Absurde performance one to celebrate for Mullins and Townend

Willie Mullins described Paul Townend's effort on Absurde as "the ride of the week".

Harry Skelton onboard L’eau Du Sud and Paul Townsend onboard Absurde come over the final hurdle. Picture: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Paul Townend produced Absurde to perfection as last year's Ebor hero got the better of L'Eau Du Sud in the BetMGM County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton have dominated this event in the last decade, winning eight of the last nine runnings between them, so it was no surprise to see the week's top two trainers involved at the business end once again.