And here’s Brian’s report on the day at large.
We’ll be back tomorrow with another live blog for day three of the festival, the Ryanair Chase being the main event at 3.20pm.
If you missed the day’s feature race, here’s Brian O’Connor’s report on Marine Nationale’s win in the Champion Chase.
So that’s Day Two in the books. Here’s how the various standings look at the halfway stage. Remarkable, there have been 14 races won by 13 different jockeys. That can’t have happened too many times before, if ever.
Leading Jockey
2 Paul Townend
1 Nico De Boinville, Patrick Wadge, Lorcan Williams, Mark Walsh, Ben Jones, Harry Skelton, Sean O’Keeffe, Danny Mullins, Keith Donoghue, Sean Flanagan, Danny Gilligan, Jody Townend
Leading Trainer
5 Willie Mullins
1 Nicky Henderson, Lucinda Williams, Jeremy Scott, Joseph O’Brien, Rebecca Curtis, Dan Skelton, Gavin Cromwell, Barry Connell, Cian Collins
Prestbury Cup
Ireland 9 GB 5
Heads Up came very close for John McConnell but that’s 14th win in the race for Willie Mullins. And what do you know – Shuttle Diplomacy got up for third at 66/1! Maybe the Oval Office betting was the way to go!
And Bambino Fever does it!
Half a mile to go. Heads Up, No Drama This End, Bambino Fever getting into it.
And they’re away. Heads Up leads, them with Kalypsochance running well early on.
5.20 Champion Bumper (Grade One)
Day Two closes out with the Champion Bumper, the only flat race of the festival. Willie Mullins has won this race 13 times and he has four of the first five in the betting here. Bambino Fever has been the big gamble today, moving up to favouritism despite not being the choice of either Patrick Mullins or Paul Townend. But this race is rarely predictable – giving the day that’s in it with Micheál Martin in the Oval Office, maybe Tom Cooper’s Shuttle Diplomacy is worth a look at a massive price?
Here’s the betting.
7/2 Bambino Fever (Willie Mullins) Miss Jody Townend
7/2 Kalypsochance (Gordon Elliott) Danny Gilligan
4/1 Copacabana (Willie Mullins) Mr Patrick Mullins
11/2 Gameofinches (Willie Mullins) Paul Townend
10/1 Aqua Force (Willie Mullins) Mark Walsh
12/1 Bar
That’s a red-letter day for Cian Collins as well. The Tralee trainer is only 26 years old and that’s his first ever festival win.
You can’t make this stuff up. Jazzy Matty was quietly fancied, particularly having had festival success before. But for the two horses Michael O’Sullivan rode to victory in 2022 to win back-to-back races here is just beyond the beyonds.
Jazzy Matty wins! That’s the other horse Michael O’Sullivan rode two years ago. Incredible.
Loads of chances coming to the last. Unexpected Party, Jazzy Matty and JPR One travelling well.
They’re going a rattling gallop here with four to jump. Dancing On My Own is running a huge race. The King Of PRS is making moves too, as is My Mate Mozzie.
Western Zephyr and JPR One up the front as they pass the stand and head out down the back. Dancing On My Own and Unexpected Party getting involved now as well.
They go this time. Dancing On My Own leads them out.
A two-mile chase menas they’re all itching to get to the front, causing the false starts in this race and the last one. The jockeys are getting grumpy with each other.
Another false start. It’s been very messy today.
The horses are down at the start.
Jordan Gainford takes the ride on American Mike in the Grand Annual, replacing Jack Kennedy.
What a turnaround for Sean Flanagan – a massive error in the Cross Country, followed by a Champion Chase that will live forever. Sport is wild, always.
4.40 Grand Annual Handicap Chase
After all that, another two-mile chase. This one is the Grand Annual, always one of the best handicaps of the season. The Skeltons are at the forefront again here, with Unexpected Party coming back to defend his title. And despite their success already today with The New Lion, this is a notoriously difficult race to win – only two favourites have managed it in the past 20 years.
Plenty have chances here, including Gavin Cromwell who fields a team of three. My Mate Mozzie could be the best of them but Midnight It Is has to be respected too. American Mike will try to win it for Gordon Elliott.
Here’s the betting.
6/1 Unexpected Party (Dan Skelton) Harry Skelton
13/2 Jazzy Matty (Cian Michael Collins) Danny Gilligan
7/1 My Mate Mozzie
7/1 Primoz
15/2 JPR One
9/1 Bar
Such an emotional result for everyone there. Michael O’Sullivan’s girlfriend Charlotte was in the winners' enclosure to meet the horse as he came back in. And the packed crowd around the ring gave it a huge reception. Said before (literally 24 hours ago, to be precise), say it again – Cheltenham always gives up its stories.
