Sir Alex Ferguson's Hermes Allen loses out at Cheltenham Festival

Sir Alex Ferguson’s horse Hermes Allen is comfortably beaten in the first race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, despite going off as the favourite… with Impaire Et Passe sprinting clear to win the Ballymore Hurdle

Impaire Et Pass secured victory in the opening race on day two at Cheltenham
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Hermes Allen slipped down the order towards the end
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Impaire Et Passe produced a devastating performance to lead home a Willie Mullins one-two-three in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Despite being the talking horse of the pre-Festival preview circuits he was usurped as favourite shortly before the tapes went up by Paul Nicholls’ Hermes Allen and allowed to go off at 5-2.

The winner, runner-up Gaelic Warrior and Barry Connell’s Good Land were all marking each other in mid-division for the most part as Champ Kiely gave Hermes Allen a lead at the front end.

But when Hermes Allen moved up to eyeball Champ Kiely and forced the pace to quicken four out, the pack were edging their way closer to the action and as the runners descended towards two out, it was clear Paul Townend had plenty of horse underneath him.

Taking the brave route up the inner, the five-year-old was soon in the clear and Townend simply had to keep his mount’s momentum moving forwards as he scooted up the hill to return a six-and-a-half-length verdict.

Impaire Et Passe (pictured in January) claimed victory in the Ballymore Hurdles on Wednesday

Paul Townend riding Impaire Et Passe drove away from the competition off the final two hurdles

Sir Alex Ferguson was in good sprits on day two of the Cheltenham Festival – though his horse Hermes Allen was comfortably beaten after slipping down the order in the opening race

Gaelic Warrior and Champ Kiely filled the podium positions for the Closutton yard, as Mullins enhanced his fine record in the race, registering his sixth victory and following up Sir Gerhard’s triumph 12 months ago.

Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle result

10 ran

Also: 9-4 Fav Hermes Allen, 9-2 Good Land 4th

Impaire Et Passe runs in the ‘double green’ colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede – who were on the mark on day one with El Fabiolo in the Arkle.

Munir said: ‘He’s been working very, very well and he won his races in Ireland well but he was going up in distance and the ground was another question mark.

‘To win by six and a half lengths on his fourth run is breathtaking. It’s very exciting.

‘It was quite a deep race, Champ Kiely, Gaelic Warrior, Hermes Allen from England – all horses with good form lines.

‘It was competitive, Willie was right to go for the Ballymore and not the Supreme.

‘He’s really a blank canvas, that was the fourth run of his life.

‘He’s won by six and a half lengths and came over the last in the lead.

‘The sky’s the limit at the moment – the dream is very much alive.’

Sir Alex Ferguson was in good spirits when seen before the race, but had to watch on as his horse Hermes Allen slipped out of contention towards the end.

Townend celebrates with his arms raised aloft after a brilliant ride by Impaire Et Passe

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