Thornton and King strike again

Racing: Alan King and Robert Thornton landed their third Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Katchit won the JCB Triumph…

Racing:Alan King and Robert Thornton landed their third Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Katchit won the JCB Triumph Hurdle in great style.

A winner of five of his six starts over timber beforehand, Katchit was sent off the 11-2 second-favourite and bounded away for an impressive nine-length victory.

Liberate (12-1) ran a big race for Philip Hobbs to chase home the winner but he could never get in a blow and just held the challenge of Mobaasher (33-1) for second.

King, successful on the opening two days with My Way De Solzen and Voy Por Ustedes, told Channel 4 Racing: "With all the build up I thought on Monday morning that if one of ours could win I'd be very happy, but three is unbelievable. He was impressive, wasn't he?

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"Choc (Thornton) said all season that he would be a good horse when the ground dried up. He was right."

Thornton added: "What a star. I thought he might improve for better ground and he certainly has.

"I got there a shade too soon so I thought I might as well kick on and I was just thinking going to the last where the others were. He's a little legend."

The JP McManus-owned Wichita Linemangave Tony McCoy his first winner of the meeting when landing the Brit Insurance Novices' Hurdle.

The 11-8 favourite, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, looked to have got the measure of Irish-trained Black Harry when the latter took a crashing fall at the final flight.

That left Wichita Lineman well clear to score from Air Force One and Itsa Legend.

O'Neill and owner JP McManus claimed a double as Drombeaggave a gutsy display to foil last year's winner Whyso Mayo in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup.

The latter, the 2-1 favourite, had survived a bad blunder at the first fence and looked like landing the spoils when he burst into the lead on the turn for home with two to jump.

However, Drombeag (20-1), who had cut out most of the running, found extra reserves on the tiring run up the hill to the line to win by half a length in the hands of JT McNamara. Ned Kelly was 15 lengths back in third.

Paul Nicholls followed up his Gold Cup victory with Kauto Star when Andreaslifted the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase.

Partnered by Robert Thornton, who was also completing a double after his Triumph Hurdle success, the 12-1 shot picked up Hasty Prince (8-1) on the run-in and bounded up the hill to gain a three-length verdict.

Ground Ball (33-1) was another three lengths away in third, with Ursis (14-1) fourth.

A furious early pace was set by Greenhope and Pablo Du Charmil, with Ursis and Kahuna close up.

However, from three out Hasty Prince and Andreas had the race between them, with the former looking like giving O'Neill and McCoy another winner when he hit the front only for Andreas to prove too strong in the closing stages.

Philip Carberry, who rode the Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity on Tuesday, signed off the meeting in fine style by driving home the Irish-trained  Pedrobob(12-1) to win the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.

In a thrilling finale, the lead changed hands five times after the last, but it was Tony Mullins' charge who got his head in front where it mattered most.

Walsh produced Ouninpohja (11-2) to lead after the last, but the notably quirky performer once more failed to land the spoils and was a length away in second.

Premier Dane (100-1) bounced back to form to give trainer Nicky Richards another big-priced placed runner, while Kawagino (20-1), not disgraced in the Champion, ran a blinder in fourth.

Fair Along, who was backed from 13-2 into 7-2 despite running over fences in the Arkle on the opening day, was disappointing.