Double Joy for King and Thornton As Blazing Bailey Sizzles

Blazing Bailey made it a good day for Alan King and Robert Thornton with an emphatic victory in the Steel Plate And Sections Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Thornton and King had already tasted victory with Oh Crick earlier in the day, and Blazing Bailey was at his best in the day's main race with an eight-length success over Wichita Lineman, with Gaspara just behind in third.

The pace-setting Gaspara proved a tough horse to pass but she was overpowered between the last two flights where Blazing Bailey took over and went on to score in great style. Black Jack Ketchum lost all chance with a bad mistake at the sixth hurdle and was eventually pulled up.

"He's a proper stayer and my big worry beforehand was that two and a half miles was too sharp for him," said King. "I'd have settled for third or fourth really. We are back on track which is great. World Hurdle here we come."

Earlier in the day, Tony McCoy bided his time on Hills Of Aran (10-1) before making his challenge in the straight to win the Unicoin Homes Handicap Hurdle. Keith Goldsworthy's charge had fallen at the first in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on his previous start and McCoy gave the six-year-old plenty of time to regain his confidence jumping the obstacles.

Paul Moloney set out to run his rivals ragged on Hennessy, but they could not see off Hills Of Aran, who took control at the last and bounded clear to score by three lengths. Star Of Mohaison was 17 lengths away third in what was an encouraging comeback in his first race for 13 months.

"He fell the last day with Timmy [Murphy] at Ascot. At the first couple of hurdles he was very nervy, but he's got plenty of ability" said McCoy, riding his 150th career winner at Cheltenham. "I thought we'd get there. They went a nice gallop all the way and I knew he would keep going."