SPRINTER Sacre ensured that there wasn't a dry eye in the house after he landed an emotional running of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon.

The 5/1 second favourite won this race in 2013 but had not been at his best since following well-documented problems with his heart but there had been signs in recent months that he was back to somewhere near championship winning form.

Given a cool ride by jockey Nico de Boinville, Sprinter Sacre tracked the leaders throughout and took up the running turning for home as both Un De Sceaux and Special Tiara began to weaken. An awkward jump at the last didn't stop his momentum as he ran on up the hill to record a three and a half-length victory from 4/6 favourite Un De Sceaux.

His victory gave trainer Nicky Henderson his 55th Festival winner and his fourth winner of the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Henderson was understandably emotional following the race and struggled to hold back the tears as his stable star was given a hero's welcome back into the winners' enclosure. "To come back and do that after all that time - it's incredible," said Henderson.

Jockey Nico de Boinville said: "I'm lost for words. I thought I used every superlative last year (after winning the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup on Coneygree), but this is unbelievable".

For Un De Sceaux and Special Tiara behind the great old warrior were performances of notable merit. Un De Sceaux was beaten three and a half lengths, and finished a nose in front of the 16/1 chance Special Tiara.

Ruby Walsh, who rode the favourite, said: "He just didn't have the speed on the ground," a view echoed by trainer Willie Mullins. He said: "To be beaten by Sprinter Sacre is no shame.

Nicky Henderson is the all-time leading trainer at the Festival with 55 successes.

YORKHILL DELIVERD THE NEPTUNE

Yorkhill gave trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh their fourth winner of this year's Festival when producing a devastating turn of foot to land the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Mullins is now the most successful trainer in this race, having now won it four times. Yorkhill's victory also gives Mullins his 45th Festival winner.

The six-year-old didn't have the easiest passage throughout the race but Walsh was determined to hug the inside rail and, when the field turned for home, the gap appeared at the right time for the pair to capitalise on.

The 3/1 second favourite got first run on the 11/10 market leader Yanworth, who was taken wide by Barry Geraghty throughout, and this proved to be decisive as the winner skipped clear on the run to the final flight. A bold jump at the last sealed the race as Yorkhill bounded up the hill to record a one and three quarter lengths victory.

Mullins revealed after the race that he would be tempted to go down the Stan James Champion Hurdle route with the horse next season.

BLAKLION ROARS TO VICTORY IN THE RSA

Blaklion produced a gutsy performance to land the RSA Chase by half a length from 16/1 shot Shaneshill at Cheltenham this afternoon. The 8/1 chance, trained locally by Nigel Twiston-Davies, jumped and travelled well for jockey Ryan Hatch and hit the front with a magnificent leap at the last with several of the field still in with a chance.

The seven-year-old battled tenaciously to fend off a challenge from the runner-up and his trainer was understandably delighted after the race.

"That was unbelievable," said Twiston-Davies. "He's done all his winning on heavy ground but I had a nagging feeling that, because he's small, better ground might suit him and I think it has".

Willie Mullins was pleased with the run of 16/1 shot Shaneshill, who finished a game half-length second to Blaklion in the Grade One RSA Chase. Having travelled near the back of the field, the seven-year-old made stealthy progress to challenge the winner all the way up the hill.

Mullins said: "It was a fantastic run from the horse and I am very happy with that. We elected to sit and wait with him in this race and it worked well. We will stick to these longer sort of trips because they suit him very well, especially on better ground. He enjoyed the nicer ground and that was key".

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained, J. P. McManus-owned More Of That, sent off 6/4 favourite, was reported to have burst blood vessels in both nostrils. He finished third, eight lengths behind Shaneshill.

CORAL KING

Diamond King, who joined Gordon Elliott's yard in the autumn, triumphed at the Hhome of jump racing when landing today's Coral Cup.

The eight-year-old, who was formerly trained by Donald McCain, is owned by Diana and Grahame Whateley and was ridden today by Davy Russell. A 12/1 shot, he won by one and a quarter lengths and a neck from Long House Hall and Ubak, with Blazer half a length back in fourth.

Elliott, who has gradually become the second most powerful trainer in Ireland behind Willie Mullins, has now saddled six winners at the Festival. He suffered a blow when a horse he trains, No More Heroes, suffered an injury when landing over the final fence in the previous race, the RSA Chase.

Reflecting on that Elliott said: "No More Heroes has gone to veterinary hospital, so while it doesn't look too good we are hopeful he will be okay. It's very unfortunate, and then you have a winner - that's the highs and lows of racing.

Russell said: "All credit to Gordon, he got him here in tip-top shape. He's a master of his trade and that makes it easy to ride the horses. To be honest I didn't expect I'd be here and I'm over the moon to be".

"My lad travelled and jumped very well, and he filled all the gaps for me. I had a smooth run, as much as you can expect - it was a bit of a stop-start race, but nothing that you wouldn't be used to. I always had enough horse. He flew the last and was spot on a long way out.

NO LUCK FOR NINA

Any Currency's victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase was somewhat overdue - the 13-year-old has finished second in the race for the past two years. Trained locally near Stow-on-the-Wold by Martin Keighley and ridden by Aidan Coleman, for whom it was a second Festival success, Any Currency won by a length at 11/1.

It was a first Festival win for a delighted Keighley, who said: "The horse deserves it. Aidan gave him a brilliant ride. I got the kids (Freddie and Harry) off school - I hope their teachers aren't watching this!"

Josies Orders stayed on strongly up the Cheltenham hill but couldn't quite get to the winner this afternoon. The 15/8 favourite was given a customary waiting ride by Nina Carberry but was under pressure turning for home and the response wasn't quite as instant as it had been when the eight-year-old had won the two Cross Country races at Cheltenham earlier on this season (at The Open and International meetings).

HIGH DRAMA

Blaklion’s trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies had a second winner on the card when Ballyandy (5/1) landed the Grade 1 Bumper in a photo-finish with the Willie Mullins-trained Battleford. Bacardys, also trained by Mullins, was third.

There was high drama at the final flight of the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle when the mounts of both Ruby Walsh (Voix Du Reve) and Barry Geraghty (Campeador) took crashing falls independently while challenging for the lead.

Their departure left the well-backed Diego Du Charmil with a handy lead but jockey Sam Twiston-Davies had to work hard to keep the leader in front and held on by a nose from 20/1 hope Romain De Senam. Both the first two home are trained by Paul Nicholls.

Walsh and Geraghty, and their horses, walked away from the incident though Geraghty was limping.

25 PAGES OF CHELTENHAM COVERAGE IN THE IRISH FIELD NEXT WEEKEND