Cheltenham day two: Willie Mullins claims 14th win in Champion Bumper race
Eva Osborne
Day two of Cheltenham closes out with the Champion Bumper, the only flat race of the festival. Willie Mullins has now won this race 14 times, with Bambino Fever claiming victory.
Heads Up came very close for John McConnell and Shuttle Diplomacy got up for third at 66/1.
14 G1 Champion Bumper victories for Willie Mullins
Bambino Fever wins the finale 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9nAVvCd73l
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2025
Jazzy Matty, ridden by Danny Gilligan, won the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase.
Jazzy Matty is the second horse ridden by the late Michael O'Sullivan two years ago to win a race today.
Although Jazzy Matty was quietly fancied, particularly having had festival success before, for the two horses Michael O’Sullivan rode to victory in 2022 to win back-to-back races here is just beyond the beyonds, The Irish Times reported.
Barry Connell's Marine Nationale won the Champion Chase following a bad error from Jonbon.
This is the same horse the late Michael O’Sullivan won the Supreme on two years ago, resulting in an emotional success today.
⭐️ It was meant to be
Marine Nationale won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle under the late Michael O'Sullivan. Two years on, he wins the Champion Chase in an emotional success ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LIpPdrGw00
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2025
Stumptown has seen the Cross Country out.
That’s a fifth win in the race for Keith Donoghue and a first win of the week for Gavin Cromwell, The Irish Times reports.
👏 Class prevails
Stumptown leads home a 1-3 for Gavin Cromwell in the Cross Country 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/fbSzbPiuoM
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2025
Earlier, Irish jockey Willie Mullins saw another shock winner, this time with Danny Mullins on board.
Jimmy Du Seuil smoothly landed the Coral Cup, with Nicky Henderson's Impose Toi in second place and Harry Fry's Ballyadam in third.
Jimmy Du Seuil smoothly lands the Coral Cup 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/kmdmoQD1YI
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2025
Jimmy Du Seuil came second to Ballyburn last year but had been off the track for most of the time since. This was its first run in a handicap and its first run all season. Willie Mullins has had two winners today - 22/1 and 16/1, The Irish Times reported.
Mullins won with Lecky Watson with Sean O'Keeffe as jockey in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.
🗣️ "It's amazing to get these opportunities."
Sean O'Keeffe - a third Cheltenham Festival success 👏 pic.twitter.com/nKhBLuor1y
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2025
Fellow Irish man Gordon Elliott came in second and third with Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead respectively.