Jonbon got back up for second, by the by. That’s some display of jockeyship by Nico de Boinville, who could very easily have pulled him up after that big mistake down the back.
And Qulixios is down at the last! That leaves Marine Nationale away and gone for the easiest win you’ll ever see. The horse Michael O’Sullivan won the Supreme on two years ago, a winner for Barry Connell.
Quilixios lead with two to go. Marine Nationale has a huge chance here.
Jonbon puts down! He’s still going but surely that’s his chance gone.
Massive pace on here. Solness has finally got to the front as they pass the stand, five fences in. That has taken a lot of energy and has surely killed his chances. Energumene is flying alongside him, Qulixios is next. Jonbon is leaving them at it in midfield.
They’re away second time. Energumene and Quilixios lead them out.
Lots of very keen horses down there. Looks like they are in no mood to let Solness get his freebie in front.
They’re heading down to the start for the Champion Chase.
Easy boy ...
The ITV covering keeps referring to Jonbon as “The apple of JP McManus’s eye”, as if anyone should be expected to care. The coverage is generally pretty good but by god, the incessant licking up to rich people is very grating.
4.00 Champion Chase (Grade One)
Here we go then for the feature race of Day Two. The Champion Chase has tended to go one of two ways over the past decade – either the odds-on favourite absolutely cruises to victory or something entirely unfancied picks its way through at a huge price. So will it be an Altior job or a Captain Guinness affair?
Jonbon-backers will clearly be hoping for the former. The JP McManus-owned horse is trained by Nicky Henderson and has won all but three races in its stellar career so far. Ominously for him though, all three defeats have come at Cheltenham. So although Jonbon looks a cut above the rest of these, it’s hard to be overly confident.
What beats him though? The Irish form looks patchy enough, with Solness having nicked two big races over the winter through opportunistic front-running rides that he won’t get away with today. Marine Nationale would bring the house down, given his history with Michael O’Sullivan – but can it really win a Champion Chase? Energumene has won it twice already but at 11 years of age, it’s surely a stretch.
Here’s the betting.
10/11 Jonbon (Nicky Henderson) Nico de Boinville
5/1 Marine Nationale (Barry Connell) Sean Flanagan
6/1 Energumene (Willie Mullins) Paul Townend
9/1 Solness (Joseph O’Brien) JJ Slevin
11/1 Bar
A tough one for Sean Flanagan, Vanillier’s jockey. He ended up finishing third, despite almost going the wrong way. Did it cost him the race? Stumptown probably had plenty in hand anyway. But that’s a bad error.
And Stumptown sees it out. That’s a fifth win in the race for Keith Donoghue and a first win of the week for Gavin Cromwell.
Turning up the hill, Late Night Pass strikes for home. But here comes Stumptown!
Five to jump and it’s Escaria Ten out in front. Late Night Pass and Stumptown are there, Galvin is staying on.
The pace is hotting up now. Escaria Ten from French Dynamite with just under a mile to go. Stumptown is falling back a little.
Getting into the meat of the race now and there’s 10 to jump. French Dynamite takes it up in advance of Escaria Ten and Stumptown. Vanillier has taken this long to get back involved but he’s right in there pitching.
Halfway through the Cross Country and it’s Mister Coffey alongside Stumptown as they cross the cheese wedges. Galvin sweated up badly beforehand but seems to be going reasonably well in midfield.
Mister Coffey and Stumptown lead them out now, Escario Ten has recovered to get up to third, with French Dynamite close behind.
Oh! Vanillier almost went the wrong way and brought Escaria Ten with him. They just about course-corrected in time and are back in the pack now.
They’re off this time. That was all a bit pointless. Vanillier leads them out, as he did the first time around.
And again! Ah here.
False start. That seems a bit needless – they have the guts of four miles to go after all.
Two minutes to the start of the Cross Country.
The Cross Country is tremendous fun, by the by. Back in the days when I went to the festival, it was so enjoyable to go out into the middle of the course and watch the horses navigate the banks and hedges.
Jack Kennedy is out for the rest of the day so Danny Gilligan will take up the ride on Found A Fifty in the Champion Chase.
Jack Kennedy has pulled out of the Cross Country. Derek O’Connor will ride Galvin instead. Hopefully he’s just sore and it’s not too serious – he has had no luck this week on his return from his sixth broken leg. Sam Ewing has also pulled out, although no reason has been given. Sam Twiston-Davies rides Coco Beach instead.
