Queen Mother Champion Chase: Il Etait Temps dazzles on day two of Cheltenham Festival to crown fine day for Willie Mullins

Il Etait Temps survived a final-fence scare to finally conquer the Cheltenham Festival in an enthralling BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Unsuccessful in three previous visits to the showpiece meeting, Willie Mullins' pint-sized grey was a faller at Ascot on his most recent start but bounced back to the form he showed when winning the Tingle Creek in December.

Most of the early attention was on stablemate and 5-6 favourite Majborough, who having been slightly left at the start soon forced his way to the front and cut a bold sight as Mark Walsh attempted to put his rivals under pressure.

However, he parted the birch five out which gave a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack and another poor jump with the pursuers hot on his tail three out saw Majborough's efforts come to a premature end.

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Henry de Bromhead's Quilixios and Dan Skelton's L'Eau Du Sud led the field into the home straight, but the eye was drawn to a motionless Paul Townend aboard Il Etait Temps - who counts former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter among his owners.

Taking the lead on the run to the final fence, the eight-year-old stumbled on the landing side but it made no difference as he galloped to a 10-length success at odds of 5-2 over the fast-finishing Libberty Hunter, who picked up the pieces for second at 50-1 ahead of L'Eau Du Sud.

Reflecting on Il Etait Temps' heavy fall in January's Clarence House Chase, Mullins said: "It took him 24 hours to recover when he came home. He was a bit shaken and then he had to get on the ferry and come home and that's not how you'd like to do it, but it was a case of what we did and once he got home he settled into his routine and recovered quite quickly.

"We just had to get the spark back into him. We took the hood off and tweaked a few things at home and galloped him a bit differently, a bit like Lossiemouth (Tuesday's Champion Hurdle winner), and it's worked.

"I thought Paul was very brave on him today as obviously he couldn't go the pace they were setting for the first mile, but I could see coming down the hill Paul was happy and he had his position coming to the final bend.

"I think the better ground maybe helped him. I was wondering whether he was a horse who didn't like this place, but when went through his form at Cheltenham we found excuses for every day.

"We took the hood off him as we had to do something different. From when he was a young horse he was very keen and always wore the hood, but when he disappointed we said he had to change something.

"Paul was very good on him today. I had a bit of a heart attack at the last, but it looked he had plenty of horse underneath him."

Kieswetter added: "I'm a bit speechless to be honest. We've all flown over from South Africa, we've got the whole family here.

"We never question Willie and Jackie (Mullins) and we're delighted to be part of the team.

"It's worth standing in the cold compared to South Africa, I'm very proud of everyone and it's quite amazing."

Jingko Blue puts James Bowen and Nicky Henderson in front again

James Bowen quickly doubled his Cheltenham Festival haul after guiding 9-2 favourite Jingko Blue to a commanding BetMGM Cup success on Wednesday.

Backed into favouritism from a double-figure price in the morning, Bowen - who opened his Festival account in the final race on day one - was always in control aboard Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old as he made every yard.

A host of Irish challengers loomed, but Jingko Blue was never for catching as he stormed up the Cheltenham hill to give Henderson a third winner of the week.

"He's not the most straightforward horse, he's always a bit creeky, but he ran a good race in the Relkeel here on Trials day and to go and win a race like this he's earnt his corn for the year anyway that's for sure," said the the Seven Barrows handler.

"It will keep Tony Barney (owner) quiet for at least a day, then on Friday, god knows what happens (with Jango Baie in the Gold Cup)!

"This horse just couldn't jump fences and he was untidy enough over hurdles to be honest, but he was good today and it was a great piece of riding, because to make the running wasn't in plan anything!

"Even James just said he ended up there and he's actually quickened away at the end. Nobody else got into it in the end."

HMS Seahorse, trained by Paul Nolan, was fatally injured in a fall at the final flight.

Venetia Williams has endured a testing season, but landed a blow at the meeting where it matters most, as 66-1 outsider Martator denied Jazzy Matty back-to-back Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual victories.

Williams said: "Everybody here knows this is the place you spend your whole life as a National Hunt trainer trying to have winners. It's been quite a challenge this season. Everybody has worked through a very wet winter which usually should suit us, but it's been tough.

"From the angle I had no idea whether he'd won. I thought he had and then people in our team around me were saying it was close, so then the doubt came in.

"It's so rewarding for everybody in the yard and all the work they put in to have this horse put in a a performance like that. He's always been an individual horse with a lot going on in his head, but he was practically cantering coming into the winner's enclosure."

Final Orders makes it a Cheltenham first for Conor Stone-Walsh

Gavin Cromwell claimed back-to-back victories in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham - but with Final Orders rather than defending champion Stumptown who was fourth.

A winner over the course and distance in December, Final Orders (7-1) was ridden by rising star Conor Stone-Walsh, who was winning at the Festival for the first time.

As has been the theme of the meeting, Stone-Walsh had his mount on the pace throughout with Gordon Elliott's Trials day winner and 2-1 favourite Favori De Champdou never far away.

It was that duo who would still be disputing matters as the race began to develop, but an 8lb rise for the market leader appeared to take its toll after the last as Final Orders careered away for a two-and-a-quarter-length triumph.

As well as Stumptown in fourth, Cromwell also saddled the third home in Vanillier.

He said: "The closer we got to the race and the more the ground dried I thought it would play to Final Order's strengths, but at the same time Stumptown is so good around here. The ground had just gone quick enough for him.

"I knew conditions would really suit Final Orders and Conor was very good on him. He ran really well on Trials day, but his wind was not as good on the softer ground and we actually gave him a little wind surgery after that.

"We were very confident he was in great form coming here and it worked out great.

"He could go for the Grand National if he got in."

By his own high standards Cromwell has endured a quiet season, highlighted by the underwhelming performances of last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Inothewayurthinkin, who on Friday will defend his title with plenty to prove.

"We came here this week with a nice squad of horses, but it's still very difficult and we probably had more fancied ones last year. To get one on the board is brilliant," the trainer added.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Queen Mother Champion Chase: Il Etait Temps dazzles on day two of Cheltenham Festival to crown fine day for Willie Mullins