Top jockey, top trainer and GB v Ireland: how it looks after day three

The feel-good atmosphere continued at the Cheltenham Festival on day three as the St Patrick's Day card produced plenty of highlights.

There was plenty of high-quality racing, as the Turners Novices' Chase, Ryanair Chase and Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle took centre stage.

After the first two days of the festival, Ireland led the race for the Prestbury Cup, while Willie Mullins had control of the trainer’s standings.

What happened on day three?

Dramatic start

The day began in dramatic circumstances as Bob Olinger and Galopin Des Champs, two of the most exciting novice chasers around, went head-to-head in the Turners Novices' Chase. Leading from the front from the start, the race looked to have been won by Galopin Des Champs for trainer Willie Mullins. However, an unfortunate incident saw Galopin Des Champs buckle on landing to unseat Paul Townend at the last fence, allowing Rachael Blackmore and Bob Olinger to grab the spoils for Henry de Bromhead.

Britain bounced back with an immediate response as Third Wind scored in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle for the partnership of Tom O'Brien and Hughie Morrison.

Townend returns in style

Allaho provided Townend with the response he wanted when he landed the Ryanair Chase by 14 lengths, a fifth winner of the week for Mullins to move him further clear in the trainer's leaderboard.

Ireland soon extended its advantage in the Prestbury Cup as Flooring Porter made all to win the Paddy Powers Stayers' Hurdle for a second time for the team of Danny Mullins and Gavin Cromwell.

Late British fightback

Although the Irish had taken Thursday's Grade 1 races, the home side earned its fair share of the spoils 12 months on from the 23-5 drubbing.

Three big-priced runners took the final races as Coole Cody ran out the 22-1 winners of the Plate, Love Envoi the 15-2 victor of the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle and Chambard the 40-1 surprise winner in the Kim Muir, the latter continuing the fine festival of trainer Venetia Williams.

Leading jockey

3 Paul Townend
2 Nico de Boinville
2 Patrick Mullins
2 Rachael Blackmore
1 Jack Kennedy
1 Charlie Deutsch
1 Shane Fitzgerald
1 Tom Cannon
1 Derek Fox
1 Mark Walsh
1 Kielan Woods
1 Tom O'Brien
1 Danny Mullins
1 Adam Wedge
1 Jonathan Burke
1 Lucy Turner

Leading trainer

5 Willie Mullins
2 Gordon Elliott
2 Nicky Henderson
2 Henry de Bromhead
2 Venetia Williams
1 Gavin Cromwell
1 Evan Williams
1 Alan King
1 Harry Fry
1 Ben Pauling
1 Lucinda Russell
1 Padraig Roche
1 Hughie Morrison

Prestbury Cup

Britain 10

(Today's winners)

Third Wind (Pertemps)
Coole Cody (Plate)
Love Envoi (Mares' Novices' Hurdle)
Chambard (Kim Muir)

Ireland 11

Bob Olinger (Turners)
Allaho (Ryanair Chase)
Flooring Porter (Stayers' Hurdle)

Attendance: 73,754

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