Another golden day at Cheltenham for Shropshire's John Hales

Bookmakers were left singing the blues after a "Ruby Tuesday" - with Ruby Walsh completing his comeback from a broken leg in style with a near 75-1 treble on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

And it all started for the Irish ace aboard the Shropshire-owned Al Ferof, the stunning 10-1 winner of the opening Stan James Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The jockey timed his late run to perfection to get the John Hales-owned six-year-old to take the £57,000 first prize.

Walsh then lifted the roof as 11-4 favourite Hurricane Fly got the better of another Shropshire owned hopeful, Peddlers Cross, in the Stan James Champion Hurdle before odds-on banker Quevega won the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle.

Ladbrokes were among the layers reeling as Walsh lived up to his billing as favourite to be leading jockey at the four-day feast that is the Festival.

David Williams of Ladbrokes said: "Ruby looked bruised when he arrived, but he's left the bookies battered. Ruby Tuesday was a nightmare for us.

"When punters wake up and make their selections today he's going to be on every shortlist in the Cotswolds."

Stan James were happy to sponsor the Champion Hurdle, but it proved a costly race for them as the first two home, Hurricane Fly and Peddlers Cross, were far and away the two worst results in their book.

Tim Leslie's Peddlers Cross was losing for the first time in eight races under rules, but the Shropshire businessman has a decent chance of a return in tomorrow's feature race, the ladbrokes World Hurdle.

For his six-year-old Any Given Day, also trained by Donald McCain, has each way chances for some pundits.