BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, PA

Barry Geraghty on BBC Radio 5 live: 'He was brilliant. It was a war out there. I thought Melon was going to beat me. He dug deep thankfully, what a buzz.'

It was never as comfortable as the odds suggested it would be.

But Buveur D'Air holds off the challenge of Melon to secure a second successive Champion Hurdle victory. A big dent in the bookies' bags.

1 Buveur D'Air B J Geraghty 4-6 Fav

2. Melon P Townend 7-1

3. Mick Jazz D N Russell 25-1

4. Identity Thief

Image source, BBC Sport

Faugheen is in reverse.

It is Melon and Buveur D'Air contesting it down the home straight...

Buveur D'Air muscles up into a share of the lead.

Still Charli Parcs in the lead, but is he running interference for Nicky Henderson stable-mate Buveur D'Air?

Faugheen in second is not getting a clean run at the fences or the fresh air...

Charli Parcs leads over the second with Faugheen close behind.

Buveur D'Air is well set in third, keeping an eye on his main rival and staying in contact.

They are off...

And Faugheen hits the front and leads over the first. Buveur D'Air sitting third.

The field are in a holding pattern, awaiting the start far from the hub-bub of the grandstand.

We are close to the off...

Wicklow Brave will like the ground and has big-race experience from the Melbourne Cup in 2016.

Elgin landed a big handicap win here in November and came home first at Wincanton on soft ground last month.

But they are all playing catch-up to Buveur d'Air.

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Faugheen was the 2015 winner in this race, but he has found it hard going since. There are still a few backers on the course though hoping he can recover the old magic.

He is down from 11-2 to 9-2.

BBC Radio 5 live

Tom Scudamore on the atmosphere in the weighing room: I try and close myself off. You've done everything you can until that point. You need to make sure the race is run to suit you. The thing I find a great help is watching past races. It's amazing to see how the winning horses come from the same sorts of positions year on year.

Image source, BBC Sport

There are few cracks in Buveur D'Air's CV.

Three wins out of three this season, a nine-race winning streak in total and good form over soft ground.

And, of course, the defending champion in the race.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has got to be confident.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

And so to the big one.

With doubts over whether the 2015 winner Faugheen can recover his old form, last year’s winner Buveur D’Air has been a warm favourite to follow up in the Champion Hurdle (15:30).

His Nicky Henderson stablemate My Tent Or Yours - a runner-up in the race three times before - was withdrawn on veterinary advice on Tuesday morning.

Supplementary entry Elgin, trained by Alan King, is an interesting outsider.

Next up, it is the bill-leading, headline-stealing feature race of the day: the Champion Hurdle

"Lizzie is underrated and undervalued but she is tremendous" says Marcus from winning owners Babbit Racing.

And there are plenty of tears amongst the other connections!

Lizzie Kelly on BBC Radio 5 live: "That uphill was so long. I can't belive it. I'm speechless. I genuinely had written off the idea of me having a festival winner. This is the cherry on top. I am delighted."

John Hunt
BBC Radio 5 live's commentator at Cheltenham

Great ride. I said with a mile to go she was in the perfect position. She got a really good position, a very patient race. She was itching, 'when do I go?', but she timed it brilliantly.'

Andrew Thornton
Jockey on BBC Radio 5 live

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Happy days for Lizzie Kelly - a great ride.

(And happy days for anyone who followed Andrew and Lizzie's tips on this page - they both selected 5-1 winner Coo Star Sivola)

Winning jockey Lizzie Kelly, speaking to ITV Racing: "After last year, I made my peace with never being a Cheltenham winner. And now this. I can't believe it."