King Rasko Grey & Paul Townend win G1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle

King Rasko Grey (11/1) won the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival this afternoon.

The two mile five furlong contest, the opening race on the Ladies Day seven-race card, was a win for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins. The win was a fifth Cheltenham Festival victory for Audrey and Greg Turley.

Carrying the Galopin Des Champs colours of owner Audrey Turley, the French-bred six-year-old gelded son of Galiway ran out a comfortable two-and-a-half length winner over Act Of Innocence (10/1).

Zeus Power, from the Joseph O’Brien yard and ridden by J.J. Slevin outran his 50/1 odds to claim third place, three-quarters-of-a length behind the the Nicky Henderson-trained Act Of Innocence.

Race start

The runner-up’s jockey Nico de Boinville was involved in an incident with Waterford amateur jockey, Declan Queally, at the start, as it took three attempts to get the first race underway.

Queally, rider and trainer of I’ll Sort That, later told Matt Chapman of ITV Racing:

“Being abused by an English rider, Nico de Boinville is not very nice. I’m an amateur, I’m coming over riding in front of my kids. HORRIFIC.”

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