The Shunter and young star Jordan Gainford land £100,000 festival bonus

The Shunter landed a huge payday for Emmet Mullins and owner Paul Byrne as he won one of the most competitive races of the week to secure a £100,000 bonus offered by Kelso and bet365 to the winner of the Morebattle Hurdle.

Jordan Gainford celebrated his first Cheltenham winner with a ride of supreme coolness, keeping The Shunter in the front rank the whole way before powering clear up the straight.

Gainford, 20, had 12 point-to-point wins to his name before this week, but had already gone close earlier in the afternoon when steering The Bosses Oscar into second in the Pertemps Final.

"I can't describe it, to be honest," said Gainford. "It's a massive thanks to Emmet and Mr Byrne. On a big day like this, to put a 7lb claimer on is a massive option and I'm delighted it came off.

"He was up in trip today and it was the key to him. I gave him a squeeze at one or two of them and he just likes to do his own little thing.

"He took me there way too early and he started to wander. I'd have loved a bit of company down to the second-last, but he battled hard enough and did so again after the last. It's unbelievable.

The Shunter is not for catching up the hill as Top Notch and Farclas chase in vainCredit: Edward Whitaker

"A big thank you to everyone at home for all the opportunities. It was unbelievable to get the chance on The Bosses Oscar."

Second-favourite Farclas overcame a couple of indifferent leaps and some scrimmaging up the straight to snatch the runner-up spot, adding to a particularly bookmaker-unfriendly result.

While Byrne and Mullins have pulled off a brilliant piece of planning and training in scooping the Morebattle bonus, plenty of punters were keen to be aboard the same train as The Shunter was backed throughout the day and went off the 9-4 favourite.

A festival-winning rider when partnering Sir Des Champs to success in the Martin Pipe back in 2011 for his uncle Willie, Emmet Mullins was arguably the calmest man on the racecourse.

Full race result and replay

The Shunter had five entries at Cheltenham and Mullins talked through the decision-making process to go back over fences in the Plate.

"He was very good today, he's tough and durable and there doesn't seem to be anything that fazes him," said Mullins, who mocked himself for the choice of a minor beginners' chase when starting out with The Shunter. "To get from there to here is just unbelievable.

"Jordan is catching everyone's attention at the moment, he's very talented. The owner Paul was fairly insistent on claiming 7lb and, at that, Jordan was the only option. He's very good and he showed that today."

Kelso changed the conditions of the Morebattle Hurdle to a valuable handicap this season and the lure of the £100,000 bonus worked at the first time of asking, given The Shunter won a fiercely competitive edition just 12 days ago.

Asked about winning the bonus, Mullins said: "It's unbelievable. It's great from Kelso. Win, lose or draw we always felt going to Kelso was the right move. It's a huge pot in its own right and we decided to go there and take on 13 others, rather than come here for the County Hurdle off the same mark against 24.

"That was first and foremost and we were delighted to get that one right. Everything has just fallen into place since then."

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