Commander Of Fleet got up on the line in a thrilling, head-bobbing finish to the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle under a well-judged ride from 5lb claimer Shane Fitzgerald.

The Gordon Elliott-trained winner, sent off at 50/1, was one of the few guaranteed to enjoy the testing ground and big field, having won a 23-runner handicap at Navan in early December.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Ashdale Bob set sensible fractions in front for the conditions and was still going well in front turning for home, jumping the last three lengths clear of his 22 rivals.

However, the stamina-sapping ground proved his undoing. Jack Foley’s mount tired soon after, as Fastorslow and Commander Of Fleet bore down on the seven-year-old, who faded quickly, eventually finishing third, a further five and a half lengths behind the front two in the two-miles-five-furlong contest.

Darragh O’Keefe’s mount looked to have got the better of the scrap to the line and in a titanic battle, briefly got his head in front, only for Commander Of Fleet to get his head down when it mattered to score by a short-head.

Camprond who was always stalking the pace, did not find much from the second-last and finished fourth.

The victory was the first for Elliott at the Festival after missing last year’s meeting due to the suspension he was given when an image emerged on social media of him sitting on a dead horse on his gallops.

Elliott said: “It’s great to train any winner here, especially for Gigginstown and it’s great for everyone in the yard.

“It might not have been one we were expecting but that is the game we are in, they are mostly running well. I often get to Thursday with no winner so we weren’t panicking.

“I’d say the ground made the difference to this lad, and he was handy throughout. A lot of my others just couldn’t handle the ground.

“The winner is obviously a good horse on his day. I don’t know much about the jockey, but he’s had a few winners for us and seems a nice fella.

“Every winner I train is important, whether it’s here, Tramore, Downpatrick, I’m in this game just to train winners.”

Michael O’Leary, under whose Gigginstown House Stud banner the winner runs, said: “That was wonderful and it gets Gordon and Team Cullentra on the board.

“It was marvellous performance under that weight on ground that has gone very soft now.

“It was a great ride from Shane. I thought he had him in the right position the whole way round and he battled on up the hill.

“I think it’s testament to not just Gordon but the whole team in Cullentra. They had a tough year last year, but they’re back here with lots of good horses. The team work incredibly hard and this vindicates the hard work they put in last year.”

Successful jockey Shane Fitzgerald comes from Buttevant in Co Cork and this is his first ride at the Festival as a professional - he rode here a couple of years ago as an amateur. He said:

“It’s absolutely serious - the atmosphere round here… even to ride in the likes of here on an athlete of a horse is unbelievable. I can’t thank Gordon and Mr O’Leary enough for giving me the opportunities… It’s unbelievable.

“We were a little bit slow jumping off, but picked our way through and were fairly handy the whole way. We were wide and had plenty of light the whole way and, to be fair, I didn't want to give Jack too much room. Swinging down to the second-last we half-went chasing him. He was so tough the whole way to the line.

“He’s had some very good runs and a couple of poor runs, but it’s my third time riding him and my second time winning on him, and we seem to have a nice old partnership. Hopefully there will be plenty more days like that.

“He was a little bit sticky [in his jumping early on] and started to have a cut at them then after jumping a couple, and I thought he’d gain at the last but he gave us a bit of a scary moment. He picked up though and came through. He’s just different class. It’s great for everyone in the yard - there’s a lot of work and a lot of early mornings. I’m delighted for Katie, who’s leading him up. They’ll get a great buzz out of it. It’s massive for everyone [to have a winner] and to be part of it. It’s great even to be getting rides over here, let alone winners - it’s hard to explain [what it means].

“I knew I was up on the line. Darragh [O’Keeffe, on Fastorslow], my neighbour at home, was actually upsides me and we had a good battle the whole way to the line. It’s unreal.

“From the start as a kid I have watched this and seen all the greats coming through, the likes of AP and Davy - it’s class, and I’m riding against the likes of Davy now. It’s what dreams are made of.”

Martin Brassil, trainer of second home Fastorslow, said: “It’s agony getting beaten when you are in front four strides from the line, but what a race he's run. He’s a lovely horse, and he handles the ground well. He was up in trip, which helped too. There might be a race for him at Punchestown.”