Wilful by far the best in County Hurdle for Jonjo and A J O’Neill

British-trained runners filled the first five places as Wilful came come in front in the William Hill County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Trained by Jonjo and A J O’Neill and ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr, the 14-1 victory was therefore a real family affair with the father and two sons combining.

In a busy field of 23, the seven-year-old led home Sticktotheplan, Joyeuse, Cracking Rhapsody and Sinnatra – all of whom are trained in Britain – to give the Jackdaws Castle stable a second winner of the week, after Johnnywho in the Ultima Handicap on Tuesday.

For Jonjo O’Neill, it was a fitting success on the 40th anniversary of his historic Gold Cup triumph aboard Dawn Run and he said: “Cheltenham is Cheltenham and to have runners here is fantastic, but to have two winners this year is great.

“A J keeps telling me he has improved them all and we might have to believe him now!

“It’s fantastic and these are the days you dream about, it’s magic. You hope they happen and you build yourself up to it, but when they do they are very special with A J on board now.

“It’s a family operation now and Jackie also does a great job behind the scenes. It’s not always easy but when it comes off it’s great – I just do what I’m told these days rather than the other way round, but as long as we have winners here I don’t mind it!”

Barton Snow benefited from an ice-cool ride by Henry Crow when winning the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase.

The amateur jockey sat motionless alongside Its On The Line and Derek O’Connor all the way to the final fence and found enough on the run-in to score by a neck, confining Its On The Line to the runner-up spot in this race for the four year in succession.

Winning trainer John O’Shea said: “He’s given him a peach of a ride and he’s a peach of a horse.

“We came here very confident, provided he didn’t hit the front too soon, but Henry has given him a fantastic ride and I’ve won everything now – there’s nothing left to stay in the game for and I’ll retire after Stratford.

“I don’t come here too often, I’m more of a Haydock and Aintree man and this horse has Aintree written all over him. Today was just an added bonus.”

In the concluding Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, there was a second win of the week for both Henry de Bromhead and owners Robcour as Air Of Entitlement followed up her victory in last year’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on her return to Prestbury Park.

Patrick O’Brien was aboard the winner, with the young Irishman praised for his ride by Robcour’s Brian Acheson.

He said: “It’s a brilliant way to end the week and when we were talking at the beginning of the season, we were wondering if she would be in the Mares’ Hurdle but she wasn’t good enough for that.

“It might just be the case where she is a little bit like Bob Olinger and Lossiemouth where she just lights up here and you think we’ll take a run at this race.

“Maybe the key was actually getting Patrick O’Brien, as I know it’s only his second ride here but he gave her some spin, so well done to him.”