We have reached the halfway stage of the Cheltenham Festival and already it has been a thrill ride. The Greatest Show on Turf has lived up to its lofty billing, with even more racing excitement to come.
Here’s everything that went down on Day Two at the Festival. All odds cited come courtesy of Betfred*.
Novices' Hurdle
1st. Impaire Et Passe (5/2)
2nd.Gaelic Warrior (9/2)
3rd. Champ Kiely (13/2)
Sir Alex Ferguson isn’t used to losing, having won a record 13 Premier League titles as manager of Manchester United. But the iconic Scotsman had to settle for defeat in today’s opening race. His horse, Hermes Allen, was the pre-race favourite for the Novices’ Hurdle. But victory went to Impaire Et Passe as Ferguson was made to stomach a rare defeat.
Novices’ Chase
1st. The Real Whacker (8/1)
2nd. Gerri Colombe (5/4)
3rd. Bronn (50/1)
Some clinical jumping saw The Real Whacker edge out the competition by a nose in the Novices’ Chase. Bronn pushed the eventual victor all the way, while favourite Gerri Colombe edged into contention down the stretch. This was trainer Patrick Neville’s first winner at the famous Festival.
DELTA WORK was made to battle just like last year with Tiger Roll, but this year Galvin couldn't get past either in the @Glenfarclas Chase
#CheltenhamFestival
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
1st. Langer Dan (9/1)
2nd. An Epic Song (16/1)
3rd. Camprond (20/1)
Langer Dan, An Epic Song and Camprond played out a superb triple threat tussle over the line in the Coral Cup. The Dan Skelton-trained Langer Dan had come up short twice at the Festival before, including falling at the second flight as favourite in last season’s Jockey’s Hurdle. But there was no such heartbreak this time for the seven-year-old.
Queen Mother Champion Chase
1st. Energumene (6/5)
2nd. Captain Guinness (12/1)
3rd. Greaneteen (25/1)
Energumene retained this title after triumphing in 2022. Paul Townend steered the Willie Mullins-trained horse to victory in what was a dominant display. Second-favourite Edwardstone never really got going and had to settle for fifth place.
Cross Country Chase
1st. Delta Work (11/10)
2nd. Galvin (11/4)
3rd. Franco De Port (9/2)
Delta Work’s performance was anything but a drag in the Cross Country Chase, as the ten-year-old edged out stablemate Galvin to claim the crown. Franco De Port was another Willie Mullins horse that went close on a mixed Day Two for the great trainer.
Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
1st. Maskada 22/1
2nd. Dinoblue (7/2)
3rd. Global Citizen (12/1)
Henry de Bromhead’s Maskada surprised a few here, seeing off the heavily-backed Dinoblue as well as Global Citizen, who was being tipped by those in the know in some quarters. Darragh O'Keeffe steered the seven-year-old home here, having taken Plan of Attack in the Cross Country Chase.
Weatherbys Champion Bumper
1st. A Dream To Share (7/2)
2nd. Fact To File (16/5)
3rd. Captain Teague (40/1)
Full race report
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