3.20 Cross Country Chase
Always a bit of a break from the hamster wheel, the Cross Country. In recent years, it has become a place for ex-Grade One horses to extend their career, and Galvin is in here trying to do just that. Sadly there’s no Delta Work, the winner of the last two runnings, who died of colic just last month.
Gavin Cromwell has the favourite Stumptown, winner of two banks races in Punchestown as well as over this course and distance back in December. Mister Coffey is the home side’s best hope, albeit only one British trainer has ever won it and that was all of 13 years ago. Keep an eye on Busselton for Joseph O’Brien who is unexposed at this discipline.
Here’s the betting.
5/2 Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell) Keith Donoghue
7/2 Galvin (Gordon Elliott) Jack Kennedy
7/1 Mister Coffey (Nicky Henderson) Nico de Boinville
7/1 Busselton (Joseph O’Brien) JJ Slevin
9/1 Bar
As always, hindsight is 20/20. Jimmy Du Seuil came second to Ballyburn last year but had been off the track for most of the time since. This was its first run in a handicap and its first run all season. Willie Mullins has had two winners today – 22/1 and 16/1! Stupid game.
And from the clouds, it’s Jimmy Du Seuil! That’s another shock winner for Willie Mullins, this time with Danny Mullins on board.
Al Gasparo has pushed on, Be Aware is improving, Colonel Mustard isn’t far away.
Buting is leading on the outside of Al Gasparo with just under a mile to go. Plenty with chances here.
Townend kicks Bunting into the lead now with five to jump.
Al Gasparo is keeping up to his work at the front as they pass the stands with a circuit to go, with But and Might I close up. Be Aware hasn’t made a move at all, no sign of Ballyadam either.
Al Galsparo has settled the pace down after that initial burst. Might I is next, with Paul Townend keeping Buting out of trouble up the front.
And they’re off. A mad dash to the first hurdle here, with 26 horses belting off into oblivion. Al Gasparo makes the pace, followed by Might I.
They’re down at the start ...
Annoyingly, there’s a horse in this race called Lossiemouth. It’s not the one who won the Mares' Hurdle yesterday. This one is trained in Britain by Polly Gundry and was bred in England. The reason there can be two of them is that the Lossiemouth that is owned by Rich Ricci and trained by Willie Mullins was bred in France. Oddly enough, both horses are named after a town in Scotland. So now you now.
2.40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
Always a pin-sticker’s delight, this race. Only one favourite has won it in the past 20 years and even that went off at 5/1 (Dame De Compagnie for Barry Geraghty in 2020). The past two runnings have gone to Langer Dan for the Skeltons, with last year’s win looking like an especially bravura plot job.
So who has had just this one day in mind all season? Clearly nobody is trusting the Skeltons this time around, making Be Aware the favourite after an eye-catching run to be second in the Greatwood in November. Feels unlikely that he’d be at the top of the market had Langer Dan not done his thing the last two years though so it’s probably worth going further down the list. Plenty will want to follow Joseph O’Brien’s Comfort Zone after his Puturhandstogether won yesterday but Colonel Mustard at 22/1 has reasonable festival form and a good claimer on board so could be worth a swing.
Here’s the betting.
7/2 Be Aware (Dan Skelton) Harry Skelton
6/1 Impose Toi (Nicky Henderson) Nico de Boinville
7/1 Comfort Zone (Joseph O’Brien) Mark Walsh
8/1 Bunting (Willie Mullins) Paul Townend
9/1 Beat The Bat (Harry Fry) Brian Carver
12/1 Bar
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase result
1 Lecky Watson 20/1
2 Stellar Story 22/1
3 Better Days Ahead 5/1
7 Ran
Ballyburn is in a photo for fourth after a nightmare round of jumping. Stellar Story gives Gordon Elliott his second place of the day, nipping out Better Days Ahead who he also trains. You have to feel a winner is coming for Elliott somewhere along the way.
Lecky Watson is away and gone! A shock win for Willie Mullins!
Better Days Ahead and Lecky Watson push to the front with two to jump!
Dancing City is making ground over his jumps, Ballyburn is losing ground at his. Hard to see the favourite winning from here. Quai De Bourbon is down at that fence and hampers Ballyburn! Three to jump!
One circuit to go and Dancing City leads Better Days Ahead. Ballyburn is bringing up the rear and not looking great.
And just as I type that, Ballyburn clatters one! Paul Townend almost went out the side door and actually lost his left iron. But he stayed aboard and there’s plenty of time to recover. He’s at the back of the bunch but that’s hardly a promising sign for favourite-backers.
Two circuit to go and Dancin City takes them up past the stands. Better Days Ahead and Lecky Watson are close by. Ballyburn isn’t getting involved, sitting out the back and letting everyone else do the work.
And they’re off. Three miles to go here so no mad gallop just yet. Danny Mullins is leading them out on Dancing City. Very sedate pace so far.
They’re down at the start. Two minutes until the tapes go up.
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade One)
Race Two is the three-mile novices’ chase, traditionally seen as a pointer to the following year’s Gold Cup. It’s a race with a long and stories history – Arkle won it back in the 1960s and the roll of honour features such heroes as Florida Pearl, Denman, Bobs Worth and Lord Windemere. Amazingly – and ominously – this year there are no British entries. The field of seven runners is entirely made up of Irish-trained horses. Hard to think of a more damning snapshot of British racing right now.
The favourite is Ballyburn, last year’s winner of the Turner’s Novices’ Hurdle. Another Willie Mullins hotpot, he would most likely be running at two-and-a-half miles if that race still existed at the festival but even though it has been scrapped, he probably still has a bit of a class edge over the rest of these. Dancing City was a prolific winner over hurdles but has plenty to find with his stablemate. Stellar Story has festival form but the ground might be a little quick for him.
Here’s the betting.
1/2 Ballyburn (Willie Mullins) Paul Townend
13/2 Dancing City (Willie Mullins) Danny Mullins
15/2 Better Days Ahead (Gordon Elliott) Jack Kennedy
12/1 Gorgeous Tom (Henry DeBromhead) Darragh O’Keeffe
14/1 Quai De Bourbon (Willie Mullins) Mr Patrick Mullins
16/1 Bar
Turners Novices’ Hurdle Result
1 The New Lion 3/1
2 The Yellow Clay 5/2
3 Final Demand 11/8
11 ran
That was a bit of a sprint in the end but what a race that was up the hill. All three market leaders had their chances but The New Lion saw it out. Vindication for JP McManus who bought the winner for a reputed £1m back in January. That’s some of it paid back at least.
Final Demand, The Yellow Clay and The New Lion jump the last in a line! The Yellow Clay and The New Lion fight each other up the hill and it’s a win for The New Lion and the Skeltons!
Potters Charm passes Sixmilebridge with three to jump.
The New Lion and Final Demand haven’t played any cards yet. Four to jump.
Out on to the final circuit and its still Sixmilebridge from Potters Charm and The Yellow Clay. Tightly bunched field in behind them. They’ll start racing soon.
Sixmilebridge and Potters Charm are pushing the pace through the early stages. Supersundae is tucked in behind. Final Demand sitting in mid-division, not doing anything mad just yet.
And they’re off. Sixmilebridge was keen enough at the tapes and caused the whole field to have to turn around and go again. But he leads them out over the first.
They’re gone down to the start. Two minutes until the tapes go up.
No change in the ground, despite the flurry of snow that came this morning. Still good to soft – apparently the amount of snow that fell adds up to around 2ml of rain. The sun is out in Cheltenham now so expect it to dry out a bit as the day goes on.
1.20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One)
The opener on Day Two is the intermediate grade one novice race for hurdlers. It rarely gets quite the same hype as the Supreme, although that probably has as much to do with the fact that the Supreme is the first race of the festival as anything else. But it has thrown up plenty of quality winners down through the decades.
In recent years, it has become a Mullins/Townend penalty kick and the Closutton duo are looking for their fourth win in a row in the race this time around with Final Demand heading the betting market. But he’s not expected to have it all his own way – The New Lion runs for the Skelton team having been bought for a reputed £1m by JP McManus in January. And The Yellow Clay for Gordon Elliott is unbeaten in his last four starts.
Here’s the betting ...
11/8 Final Demand (Willie Mullins) Paul Townend
15/8 The New Lion (Dan Skelton) Harry Skelton
6/1 The Yellow Clay (Gordon Elliott) Jack Kennedy
14/1 Potters Charm (Nigel Twiston-Davies) Sam Twiston-Davies
22/1 Bar
The attendance figures made ever more grim reading yesterday – the 55,000 crowd was down 5,000 on last year and down 13,000 on 2023. Meanwhile, half the world seems to be in Benidorm watching the whole show – and presumably following along on The Irish Times liveblog. More power to them.
