Team Ireland gained revenge on the home team in the second race of the meeting, the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase, with Danny Mullins once again proving his excellent judgement of pace aboard the front-running Kargese (7/1).

Before the race, much of the attention had been focussed on Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten chaser Lulamba and Willie Mullins’ dual Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Kopek Des Bordes, who was making his first start since impressing on chase debut in November.

England and Ireland’s leading fancies were sent off 11/10f and 11/8 respectively, with Kopek Des Bordes’ supporters given a couple of scares by his jumping in the early stages, but it was only approaching the turn for home that favourite backers had cause for concern.

It was then that Nico de Boinville began to ask Lulamba to quicken, with Danny Mullins asking the same soon after, while Paul Townend remained motionless until between the final two fences.

Crucially, his mount’s nose touched the turf on landing, while Kargese remained foot-perfect and stayed on strongly up the Cheltenham hill. A delighted Danny Mullins punched the air after crossing the line aboard the Kenny Alexander-owned mare, two and a quarter lengths ahead of Kopek Des Bordes in a 1-2 for Willie Mullins.

Lulamba finished another two and a half lengths further back in third. Gary and Josh Moore’s Hansard was sadly pulled up due to a fatal injury.

Ireland fight back

Willie Mullins, for whom Kargese became an 114th Festival winner, later admitted he had doubts following the British dominance in the opening race. “I was a bit worried when all those horses were eclipsed in the first - I said, ‘Are we going to have a week like this?’” he said.

“But Kargese was very good - I thought Danny gave her a tremendous ride. He used all the attributes that she has, and when he wanted a jump at the last, he got it. Paul gave Kopek Des Bordes a tremendous ride for a horse having only his second run over fences in a race like the Arkle. Just that little genuflection after the last; I thought he jumped it well, and if it wasn’t for that genuflection, who knows which way the race would have gone?

“I think Kopek, for horse having his second run this season, to do what he did today was tremendous. I haven’t lost any faith in him. Kargese looks like a Champion Chase horse; we’ll have to decide, Kenny loves to breed from his nice mares, and he might do that.”

Danny Mullins, who was celebrating his fourth career success at the Festival said: “A lot was made of this filly being hot headed, but I’ve always had a good relationship with her. I’d schooled her plenty at home before Paul had ridden her on the track.

“In fairness to Paul, he was keeping his cards close to his chest, but he’d told me plenty about this one in the past as well. You’ve got to judge it tactically right. Everyone maybe expected us to burn off in front, but I was just trying to use my jumping as my strongest asset.

“And even when I got headed over the second last, I knew I wasn’t done with yet, I hadn’t burned the petrol early. The last furlong was where she did her best work.”

He added: “I’ve been dangerous on a 25/1 shot of Willie’s too! He’s just a master, and to be a part of that team is just unbelievable. To get days like this... these are not a given. These are very special days and I’m very lucky to be used to riding Cheltenham winners and hopefully I can ride plenty more.”

Beaten horses

On Kopek Des Bordes, Townend reported:

Paul Townend, rider of the runner-up Kopek Des Bordes, said: “He was running a huge race for just his second start over fences. After the first two he listened to me and did everything I wanted him to. I thought I’d have been a nice winner with room for improvement if only for the peck at the back of the last, but they’re novice chasers and that happens.

“We’d got to Kargese, we’d headed here and I thought we were going to go away and beat her, but it didn’t surprise me she was still there at the last. She’s a very good mare and tough as nails. Fair play to everyone involved with her - they’ve got a really good mare and Danny deserves it as well. At least it was one of our other horses!”

On the beaten favourite Lulamba, Henderson commented: “I don’t think you’ll see us over two miles again. If they still had the (Grade 1) two-and-a-half miler he’d have run there. We might still have won without that mistake, but we were in top gear - that’s the trouble. He’s run on and done well to come back.

“He might go to Aintree over two and a half miles now. He’ll enjoy that. And he’s the sort of horse who will go down the Jango Baie route to the King George.”