Trainer Willie Mullins bagged his 100th Cheltenham Festival winner with Jasmin De Vaux claiming the Champion Bumper in the final race of Style Wednesday. The second day of the Festival started on a bum note with Nicky Henderson withdrawing a number of horses and the Cross Country Chase being abandoned due to overnight rain. Mullins started Wednesday with 97 winners after three triumphs on Cheltenham Tuesday and made that 98 in the first race with Ballyburn winning the Novices’ Hurdle. It became 99 wins straight away with Fact To File winning the Novices’ Chase but it did look as though the magic No100 would need to wait until Thursday after 2/9 favourite for the
Queen Mother Champion Chase El Fabiolo pulled up – Rachael Blackmore on Captain Guinness won the feature race on Style Wednesday for trainer Henry de Bromhead. But in the last Jasmin De Vaux notched up the Mullins milestone. “It’s a wonderful day, it’s fantastic. As much I enjoy what’s happening, I think of my colleague and fellow trainer Nicky Henderson and what’s happened with his yard this week,” Mullins said. “That’s always a worry that we have in the two or three weeks coming up to Cheltenham, that something will come in and bite you from outside. As much as we’re enjoying it, I don’t know how he must be feeling. “You want competition and it must be gutting for him. You’d like good opposition to have fun with because I’m sure he would have beaten us a few times this week.” Elsewhere Langer Dan defended the Coral Cup Hurdle and Unexpected Party triumphed later in the day to make it two wins on Wednesday for Harry and Dan Skelton. Cheltenham Gold Cup – (3) Al Boum Photo (2019, 2020), Galopin Des Champs (2023) Champion Hurdle – (5)
Hurricane Fly (2011, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Annie Power (2016), State Man (2024) Queen Mother Champion Chase – (2) Energumene (2022, 2023) Stayers’ Hurdle – (2) Nichols Canyon (2017), Penhill (2018) Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – (7) Tourist Attraction (1995), Ebaziyan (2007), Champagne Fever (2013), Vautour (2014), Douvan (2015), Klassical Dream (2019), Appreciate It (2021) Arkle Challenge Trophy – (6) Un de Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016), Footpad (2018), Duc des Genievres (2019), El Fabiolo (2023), Gaelic Warrior (2024) David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle – (10) Quevega (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), Glens Melody (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016), Benie Des Dieux (2018), Lossiemouth (2024) Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle – (7) Fiveforthree (2008), Mikael d’Haguenet (2009), Faugheen (2014), Yorkhill (2016), Sir Gerhard (2022), Impaire Et Passe (2023), Ballyburn (2024) Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – (6)
Florida Pearl (1998), Rule Supreme (2004), Cooldine (2009), Don Poli (2015), Monkfish (2021), Fact To File (2024) Champion Bumper – (13) Wither or Which (1996), Florida Pearl (1997), Alexander Banquet (1998), Joe Cullen (2000), Missed That (2005), Cousin Vinny (2008), Champagne Fever (2012), Briar Hill (2013), Relegate (2018), Ferny Hollow (2020), Sir Gerhard (2021), Facile Vega (2022), Jasmin De Vaux (2024) Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – (3) Penhill (2017), Monkfish (2020), The Nice Guy (2022) Ryanair Chase – (5) Vautour (2016), Un de Sceaux (2017), Min (2020), Allaho (2021,2022) Triumph Hurdle – (4) Scolardy (2002), Burning Victory (2020), Vauban (2022), Lossiemouth (2023) Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – (5) Limini (2016), Let’s Dance (2017), Laurina (2018), Eglantine Du Seuil (2019), Concertista (2020) National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup – (4) Back in Focus (2013), Rathvinden (2018), Stattler (2022), Gaillard Du Mesnil (2023) Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – (4) Sir Des Champs (2011), Don Poli (2014), Killultagh Vic (2015), Galopin Des Champs (2021) Coral Cup – (1) Bleu Berry (2018) County Handicap Hurdle – (6) Thousand Stars (2010), Final Approach (2011), Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic
fire (2017), Saint Roi (2020), State Man (2022) Golden Miller Novices’ Chase – (4) Sir Des Champs (2012), Vautour (2015), Black Hercules (2016), Yorkhill (2017) Liberthine Mares’ Chase – (2) Colreevy (2021), Elimay (2022) St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase – (1) Billaway (2022)