Il Etait Temps bounced back from his fall in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot to run out a wide-margin winner of the Champion Chase, taking advantage of Majborough's error-strewn display.
Majborough, sent off the 5/6 favourite following his stunning 19-length success in the Dublin Chase, was let down by his jumping, just as he had been when third in the Arkle last season.
He jumped boldly and raced enthusiastically in the lead in the first half of the race but mistakes started to creep in - he wasn't fluent six out or five out - and he made a race-ending blunder at the third last.
Il Etait Temps, a well-supported 5/2 shot and stablemate of the favourite, was held up off the strong pace by Paul Townend but made stylish headway coming down the hill and loomed up travelling strongly on the turn for home.
There was a late scare when it looked as if he might knuckle on landing after jumping the final fence, but he quickly recovered and scampered ten lengths clear to give Willie Mullins a third win in the Champion Chase. He was chased home by 50/1 shot Libberty Hunter, with L'Eau du Sud a length and three-quarters back in third.
Il Etait Temps may have been the stable's second string but had already proven himself as a top-class chaser in his own right courtesy of Grade 1 wins in the Celebration Chase at Sandown last season and the Tingle Creek Chase at the same course earlier this term.
He was sent off a long odds-on favourite for the Clarence House Chase on the back of his impressive win in the Tingle Creek but looked held when taking a heavy fall at the second last. He seemed much more comfortable back on a sounder surface at Cheltenham, though, and quickly stamped his class on proceedings after sweeping into the lead on the approach to the second last.
It was a sixth Grade 1 win over fences for Il Etait Temps and a first success at Cheltenham.
16:00 Cheltenham - Queen Mother Champion Chase result
1st Il Etait Temps 5/2
2nd Libberty Hunter 50/1
3rd L'Eau du Sud 13/2
'He is small, but he is mighty'
Il Etait Temps is part-owned by Craig Kieswetter, the former wicketkeeper-batsman who was man of the match when England won the T20 World Cup final in 2010. He said: "It is terrific. It has been a long time coming and we have worked pretty hard for it. It was an interesting race. We probably didn’t have the most ideal preparation coming into it, but we will take it. He is small, but he is mighty and he has given us a lot of surprises and a lot of joy so we will take it and I’m delighted.
"I was just hoping he would get over the last and crawl up the hill and we are all happy. He is not the biggest as we know and I think a lot of stuff went in our favour today. The ground was perfect and conditions were perfect. There were a few errors from a couple of other horses in the race and we took advantage, but nearly didn’t."
He added: "Sometimes there are no remarks in the score column. It is a win for the whole team, and a Grade 1 win for the whole team at Cheltenham. Well done to Willie, Jackie, Paul and the whole team. I’m delighted.
“I would rather win at Cheltenham than I would win a World Cup. It is a different feeling, but it is great to do it with family and friends and be part of it. This is his fourth attempt at trying to win here so it is nice to get over the line."
Watch the Champion Chase in full
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
Anxious moments for Mullins
Mullins, who was enjoying his fifth winner at the meeting, said: "I thought Paul was very brave on him because he couldn’t go the pace they were setting for the first mile; he sat and sat, and coming down the hill we could all see that the further he was going, the better he was going. I nearly had a heart attack at the last fence though!"
Il Etait Temps had worn a hood since getting off the mark in a maiden hurdle at Thurles in November 2022 but the headgear was removed for the Champion Chase. Mullins felt that decision made a positive impact and commented: "Taking the hood off and this ground made a big difference to him as well, I’d say. That was his best performance at Cheltenham. I was wondering, was he a horse that didn’t like this place? But when we went through his form here we found excuses for every run, and perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all.
"We had to do something. Since the time he was a young horse he was always very keen. He’s always worn a hood, and then after Ascot we knew we had to change something, and we think that made a real difference."
'He's so mentally tough'
Reacting to how the race unfolded, Townend said: “I got a good start and I jumped the first couple okay, but I was always just going to go my speed, and it wasn’t as fast as they were going up front! But I wasn’t going to put him on his head - the best way to get him back wasn’t going to be to force him and go too fast. But that’s thing about riding for the likes of Willie - they know why you’re doing it, and it all came good in the end.
“I thought taking the hood off would help. It’s hard to change it when he’s winning, but if you’re knocked back, you can change it up then. He’s so tough, he’s so mentally tough to come back after Ascot. A lot of work went into him after that and there are a lot of people to thank - I’m lucky enough to get to hand him back at the end of the day and arrive on him next time knowing he’s in tip-top condition. A lot of credit to everyone at home."