CURRAGH trainer Padraig Roche, son of Christy, saddled his first Cheltenham Festival winner with his first runner in Britain when Brazil won the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle on Tuesday.

The 10/1 shot was well-backed but this result was not popular with those who backed the hot favourite Gaelic Warrior who led everywhere bar the finishing post.

A Curragh maiden winner for Aidan O'Brien as a two-year-old, Brazil is owned by J.P. McManus who was there to lead in his 68th Festival winner, confirming his status as the most successful owner of all-time at the meeting.

Brazil is not only by the late great Galileo, he is a full-brother to 2017 Doncaster St Leger winner Capri. The gelding had four previous runs over hurdles prior to Cheltenham, winning his most recent start at Naas last month by 13 lengths.

Ridden here by Mark Walsh, who was on board his sixth Festival winner, Brazil raced prominently throughout behind the Willie Mullins-trained French import Gaelic Warrior who was sent off the 13/8 favourite despite having never raced in Ireland or Britain before.

Despite jumping a bit to his right, Gaelic Warrior looked to have his rivals cooked turning for home a couple of lengths clear. But again his erratic jumping cost him ground at the final flight and Brazil managed to reel him in up the hill and prevail by a short-head.

Bell Ex One, previously trained by Ray Cody in Kilkenny, finished third on his debut for trainer Paul Nicholls. The Paul Nolan-trained Hms Seahorse took fourth.

Winning trainer Padraig Roche said: “It’s unbelievable, I’m so lucky to have a horse like him. J.P. and Noreen (McManus) are very good friends with my mum and dad, and for them to give me a horse like that was unbelievable and it’s paid off so I’m absolutely over the moon.

“We thought he’d run well coming into today. He was improving with every run so we were hopeful but to go and win was just amazing. We knew he’d stay after jumping the last and he got his head in-front at the right time.

"This is my fourth year training and I’ve only got a handful of horses at home so it’s just unbelievable to have a winner here. I’m lucky to have good staff and to get it with a horse like him is extra special.”

Mark Walsh said: “Paul [Townend]’s horse kept jumping right and was actually interfering with me a little bit at the second-last and I was having to pull and kick to get down his inner, because I knew my horse would stay all day, and the line came in time for us.

"At the second hurdle Paul’s jumped out and squashed me, and I lost a bit of ground, but we weren’t going much of a gallop so I could get back into position alright.

“Down at the start everyone wanted to make it, but when we jumped off nothing seemed to go on, so we were just hacking up the straight the first time, and we were actually hacking most of the way. I knew my fella stays so I sent him on down the hill to the third-last because I didn’t want it to be a sprint - I wanted it to be a proper staying race from there, and it ended up being that.

“He’s had four runs before day so he knows what he’s doing. Padraig [Roche] had him in brilliant condition. I’m delighted for him - he’s a friend of mine and we grew up together, so I’d delighted to give him his first Festival winner. It’s his first runner here so he’s got 100% record so far!

"And it is very important that it is for Mr McManus, who is such a huge supporter of racing. It’s just great to get a winner on the first day. If you get one winner, it’s great.”

Nice prospect

Willie Mullins, trainer of runner-up Gaelic Warrior, said: "He ran a great race and he had every chance. On the whole he jumped well. We would have probably liked a bit more juice in the ground. He is a nice prospect for next season. It didn’t help him how he jumped the last but that is racing. There was only a short head in it and you can if an and all day but he ran a great race.

"I hope there will be plenty of good days with him as he is a real jumping type. We will stay novice hurdling next season as he is still a maiden and he will be back here for the Ballymore next year."

Paul Nicholls, trainer of third Bell Ex One, said: “We thought he would run well. Harry (Cobden) said he didn’t come down the hill and that he got a bit lost. He has turned into the straight and took off and has stayed on strongly.

"We will find a nice race for him before the end of the season before he heads off to Australia. The guy who owns him is Australian and he is going to send him back over there to run on the flat. He bought him to run in this then once more before going off to Australia. It was a nice run."