Katchit proves he can

Alan King and Robert Thornton landed their third Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Katchit won the JCB Triumph Hurdle in great style.

A winner of five of his six starts over timber beforehand, Katchit was sent off the 11-2 second-favourite and bounded away for an impressive nine-length victory.

Liberate (12-1) ran a big race for Philip Hobbs to chase home the winner but he could never get in a blow and just held the challenge of Mobaasher (33-1) for second.

The well-backed Degas Art cut out most of the running in company with Punjabi, who stuck on for fourth.

However, Thornton had still not moved a muscle at the bottom of the hill and he brought the diminutive Katchit cruising into a lead he would not relinquish.

The favourite Lounaos was handy but ultimately disappointing, while Mountain, eighth in the Derby, faded tamely in the straight after travelling well early on.

King, successful on the opening two days with My Way De Solzen and Voy Por Ustedes, told Channel 4 Racing: "With all the build up I thought on Monday morning that if one of ours could win I'd be very happy, but three is unbelievable. He was impressive, wasn't he?

"Choc (Thornton) said all season that he would be a good horse when the ground dried up. He was right."

Thornton added: "What a star. I thought he might improve for better ground and he certainly has.

"I got there a shade too soon so I thought I might as well kick on and I was just thinking going to the last where the others were. He’s a little legend."