The feature race winner on day two was Il Etait Temps, who comfortably won the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Willie Mullins was victorious despite favourite Majborough’s big mistakes, while beforehand, a racism row erupted in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
We round-up the racing news today in our daily feature.
Il Etait Temps wins Champion Chase
The diminutive grey Il Etait Temps completed a storming success in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Ridden by Paul Townend for Willie Mullins, he firmly bounced back from a fall at Ascot. The race was dramatic, favourite Majborough setting a furious gallop before making some shuddering errors. That set up the race up for a closer and Townend had sat off the pace. He therefore easily picked up the pieces as Il Etait Temps survived a final flight scare to win by ten lengths. (BBC)
Cheltenham Festival: Martator & Kitzbuhel star in shocks as racism allegations erupt in Turners
After King Rasko Grey won the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, a racism row erupted between two jockeys. Irish amateur Declan Queally, who guided his own horse I’ll Sort That to finish fifth, accused Nico De Boinville of racist comments at the start of the race. An official complaint was lodged by Queally at the end of racing on Wednesday. The allegations will now be investigated. (Sky Sports)
In a huge upset later on the card, Martator claimed the Grand Annual. Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch have endured a tough season, but their chaser claimed the race at monumental odds of 66/1. His win follows Poniros’ 100/1 triumph at the meeting last season. Martator himself is the first winner at his exact odds since Premier Magic in the 2023 Hunter Chase, with only three winners since 1988 going off at longer odds than him at the Cheltenham Festival. (Irish Field)
The other Grade 1 on the card saw another Willie Mullins-trained runner victorious. As in the Arkle and Champion Chase, it was not the nominated stable first choice as Kitzbuhel dug deep under a front-running ride from Harry Cobden to repel stablemate Final Demand. In a thrilling finish, the grey forged on to win by just under a length. It was a second Grade 1 of the season for him after the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton. (Sporting Life)
Finally, owner Max McNeill bemoaned the start of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. False starts have been a theme at the Cheltenham Festival in recent seasons. They reared their head again on Wednesday, with McNeill unhappy at how it inconvenienced Turners favourite No Drama This End, who was ultimately pulled up. “They can give them a second chance, so why didn’t they?” McNeill asked after the race concluded. (Racing Post)