Flooring Porter retains Stayers Hurdle with a dominant front-running display

A big race winner called Flooring Porter on St Patrick's Day at Cheltenham was an apt result in every way on day three of the festival.

The snappy name and heartwarming back-story involving a bargain buy by a west of Ireland syndicate was always going to make Flooring Porter a popular story.

But after landing Thursday's Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle for a second year running, with another dominant front-running display under jockey Danny Mullins, there is no quibbling with Flooring Porter's status as a true champion.

Fears his temperament would fail him in front of a full house at Cheltenham proved unfounded as Mullins once again got his fractions perfect and the 4-1 winner ran out a ready winner from Thyme Hill with Paisley Park in third.

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Flooring Porter returned to a rapturous reception from many more than the four original members of the syndicate as time was made up for missing out on last year’s behind-closed-doors festival.

In the midst of it all trainer Gavin Cromwell appeared the coolest person involved, a clue perhaps to how his charge's famously fragile nerves stood up so well to the occasion.

“The horse has really matured and we got him here good and early and he’s really behaved himself since he came here.

“We set out to make the running and he was foot-perfect everywhere. Danny was fantastic on him. We jumped the third last and he filled the horse up and he’s made it look easy.

“I was worried he’d get done for a turn of foot, Danny kept his cool and knew what he had underneath him,” said the Co Meath trainer, who was saddling his fourth festival winner.

Mullins’s reputation as a superb rider from the front was embellished with another perfectly-judged spin that even included a characteristic jink to the left by the winner after the last.

“What he did after the last is just one of his quirks. Good horses have their quirks. We can deal with that,” said the jockey.

“It was pretty simple really. I was confident the horse would be fine. He’s a professional and it’s a credit to Gavin for his training through the year, training him throughout with Cheltenham in mind.

“This is the place everyone wants to win, and it’s magic to get the job done on the day. He behaved impeccably and did what we believed he could do,” Mullins added.