Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival provided drama on and off the track, with Jimmy Du Seuil producing a fine display to land the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, while the weather threw a surprise of its own with snowfall midway through the card.
Jimmy Du Seuil gave Willie Mullins another Festival winner, with Danny Mullins guiding the six-year-old to a well-judged victory in the Coral Cup. Always travelling well, he hit the front after the last and stayed on strongly to fend off the late challenge of Lucky Place.
“He’s a classy horse,” said Danny Mullins. “It was about getting him into a rhythm, and once he got rolling, he did it well.”
It continues Mullins’ dominance at Cheltenham, with his team firing on all cylinders across both days so far.
One of the biggest surprises of the day came in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, where Lecky Watson capitalized on errors from others to storm home at 20/1 under Sean O’Keeffe.
With Ballyburn, the 4/7 favourite, making a costly mistake early on, Lecky Watson took control in the latter stages and pulled clear to win by four lengths from Stellar Story.
O’Keeffe was full of praise post-race: “He’s always been a good horse, and he’s been improving with every run. We thought the trip would suit, and it did.”
Highly touted The New Lion lived up to his billing, securing victory in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle under Harry Skelton for trainer Dan Skelton. Running in the JP McManus silks, the six-year-old was kept patiently in the rear before making his move and outbattling Final Demand and The Yellow Clay.
“Harry gave him an outstanding ride—so patient. I trusted the horse, and he didn’t let us down,” said Dan Skelton.
Harry Skelton, sporting a black eye after a mishap with a foal earlier in the week, added: “This place is magic. You hope one day to find a great one, and this lad could be it.”
Cheltenham’s unpredictable weather played its part as snowfall mid-afternoon left the course softer than expected, changing tactics for the later races.
“It altered the going more than people think,” said Nico de Boinville. “Some horses relished it, others just couldn’t pick up.”
Next up the Grade 1 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Royal Attendance Graces the Festival
The festival’s prestige was further elevated by the unannounced arrival of Queen Camilla, patron of The Jockey Club, who attended to witness the day’s events, including the prestigious Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. She was joined by Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall, underscoring the royal family’s enduring connection to horse racing.
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