The third day of the 2016 Cheltenham Festival got off to a controversial start as Irish horse Zabana unshipped his jockey Davy Russell as the race got underway.

A furious Russell blamed the official race starter for raising the tape to start the race when Zabana was clearly facing the wrong way.

On Channel 4 experts were divided on whether the starter was at fault or whether Russell was responsible for turning his mount around at the wrong time.

The race was won by another Irish horse, Black Hercules, who gave jockey Ruby Walsh the 50th Cheltenham Festival winner of his career.

Davy Russell picked himself up from this disastrous start to the day and won the second race, the Pertemps Hurdle, on 14/1 chance Mall Dini, trained in Craughwell, Co Galway by Pat Kelly.

25 PAGES OF CHELTENHAM COVERAGE IN THE IRISH FIELD THIS WEEKEND