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Cheltenham Wednesday reaction: David Ord on the day two drama

By David Ord

Sporting Life Plus

Thu March 13, 2025 · 3d ago

Our man watches three big heavyweight clashes at the Festival and two late winners that put everything into perspective.

Cheltenham day two starts with snow. Not sleet, not a wintry mix, thick flakes.

I get to the sanctuary of the Media Centre, the white stuff clinging to the remaining strands of my hair and the two coats that I’ve grabbed from the boot of the car. One of them won’t fasten.

But someone needs to head to the middle of the course to interview Patrick Mullins. So, I delegate, eat a bacon sandwich and thaw out.

A snowy start at Cheltenham on Wednesday

The morning passes. The weather improves. No more snow. The crowds flock in, the bands start playing - the warm welcome Cheltenham are offering racegoers evident.

Free scratch cards are... well, scratched. Prizes won, race tickets, drinks, food, gift vouchers, you name it.

Ahead of everyone here are three big clashes. Final Demand v The New Lion. Ballyburn v Dancing City. Jonbon v Energumene.

Lunch time. Chicken cooked with dark chocolate and chipotle. It tastes nicer than it sounds. But then I look down. The wooden fork I ate it with, resplendent with four wooden prongs, is now reduced to three.

The dearly departed isn’t on the plate either. I head to google. I just need to make sure I don’t develop a temperature. Apparently eating the prong of a wooden fork isn’t that uncommon.

I need to chew my food more thoroughly.

Ding Ding round one

The sun is out, it looks glorious, so I head outside. It's cold, but it’s Cheltenham. It is glorious and for Dan and Harry Skelton very significant.

The New Lion wins the Turners. It's his first run for a delighted JP McManus. The winner is the stalker, in the slipstream of The Yellow Clay and Final Demand going to the last.

He goes there, in his trainer’s view and one backed up by the replay, on the same stride State Man did in the Champion yesterday. But The New Lion has a hind leg down, an anchor.

He’s over. Now the hind leg drives him forward. The favourite is beaten, The Yellow Clay drifts across, the freedom of the Cheltenham hill for the pursuer becomes a narrow lane but it’s enough for the Best of British. He’s through and home.

Harry Skelton returns sporting both a black eye courtesy of a disagreement with a foal, and a scarf in the McManus silks.

JP is reminded that Istabraq won this race before switching back to two miles to win the Champion Hurdle. He knew that. But for Skelton, Daniel, this is something different.

“I’m not new to this game, but I’m new to horses like this,” he smiled. Grade One winning novice hurdlers at Cheltenham. Wearing the Green and Gold.

We get quotes from the bookmakers for next year’s Champion Hurdle - he’s 6/1 with Sky Bet. Maybe, just maybe, the Martinstown tap is about to be turned on for the Champion Trainer-elect.

I walk back to the media centre and see Steve Bruce deep in conversation with Mouse Morris on the weighing room steps and wonder if someone has slipped something into my coffee.

Ding Ding round two

How early did you know Ballyburn was beaten? Hesitant at the fences, not taking a cut when Paul Townend saw a stride. The shuddering mistake at the top of the hill on the first circuit and the jockey has lost his irons?

You’re waiting for him to be pulled up. But he stays in there, at the rear of the field, still deliberate at the obstacles but he gets to the finish.

It’s clear though coming down the hill he isn’t a player. Dancing City is but clouts the third last and that’s him done.

Quai De Bourbon has already unseated Patrick Mullins at the fence at the top of the hill, not an obstacle the Closutton jockeys will be taking home fond memories of tonight.

But Willie Mullins still has Lecky Watson in there. And he’s past Better Days Ahead and in front turning in.

“We ran four and I had him fourth in our team,” Mullins admitted afterwards.

But this is his Grade One. He’s strong up the hill.

Is it a Gold Cup campaign now next season?

The trainer smiles: “I wasn’t thinking that way, but I am now.”

Lecky Watson on his way to winning the Brown Advisory

I spot Richard Hughes on the outskirts of the celebrations, phone clutched to his ear.

There’s a connection. The winning owners, the Slaneyville Syndicate, are Lar Byrne and family. Byrne owned Hardy Eustace, now there’s a horse. Trained by Richard’s late father Dessie.

And the winning rider Sean O’Keeffe counts a Martin Pipe success on his CV. Aboard a certain Galopin Des Champs.

As fourth strings go, he had a very good Festival pedigree. Britain still lead the Prestbury Cup but couldn’t muster a single runner in the Brown Advisory. Even a first string would have been nice.

Ding Ding round three

Time for the heavyweight clash. By now Ireland lead the Prestbury Cup. Mullins has won the Coral Cup with Jimmy De Seuill. Gavin Cromwell the Glenfarclas with Stumptown.

Because of the earlier weather conditions we’re not allowed out onto the centre of the track to watch the Cross-Country. I pretend I was going to. It’s always good to join an angry mob.

Love Island’s Chris Hughes is in the media centre to watch it. He has two coats, one of which is draped over his shoulders like a cape. Bet that doesn’t fasten either.

Everyone out for the big one.

The tapes go up. Coronation time for Jonbon?

It’s not. One shuddering mistake down the back for the second time and he’s cooked – for all a late rally up the hill carries him into second. Energumene burns bright early but three out he's on the retreat and he's pulled up.

Behind the winner Marine Nationale.

Sean Flanagan pays tribute after Marine Nationale's win

And you’re taken back to that horse’s success in the Sky Bet Supreme of 2023 under Michael O’Sullivan. And to yesterday’s renewal of the race run in the late jockey’s honour.

Winning owner-trainer Barry Connell waits to walk back with his star, there’s a rousing reception, eyes are skyward.

A horse that mattered so much to a jockey who’s loss remains so raw and recent, especially to those closest to him.

And then Jazzy Matty, who won the Fred Winter for O'Sullivan on that same Tuesday afternoon, lands the Grand Annual.

His brother Alan rides Walking On Air in the Kim Muir on Thursday. No runner will head to post all week with more people rooting for it.

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