Last year’s Triumph Hurdle hero Zaynar delighted connections with his third place in the Gr.1 Champion Hurdle at the recent Cheltenham Festival.

The grey five-year-old, who is a son of Daylami and Prix de Diane winner Zainta, raced prominently before staying on gamely to finish third in the championship event behind his elders Binocular and Khyber Kim. Zaynar’s next objective will be the Gr.1 Aintree Hurdle.

The Aga Khan Studs narrowly missed out on celebrating a second Triumph Hurdle success as Barizan (Kalanisi) came agonizingly close to making all in the four-year-old champion hurdle.

Barizan stretched away from the field to establish a lead of over 20 lengths during the race but he came under pressure between the two final flights and had to relinquish his advantage on the famous Cheltenham hill. He nevertheless continued bravely to the line and was beaten only a length and a quarter into second place. Barizan’s former stablemate Alaivan, also by Kalanisi, performed with credit to finish a further seven lengths away in third place.