Benie Des Dieux confirms Cheltenham form

Benie Des Dieux made it back-to-back Grade One victories with a stout staying performance in the two and a half mile mares' champion hurdle.

The seven-year-old was a market drifter out to 3/1 as punters came for Apple's Jade (5/6f) to get her revenge after finishing third to Benie Des Dieux at Cheltenham.

Benie Des Dieux had too much in the locker for her rivals, though, as she travelled well and powered home from before the last to win by three lengths from a staying on stablemate Augusta Kate (16/1).

Apple's Jade was two and a half lengths further back in third.

Benie Des Dieux wins the @IrishEBF_ Annie Power Mares Champion Hurdle! pic.twitter.com/6Q5A4EGj1C

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 28, 2018

Willie Mullins said: "She's as good as I thought she was. My aim all year was to win the mares' hurdle at Cheltenham and hopefully come back here and she has done both things properly. She's a real good mare.

"At home I thought after her first win she had the ability of Douvan, I wondered was she a female version of Douvan.

"I want to see what there is over fences for her, are there races for her over fences that I want to go for.I imagine that's her finished for the season.

"We could be tempted by France just as I said that. Probably not.

"I got a lot of relief this week after Wednesday - my team enjoy it more and my owners enjoy it more and probably our followers. To me it was just pure relief to get back to a challenging position after I thought the whole thing was over after Tuesday after the second-last race. You couldn't make up what happened after that."

On equalling Tom Dreaper with 12 titles, he said: "I'm humbled to be alongside him in statistics. He was sort of God when we were growing up. I'm delighted for my whole team because they take huge pride in it.

"We've built up a good team of people - Patrick (Mullins), David Casey and Ruby (Walsh) and my wife Jackie. It's just an awesome team.

"I'm enjoying training as much as ever and trying to find new horses and identify them and having nice winners. It's not getting any easier - Gordon (Elliott) is making sure of that!"

Paddy Power cut Benie Des Dieux from 6/1 to 3/1 for next year's mares' hurdle.