Arctic Fire put up a terrific weight-carrying performance to give Willie Mullins a fifth Cheltenham Festival winner of the week in the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle.
Runner-up in the 2015 Champion Hurdle, Arctie Fire (20-1) got up on the run to the line under Paul Townend to snatch the spoils.
Wakea held a clear lead up to the final flight where he was swallowed up by the pack, as Arctic Fire came through late to win by a neck from L’Ami Serge. Ozzie The Oscar was another neck away in third and Air Horse One fourth.
Townend said: “It’s some training performance to get him back after such a long absence.
“He had top weight but he had it for a reason and I went out with the mindset to ride him like the best horse and thankfully it paid off.
“Donagh (Meyler, on Wakea) had a big lead but it’s very hard to do round here, you don’t get that much of a lead without doing a hell of a lot.
“At that stage I had no choice but to drop in, there was nothing I could do about it.”
Penhill came from way off the pace to come out on top in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and continue Mullins's domination of the final two days.
Mullins was winning his sixth race of the Festival and Paul Townend his second.
Ami Desbois did the donkey work to two out but there were soon just three vying for victory with Penhill, Monalee and Wholestone taking over.
The latter was the first to crack and try as Monalee could, Penhill (16-1) held the aces as he powered up the hill to win by three and a half lengths. Wholestone was four lengths away in third.
Townend said: “He’s a class horse, we kept him wide to get into a rhythm.
“I won on him over three miles at Christmas at Limerick on heavy ground and he saw it out really well.”
Owner Tony Bloom, chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, said: “I’m over the moon for everyone involved, it was a great ride by Paul and it’s a brilliant horse we have here.
“He was looking good all the way and two out we were expecting him to win, his hurdling was a lot better than it has been and he’s got the pace.
“Racing over three miles has been the making of him, as it gives him more time for his jumping.
“I haven’t had many Cheltenham runners, so it is very exciting. I’ve brought a lot of friends and they’re all on at 16 and 20-1.”
