JP McManus has already owned the modern-day king of the Stan James Champion Hurdle in Istabraq and it was to be another green and gold moment on the opening afternoon at Cheltenham as Jezki repelled My Tent Or Yours by a neck in a famous one-two.
Synonymous with Festival gambles, McManus admitted to backing both of his horses but was quick to offer his condolences to connections of Our Conor, last year's Triumph Hurdle winner who had to be put down after suffering a back injury from a horrible fall at the third flight.
Jezki (below, left) had finished more than two lengths behind My Tent Or Yours (below, right) in the 2013 Supreme and had also needed to turn the tables on Hurricane Fly, who was held for fourth in his bid to equal the three Champions claimed by Istabraq at the turn of the century.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington lodges with Nicky Henderson during Cheltenham week, and as the latter was responsible for My Tent Or
Yours, the evening ahead was more than likely to feature some good-natured repartee.
Our Conor set off in front, but his mistake badly hampered
The New One and allowed Captain Cee Bee, essentially the McManus pacemaker, to assume his duties. He lasted until the penultimate flight, where supporters of 11-4 favourite Hurricane Fly were starting to get anxious as Ruby Walsh was already applying the pressure and the Barry Geraghty-ridden Jezki had secured a narrow advantage.
Tony McCoy, who had picked My Tent Or Yours over Jezki, was within touching distance himself, but the white cap of McManus's retained jockey could never get past the quartered green and gold, as much as he tried, with the race run in a new record time, bettering that of Vautour from earlier in the day, which had itself eclipsed the mark set by Istabraq.
McManus said: "The National Hunt season is centred around the Champion Hurdle for me because I didn't have any Gold Cup horses and I'm unlikely to win the Grand National. The Champion Hurdle was all-important and full marks to everybody to have their horses looking in mint condition, as well as all the other runners in the race. They were all a credit." * Cheltenham coverage P45-54