Teahupoo outbattles Impaire Et Passe in Hatton's Grace

Gordon Elliott's charge ended the long unbeaten run of Honeysuckle in the Grade One contest last year and this time it was Willie Mullins' Impaire Et Passe who had his bubble burst.

BATTLE WON: Jockey Jack Kennedy, right, celebrates on Teahupoo as they cross the line to win the Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle, from second place Impaire Et Passe. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Gordon Elliott has begun the winter portion of the National Hunt season in explosive fashion and, after dominating at Down Royal, Navan and Punchestown, and this weekend in Fairyhouse that hot streak showed no signs of cooling off as he saddled three winners on Saturday, and two more, both at Grade One level, on Sunday.

He started off by taking the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle with Farren Glory, who coped admirably with the drop back to two miles, having run away with a near-two-and-a-half-mile maiden at Clonmel on his return to action.