Postpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March 2014
Big Shu is slowly moving up into contention, Diamond Harry has pulled up.
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
Sire de Grugy (11-4 F) wins Queen Mother Champion Chase
Victories for Faugheen (6-4 F), O'Faolains Boy (12-1) & Whisper (14-1)
Balthazar King (4-1), Hawk High (33-1) & Silver Concorde (16-1) also win
Akdam is the second horse death of the Festival
Mike Henson
Big Shu is slowly moving up into contention, Diamond Harry has pulled up.
Thirty two fences to negotiate and we have seen off 17 so far. Any Currency and Sizing Australia are handily placed behind leader Sire Collonges. Star Neuville's progress through the field is checked as he makes a mistakes over the 20th.
Sire Collonges is out in front over the 10th fence and the field is spread wide and far by a lively pace. Big Shu is four or five from the back, taking is easy and assessing options.
Let's see, Kyle. We are off and running.
Kyle Dixon:, external Big Shu is going to win this next race #fact
Balthazar King was the 2012 winner and he too has 11lbs more to deal with than on that occasion, carrying top weight. He won over this course and distance in November.
Big Shu is the defending champion and he followed up his Festival victory with another in the La Touche Cup at Punchestown. He will be carting round 11lbs extra compared with 2013, but he is a specialist in the cross-country discipline.
Onwards and upwards. Next is the Handicap Chase over a three mile seven furlong cross country course.
If it is one the biggest days in your career and you are going to be scrutinised by thousands, a little trip to the hygienist to sort out those tea stains is not too vain a move.
Judging by the post-race interviews from Jamie and Gary Moore, they believed that Sire De Grugy deserved more respect than he got in the betting markets. The winning margin was out around six lengths. Not as comprehensive as Sprinter Sacre last year, but considering Sire De Grugy supposedly wasn't keen on the track or the going it was none too shabby a win.
BBC Radio 5 live
Sire De Grugy trainer Gary Moore: "It's something I hoped would happen but it doesn't happen very often. The plan worked out very well. The horse is professional and easy to train to a certain extent. He trod on a stone 10 days ago and it was a little worry but it couldn't have gone any better today. I was getting text messages from 6am this morning, wishing me good luck."
Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham
"Suits you sire! Sire De Grugy trainer Gary Moore has sired two decent jockeys in Champion Chase winner Jamie, and 3-time flat champ Ryan."
Captain Conan reports back to base unhurt. Jockey Barry Geraghty says that he wasn't travelling as he would like and he chose to pull up rather than chase a lost cause.
Lovetheraces on Twitter:, external Brilliant to see all the jockeys heading out to cheer Jamie Moore into the Cheltenham Festival Winners' Enclosure!
Derek Thompson
BBC Radio 5 live reporter at Cheltenham
"There's a genuine feeling of warmth, and not just because the horse was well backed. This is a private family celebration which thousands of people are lucky enough to witness."
Peter Scudamore
Former champion jockey on BBC Radio 5 live at Cheltenham
"It has been a great Festival meeting but this win has really lifted the atmosphere. It's not just about the horse, it's about the Moore family who have worked so hard in racing."
BBC Radio 5 live
Sire De Grugy jockey Jamie Moore: "It's tremendous. He hasn't been given any credit this season and he's proved himself today. He's a horse I've had a lot to do with and I'm delighted."
Sire De Grugy, under Jamie Moore, nods in approval as the grandstand applaud him back to the winners' enclosure. Moore wraps a blue and red football-style scarf round his ride's neck as they make their way through the congratulations.
BBC Radio 5 live
Sire De Grugy part-owner Ryan Preston: "I saw him coming through. He jumped into the lead and I exploded. I dropped my phone, my scarf was in the air and I was running around. What a winner. It's the ultimate fairytale."
It was comfortable in the end. Sire De Grugy just surged on and on, flying the last and stretching away, leaving the others looking like they were slogging through a quagmire.