Cheltenham Festival day 2 guide: Results and winners

Willie Mullins completed a century of Cheltenham Festival winners, with the 100th fittingly coming with his son Patrick in the saddle on board Jasmin De Vaux.

After Gaelic Warrior, State Man and Lossiemouth delivered on Tuesday to take the trainer to 97 Cheltenham winners, Mullins saddled three more odds-on favourites in Grade 1 races today. 

Two of them, Ballyburn and Fact to File, won their races, but El Fabiolo pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

However the last race of the race delivered for the Mullins family. 

When is day two of Cheltenham Festival?

The meeting got under way yesterday (Tuesday), and continues today (Wednesday, March 13). The first of seven races is off at 1.30pm. Scroll down for a full schedule.

Your guide to Cheltenham day three here

How can I watch Cheltenham Festival?

The first five races of each day of the meeting will be broadcast live free-to-air on ITV1 and on streaming via ITVX. For coverage of the entire card, including the final two races of each day, Racing TV is the place to go.

What races are on day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival?

1.45 (from 1.30): Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 
Winner: Ballyburn

2.30 (from 2.10): Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Winner: Fact to File

3.15 (from 2.50): Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 
Winner: Langer Dan

4.00 (from 3.30): Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 
Winner: Captain Guinness

4.10: Glenfarclas Chase (Cross Country Chase)
Best bet: Galvin

4.50: Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 
Winner: Unexpected Party

5.30: Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1)
Winner: Jasmin De Vaux

Today will see light cloud above Cheltenham with only a 10 per cent chance of rain. The temperature is expected to be between 10 and 13C with winds of 27-32mph. Visibility is expected to be good.

The latest going report for this afternoon said it was heavy, soft (in places) on the Old Course; soft, heavy (in places) on the New Course.

Cheltenham Festival day 2 tips

Marcus Armytage’s best bet

Fact To File (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, 2.10): It is hard to get away from the credentials of Fact To File, who looks likely to be a standing dish in the very best races for several seasons to come and he can shine brightest in his toughest test to date on his first try at three miles, with the step up in trip fancied to bring about even further improvement. He is a prominent racing, strong travelling seven-year old who can serve it up to his rivals from a long way out and take an awful lot of pegging back; he rates banker material.

Charlie Brooks’ best bet

Captain Guinness (Queen Mother Champion Chase, 3.30): Captain Guinness might not be the most obvious choice in the Queen Mother, but he won on heavy ground at Naval in November and he was second in this race last year. There is no Energumene to beat this year, and a repeat of last year’s effort over course and distance would probably be good enough to win this.

Telegraph Sport’s best bet

Monty’s Star (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase): An afterthought in the market here and the most likely improver. The form of his last run reads especially well and giving his running it is hard to see him being out of the frame. The booking of Rachael Blackmore is an obvious plus. Big chance at a backable price. 

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