• Trainer says he learned patience to train fragile horse from late father
• Nicky Henderson has four runners-up on Festival's opening day

There were many emotions that played across the face of Willie Mullins after Hurricane Fly's victory in the Champion Hurdle here , as his pride at having won a race that his late father, Paddy, took with Dawn Run mingled with the sorrow that he could not be there to see it. And along with his delight, there was simple relief too, that a horse who had missed the last two Cheltenham Festivals had finally made it to England to claim his place among the sport's champions.

Horses and their jockeys have the briefest of encounters, but their trainers share their lives seven days a week. It makes the setbacks more difficult to bear but the sense of achievement is all the greater if they finally fulfil their potential. Hurricane Fly was strongly fancied for the Supreme Novice Hurdle in 2009 and then for the Champion last year, only to succumb to injury.

"I've been counting down the days and minutes to this race and the minutes were like hours towards the end," Mullins said. "I was afraid he would get a kick in the parade ring."

But once Ruby Walsh was into the saddle, the nerves soon drained away. Hurricane Fly, a son of the outstanding Arc winner Montjeu, travelled like a top-class Flat horse from the moment the tapes snapped up and was still gliding across the grass under a motionless jockey as they came down the hill towards the final turn.

Peddlers Cross, a novice winner at last year's Festival and never previously beaten over hurdles, was the leader as they headed for home, but Hurricane Fly had his measure jumping the last. Even then, there was one last moment of concern for Mullins, as Peddlers Cross battled bravely to cling on to his unbeaten record. In the final half-furlong, though, Hurricane Fly had too much speed and class for his rival and finished a length and a quarter clear with another five back to Oscar Whisky in third.

This was Hurricane Fly's first race outside Ireland, where he had beaten the same horse, Solwhit, in three previous outings this season. While there was no form to link him to the best of the British, though, the punters had enough faith in the horse and his trainer to send him off favourite at 11-4.

"I think a lot of Irish punters backed him because they had been watching what he could do at home," Mullins said. "Irish punters needed a lift and they got it today. I thought he was a fantastic price for the last month, but I didn't want to open my mouth and tempt fate."

Mullins lost his father, a legendary figure at the Festival, in October and he was struggling to keep his emotions in check as he explained how some of the lessons handed down in the past had come to his aid at difficult times.

"One thing he taught me was to have patience with good horses," Mullins said. "You have to be prepared to wait and wait, and we've done that on occasions during Hurricane Fly's career. When he led on the run-in today, I'd like to think he was there, urging us on.

"The toughest part of this job is when you have to ring up people like Hurricane Fly's owners over the last two years and tell them that their horse won't be going to Cheltenham. You need to have owners that stick with you and have patience as well. They could have taken him out and stuck him somewhere else, but they didn't."

Hurricane Fly was so polished in his success that there was little time to consider Binocular, the favourite for the Champion Hurdle until his sudden exit from the race on Sunday morning due to a medication problem. Binocular is only a point behind Hurricane Fly, the 5-1 favourite, in Hills' betting on next year's Champion, though, while Peddlers Cross, so brave in defeat, is a 7-1 chance. The latter could well start a fencing career next season, however, a job at which he is bred and built to excel.

"I'm not a bad loser but I'm just gutted for the horse," Donald McCain, the trainer of Peddlers Cross, said. "Jason [Maguire, his jockey] said that Peddlers Cross did not do a thing wrong through the race but was just not good enough on the day. There are no excuses, he just found one too good, and I have to say well done to Willie.

"He has had the hardest race of his life today in defeat, so we'll see how he is before making plans."

Mullins ended the day as the leading trainer at the meeting, having completed a double with Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls also got a winner on the board when Al Ferof took the opening race, the Supreme Novice Hurdle, as did Philip Hobbs when Captain Chris stayed on resolutely after the final fence to edge out Finian's Rainbow in the Arkle Trophy.

Nicky Henderson, however, is no closer to the four successes he needs to become the leading trainer in Festival history. He saddled the second and third home in the opening race, as well as the runner-up in both the Arkle and the Spinal Research Handicap Chase, won by Bensalem. Henderson then saw Quantitativeeasing finish second too, behind Divers, in the concluding Centenary Novice Handicap Chase.

He is out to 4-1 to finish as the meeting's top trainer, behind Nicholls at 6-4 and Mullins on 9-4. Walsh, who rode a treble, is 1-4 favourite to be the Festival's top jockey. Tony McCoy, who rode Quantitativeeasing, is still trying to get his first winner of the meeting.