FROM THE ARCHIVE:A TRICKLE of blood turned into a river of joy when Istabraq entered history with a third successive Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday, and already the objective is to come back next year and make it four. Not even Persian War or Sir Ken could do that, nor could the other Irish treble winner Hattons Grace, but the rules don't seem to apply to Istabraq.

Aidan O'Brien admitted, if it had been any other race, Istabraq would not have run after the nose bleed scare of Monday evening.

The Ballydoyle trainer also admitted he had endured the most anxious 24 hours of his life.

But did Istabraq care? Did he hell. He didn't just beat the opposition, he broke the course record and did it all with a panache rarely seen since the distant days of that equine demi-god, Arkle.

Even that great horse couldn't win at the Cheltenham Festival five years in a row. Istabraq is just a best-priced 6 to 4 to return victoriously next year.

Charlie Swan, who would have been less than human if he hadn't had his nerves rattled by all the pre-race worry, settled Istabraq on the inner, possibly a ploy to ease as much as possible any pressure on any suspect blood vessels. He needn't have worried.

While Make A Stand burst a gut in front, Istabraq jumped with all his customary fluency and eased behind the leaders coming down the hill.

Make A Stand weakened, but Blue Royal still looked potent, as did the staying on Hors La Loi III, but Stage Affair had had enough at the second last.

Sticking to the inner, Istabraq cruised up to Blue Royal, touched down just ahead at the last and just had to be shook up by Swan to ignite instant delirium. But while the crowd exulted, the primary emotions of his connections were relief and admiration at what the horse had achieved.

"We knew the fire was in him but we didn't know if all the petrol was," said O'Brien. "It could have been a disaster, but thank God it worked out. The flat season will seem easy after this

"Our head said we should not run him, but our heart said we must run and try for a third. We owed it to the horse," he added.

Swan was happy too after helping Istabraq take almost half a second off Make A Stand's three-year-old track record.

"Dreams do come true. I'll have to get tips off Aidan on how to mine my own horses like that.

"We'll have to discuss it, but I imagine we'll be back hoping for four next year," he said.