'Air, a son of Crillon and the Alesso mare History, retained his Champion Hurdle crown.

Irish-breds managed to fill the podium in both the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase, races which bookended the opening day.

Tuesday also saw the SWI suffix carried by Golden Jeffrey, a son of Soldier Hollow who was last of 15 finishers in the Supreme.

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