Murphy has runners on each day of the Festival

Poker De Sivola trained at Middleham by Ferdy Murphy won the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.

The 14-1 shot, ridden by Katie Walsh, won the novice chase for amateur riders finishing ahead of Becauseicouldntsee and third place Prudent Honor.

Murphy said: "He's been knocked a few times but I never had any doubt.

"He's just a little bit immature. Nothing worries him and he takes life very easy."

Poker De Sivola ran in the race last year and Murphy said he had shown a big improvement this time around.

When she came in the ring she had a plan and she carried it out to a tee Ferdy Murphy

"He was a little bit unlucky. He got pushed very wide and was very novicey and the race didn't go his way," he said.

"Obviously this year he's a little bit more streetwise but she (Walsh) was brilliant on him."

Murphy also praised Walsh, the sister of Ruby, for her performance.

"It typifies what the Walsh family are," he said.

"They're very professional. She's gone into the race in detail. She said she watched several replays last night, looked at where she was going to go.

"When she came in the ring she had a plan and she carried it out to a tee."

Meanwhile Kalahari King also trained at Middleham by Murphy finished third in the day's feature race, the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

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