Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh win Mares' Novice with Let's Dance for fourth winner of day

Let's Dance gave resurgent Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins a fourth Thursday winner in Cheltenham's Trull House Stud Mares' Novice Hurdle.

The 11/8 favourite cruised around at the back of the field until the last six furlongs and stormed into the lead at the last hurdle before going on to win authoritatively.

Walsh denied Bryan Cooper a quickfire double as Ireland made it six wins from six on a green-tinged day.

Cooper's mount Barra filled second spot at 12/1, two and three-quarter lengths adrift, with last year's runner-up Dusky Legend taking third at 20/1.

Mullins had started Thursday looking for his first winner of the Festival, after the high-profile disappointment of Douvan on Wednesday, but he had earlier won Grade 1 races with Yorkhill (JLT), Un De Sceaux (Ryanair) and Nichols Canyon (Stayers) with Walsh in the saddle.

Mullins said: "We thought this might be the weakest race she was in, even though the trip was short of her best.

"She could go back over a longer trip, she will in time, but when we saw the ratings, this was the race for her."

Owner Rich Ricci was celebrating his first winner of the week and said: "We're late to the party, but we've brought the music.

"First of all I'm delighted for the staff because there's a £50,000 bonus for them and that's about what the prize-money is, I'm delighted for the yard.

"She's a good mare. Joe Chambers (racing manager) deserves plenty of credit because when she was second to Ivanovich Gorbatov in her maiden last year he said 'why not just campaign her in Grade Ones and if we win great and if not she's still a novice'.

"She ran a great race in the Triumph last year.

"It's such a relief to get one, yesterday was tough (defeat of Douvan), it's been a brutal season but there's no future in history, you've got to keep looking forward.

"This game would tame a lion, it's up and down. It would be great to give Willie a Gold Cup with Djakadam tomorrow now."

Walsh added: "What a day, the horses ran well the first two days, they just weren't winning.

"In previous years we were front-loaded and this year we were back-loaded, we knew we had great chances today and we think we have a couple tomorrow

"We had a standing start and she dwelt a bit, I just couldn't lay up with them. In fairness her jumping was brilliant and got me into a nice position.

"She was always going to stay, our only worry was coming back in trip, she was always going to stay on. She's a very good filly with a nice future. It's been a super day for the Irish."