Champs puts Mullins on top

Sir Des Champs put up an unbelievable performance to pluck the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle from out of the clouds.

Sent off the 9-2 favourite, the five-year-old was in the rear throughout under trainer Willie Mullins' nephew, Emmet Mullins.

His chance appeared to have evaporated when he was caught up in a melee at the top of the hill but his young jockey did not panic.

Donald McCain's Son Of Flicka, meanwhile, had taken over at the head of affairs and a good jump at the last appeared to have sealed it.

But Sir Des Champs made relentless progress and eventually got up to win by half a length.

First Point was third, with Indian Daudaie fourth.

Shalone came down on the run into the home straight on the flat, but Charlie Huxley and the horse returned to their feet.

The winning trainer said: "He looked beaten at the top of the hill but he's probably been watching Ruby (Walsh) all week and he didn't panic.

"Emmet gets horses jumping well and he didn't panic, even though they were a long way in front of him.

"It's been a great week."

The winning rider said: "He was never really travelling - he's only had two runs over hurdles - and I was just trying to keep him together down the back.

"He lost his balance coming down the hill and then something fell in front of me.

"I was just trying to keep him balanced and thankfully he was good enough.

"I think he must have made 25 lengths up coming down the hill and then he took a blow before the last but he picked up again."

Sir Des Champs was the fourth winner of the week for the Mullins stable and the Irish champion trainer secured the Thomas Pink award for leading festival trainer. This has been his best festival, having beaten his previous best of three winners in 2009.

The five-year-old, who has now won all three starts over hurdles, was a third winner of the week for Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud.