ONE DAY DOWN, three to go.
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- Sprinter Sacre wins the Queen Mother Chase
- Willie Mullins adds two more victories in the National Hunt Chase (Back In Focus) and the Champion Bumper (Briar Hill)
- Ruby Walsh has one winner after yesterday’s hat-trick – bringing Briar Hill home in the Champion Bumper
- Davy Russell wins the RSA Chase on Lord Windermere after Boston Bob’s fall in the RSA Chase
Good afternoon, and welcome along to the second day of this year’s festival. For all those who lumped behind Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins yesterday, you will have been rewarded for your faith.
If, however, you weren’t quite so lucky… don’t you worry as there’s plenty of chances to redeem yourself yet.
The course has been given the green light after the 8am inspection and it’s looking a considerably sunnier day for those in attendance.
Today’s schedule looks like this:
1.30pm – John Oaksey National Hunt Chase
2.05pm – Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle
2.40pm – RSA Chase
3.20pm – Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase
4pm – Coral Cup
4.40pm – Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
5.15pm – Weatherby’s Champion Bumper
So, what are you backing today and why? Let us know all your inside knowledge before we make our trip to the local bookmaker.
The big race of the day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.20pm. Sprinter Sacre will be an extremely short priced favourite to take this one and the Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old should bully his way through the 2 mile race.
Ted Walsh has called it a “one horse race”. Watch a preview below:
Willie Mullins speaking to Off The Ball last night: “I got huge satisfaction from Hurricane Fly but you have to think that Quevega. She’s just a mare of a liftetime. A horse of a lifetime to do what she did.”
On the chances of Pont Alexandre doing a number on the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle today, he added: “He’s in great form. Hopefully the event doesn’t get to him now. I’m looking forward to him.”
Listen to the full interview here
Did I mention it’s Ladies’ Day?
19-year-old Joseph O’Brien, son of top trainer Aidan, makes his Cheltenham Festival debut in the Champion Bumper (5.15). The champion flat jockey is looking to add to his 2000 Guineas and English and Irish Derby wins here.
Less than a half hour out from today’s curtain-raiser – the John Oaksey National Hunt Novices’ Chase. The Mullins partnership of trainer Willie and son Patrick take the favourite Back In Focus (9/4) into this 4 mile, which is the longest race of the week.
Tofino Bay and Nina Carberry, Godsmejudge, ridden by Annelise King, and David Pipe on board Buddy Bolero are the real contenders.
In some jockey news, Paul Carberry has not recovered from a fall yesterday and is replaced by Davey Condon on Bondage in the Coral Cup (4pm).
Mullins for Pope?
Our man on the ground Niall Kelly is currently soaking up the atmosphere. Here’s a text we received from him 20 minutes ago:
You can hear Niall talking about today’s races on Spin 1038 at 1.50pm.
Here we go. They’re off and running in the John Oaksey National Hunt Chase. As I said, 4 miles to run.
It’s Highland Lodge from Tofino Bay on the outside with Godsmejudge in third.
At the halfway mark, it’s Tofino Bay in front with Highland Lodge close behind.
Scampi Boy and Jack Sherwood are the first fallers while Rose Of The Moon has been pulled up.
Back In Focus and Patrick Mullins win the Jon Oasksey National Chase after a dramatic finish! Tofino Bay and Nina Carberry held a strong lead when Rival D’Estruval fell at the last but ran out of steam and Back In Focus dug deep to pass the post first.
Patrick Mullins speaking to Channel 4: “I thought he made a bad mistake at the ditch at the back. I thought the best I’d be was second when Derek fell but he’s a brave horse.”
Here’s the result:
1. Back In Focus (9/4 fav)
2. Tofina Bay (8/1)
3. Godsmejudge (7/1)
A quite emotional Willie Mullins has just expressed his delight that his son could win follow in his footsteps and win the National Hunt Chase.
Next up is the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle at 2.05. We’ve got two non-runners to report – Puffin Billy and Sizing Gold.
Ruby Walsh is favourite in the Novices’ Hurdle. After his three wins yesterday, he returns on Pont Alexandre (5/4). The Twiston Davies team of Sam and Nigel represent the main challenge with The New One (9/2) while Davy Russell rides Rule The World (6/1).
AP McCoy, meanwhile partners, Taquin Du Seuil (6/1) and Barry Geragthy teams up with Chatterbox (9/1).
It’s been a good start for the punters. Can Pont Alexandre keep that going?
Away they go. 2 miles 5 furlongs to run.
Ruby Walsh and Pont Alexandre head the pack with 6 to jump . Ubak second and The New One is third .
Pont Alexandre and Ubak side by side. 4 to go.
Amazing. The New One wins the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle! Pont Alexandre just couldn’t keep up at the end and comes in third with Rule The World taking second.
Sam Twiston Davies triumphs and it’s his first winner here as a pro.
This is how they finished:
1. The New One (7/2)
2. Rule The World (5/1)
3. Pont Alexandre (6/4 fav)
Warren G has turned up…
The third race is the RSA Chase at 2.40.
I’m beginning to sound like a broken record here but Ruby rides the favourite once again. After missing out on Pont Alexandre, he looks to win the RSA Chase on board Paul Nicholls-trained Unioniste (11/4). Willie Mullin’s big hope here is Boston Bob (5/1) and with Ruby on another horse, Paul Townsend gets the nod. Hadrians Approach, ridden by Barry Geraghty, is 7/1.
The RSA Chase has just started. 3m 1/2 f is the length.
All 11 horses grouped together at the moment with a circuit left to travel. Houblon Des Obeaux with a narrow lead.
Goulanes leads from Real Milan with three to jump.
And the RSA Chase goes to Lord Windermere and Davy Russell after Boston Bob has a devastating falling at the final jump. Agonising for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.
Davy Russell: “I don’t know much about this horse, I’ve ridden him once before. Jim Culloty and the lads have done a marvelous job.”
The first three in the RSA Chase:
1. Lord Windermere (8/1)
2. Lyreen Legend (10/1)
3. Hadrian’s Approach (7/1)
Boston Bob’s fall:
Ireland edging it at the moment…
It’s not long now until the main event of the day – the Queen Mother Champion Chase begins at 3.20pm.
No one is looking beyond Sprinter Sacre. Partnered by Barry Geragthy, the seven-year-old will be the shortest priced horse in the race since Arkle in 1966. You can get him at 1/4. Sizing Europe is 6/1 and Mail de Bievre is next up at 20/1, while there are seven runners.
He’s a banker then, surely?
Okay, no more waiting. We’re off and running in this 2 miler.
Mail De Bievre is the early leader while Sumersby is gone already.
Sizing Europe from Sprinter Sacre with 3 to jump. It’s between the two here.
Sprinter Sacre opens up a big lead on Sizing Europe and saunters home to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Was there ever any doubt?
“He’s a beautiful horse to ride,” says Barry Geraghty. “Things would have to go very wrong to go wrong. I’ve ridden some brilliant horse over the years but it’s the easy and grace with which he does it
As expected, the Queen Mother Champion Chase result is:
1. Sprinter Sacre (1/4 fav)
2. Sizing Europe (6/1)
Afternoon folks, are ye winning?
Sean Farrell here taking the reins (geddit?) from Ben Blake who needs a lie down after watching the supreme majesty of Sprinter Sacre win the Champion Chase.
Here’s Barry in victorious pose.
The jockeys are coming out of the weigh room for the 4pm, Coral Cup.
One of the riders is not as advertised.
The 20/1 shot Bondage will now be manned by Davy Condon after Paul Carberry was forced to pull out.
Grade 3 makes this race harder to predict. Willie Mullins’ Abbey Lane with Ruby Walsh on board has been backed into second favourite (8/1) behind AP McCoy on Pendra (6/1).
Mullins’ other horse in this race is FiveforThree while Jonjo O’Neill has Mr Watson at 16/1.
Here they go.
Pendra has not started well, held up towards the back of the field. Loose Chips leads. Plenty of track left, though.
Half way there and Loose Chips still leads from Times a Waistin. Abbey Lane well back.
Black thunder falls on the second last. Meister Eckhart now leads after the last turn.
Medinas wins the Coral Cup, a big outsider at 33/1.
Wayne Hutchinson, a late replacement on Medinas says “He’s got such a big heart this lad – a little terrier.”
So an outsider in the winner’s circle and a bit of value in the places as well with FiveForThree and Paul Townend coming in third.
Right, we’ve cleared away all the torn up betting slips. Next up is another Grade 3, the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap hurdle.
Ruby Walsh is aboard the favourite again here, Sphir Du Rheu trained by Paul Nicholls is a 6/1 shot.
AP McCoy is on John-Joe O’Neill’s 10/1 chance, Another Sensation.
Willie Mullins has three horses here, Fatcatinthehat is the best of ‘em at 20/1.
Flaxen Flare wins the Fred winter Juvenile Handicap hurdle. 25/1 under Davy Condon.
Big prices all round:
Coming in behind the 25/1 winner are two Paul Nicholls trained horses: Caid Du Berlais at 20/1 and Ptit Zig in third (22/1).
A rejuvenated Ben Blake here to see out the day. There’s just the one race left but the Weatherbys Champion Bumper is particularly interesting as it marks Joseph O’Brien’s debut at the Cheltenham Festival. The Irish teenager rides Shield (14/1) while the favourite is Regal Encore (15/2), who teams up with AP McCoy.
Also among the 23 runners is I’m Fraam Govan, who Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has flew in to watch. He’s unlikely to see his 66/1 shot win, however.
Trainer Nicky Henderson, being interviewed by Racing UK, has just compared Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Sprinter Sacre to James Bond. “He knows he’s good looking,” Henderson says, before adding that he’d like to see him at Punchestown.
Sorry, what?
Post time. For the last time today, they’re off.
Vieux Lion Rouge in front at the halfway point with Kayf Moss second.
Ruby Walsh and Briar Hill burst into the lead and win the Champion Bumper. Win number four for Walsh and number 5 of the festival for trainer Willie Mullins, who sounds a little surprised by this latest victory.
Here’s the result:
1. Briar Hill (25/1)
2. Regal Encore (7/1)
3. Golantilla (9/1)
And with that Day 2 draws to a close. Don’t worry though, there’s only 19 1/2 hours until we do it all again!
