Constitution Hill lit up day one of the Cheltenham Festival as he took the Unibet Champion Hurdle crown in sublime style.

This race had been seen as the six-year-old's date with destiny ever since romping to victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle 12 months ago – and Nicky Henderson's charge did not disappoint, much to the delight of a packed Prestbury Park crowd.

Sent off at odds of 4-11, jockey Nico de Boinville was keen to keep things simple and had the Michael Buckley-owned winner tracking I Like To Move It, who was setting the fractions.

Travelling with supreme ease, Constitution Hill's super-slick hurdling saw him breeze to the front after three out and De Boinville was simply nudging his mount forwards as he drew clear of the chasing back rounding the turn for home.

Champion display: Constitution Hill ridden by Nico de Boinville jumps the last on their way to winning the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy during day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

He was soon sauntering up the hill with victory from the Willie Mullins-trained State Man secured, and De Boinville was able to turn to the crowd and milk the applause as Constitution Hill won in a canter.

For Henderson, he added Champion Hurdle number nine to his illustrious CV and there is every chance this could be the best of the lot to step foot in Seven Barrows.

"I've got watery eyes, I always have and I always will have, but that will bring tears to most eyes when you see a horse that is like that because I think it's pretty unique," he said.

There were joyous scenes in the next race as Honeysuckle brought the curtain down on her career phenomenal career with an emotional victory in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.

Emotional farewell: Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle lap up the applause after winning The Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle - the Irish horse's final appearance on a racecourse.

Sent off the 9-4 joint-favourite, ever-loyal jockey Rachael Blackmore had Honeysuckle positioned in second throughout tracking the front-running Love Envoi and although the pack swarmed as the field made their way down the hill, the order remained the same until after the last.

With Love Envoi refusing to lie down, the brave mare Honeysuckle responded to every urging of her rider to gallop up the Cheltenham hill one more time, going to the bottom of the well and digging deep to edge her way to a titanic one-and-a-half-length triumph.

Corach Rambler enhanced his claims for the Randox Grand National when becoming the fourth back-to-back winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase.

Lucinda Russell's 6-1 favourite pounced late to land the Cheltenham Festival spoils 12 months ago and was ridden cold once again by Derek Fox.

Yorkshire pair Into Overdrive and Top Ville Ben were pulled up three out and two out, respectively.

El Fabiolo got the better of Jonbon in the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy, to get Willie Mullins and Paul Townend off the mark and the Irish took the final two races, too.

Gordon Elliott’s Jazzy Matty prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, beating Byker by a neck and then Mullins and son Patrick landed the concluding WellChild National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase with the well-facied Gaillard Du Mesnil.

Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle shine on first day of the Cheltenham Festival