Walsh rides treble as Irish tally soars to eight

A second successive victory in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase was the highlight of an outstanding 14/1 treble for Ruby Walsh on day two of the Cheltenham Festival as Irish-trained horses were again well on top with another four winners.

Walsh was also aboard the successful Willie Mullins-trained pair Mikael D'Haguenet and Cooldine, while further wins for Ninetieth Minute and Dunguib brought the tally of Irish-trained victories over the first two days to an incredible eight.

Master Minded may not have matched the brilliance of last year's display but it was still an authoritative performance by the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding. The 4/11 favourite headed Petit Robin coming away from the second last, and was ridden clear in the straight to beat the long-time absent Well Chief by seven lengths.

Petit Robin weakened to finish a further two lengths back in third, with the never dangerous Newmill best of the Irish challenge another length and a half away in fourth. Big Zeb was again let down by his jumping falling four out.

'He's the best chaser around, as I'd say he wasn't as good today as he can be. He got worked up in the parade, and the false starts were messy,' said Walsh afterwards in reference to the two false starts. Stan James make him a 4/6 shot to emulate Badsworth Boy and complete a Champion Chase hat-trick next year.

Walsh, the first jockey to ride three winners in a day at the Cheltenham Festival since Mick Fitzgerald ten years ago, was earlier on the mark aboard the Willie Mullins-trained pair Mikael D'Haguenet and Cooldine.

Mikael D'Haguenet, a well-backed 5/2 favourite, travelled well throughout and despite edging right under pressure on the run-in kept on well to beat Karabak by a length and three quarters. Diamond Harry was another three and three quarter lengths back in third with the Mouse Morris-trained China Rock fourth.

'He's a machine and travelled far too well all the way. At the top of the hill when I got a gap I didn't want, he just charged into it. He had a look at the second-last but when they closed up around me he came back on the bridle again. He's a smashing horse,' said Walsh.

Cooldine was also all the rage in the ring ? 9/2 in the morning and backed down to 9/4 favourite - with Irish punters buoyed by previous success, and he scored in tremendous style.

Carruthers set a searching pace in front but did very well to stand up after a terrible blunder three out. This left Cooldine poised to challenge, and Walsh sent him for home before the straight.

He was driven right out on the run-in and stayed on very strongly to beat the Jessica Harrington-trained Horner Woods by 16 lengths. Massini's Maguire weakened in the straight to finish another nine lengths back in third, with Carruthers fourth.

A delighted Walsh said, 'It's wonderful, and I have always loved this horse. He has a heart as big as a lion, and he jumped like a stag. He's a hell of a good horse.'

Paddy Flood partnered his first winner at the Festival when taking the Coral Cup aboard the Tom Taaffe-trained Ninetieth Minute. The six-year-old gelding didn't go unnoticed in the ring at 14/1 and gradually got into a challenging position in the two miles and five furlong handicap.

Taaffe's charge led after two out, forging clear in the straight before holding on by a diminishing length and a half from Mirage Dore. 'You can't describe the feeling, it's just 'wow'. People say it's the best feeling ever, but you don't understand until it happens,' said an elated Flood.

'He didn't travel early. He's a big horse, he has a big stride on him and it took me the first half of the race to get into a rhythm. I didn't get a nice position until we got to the top of the hill, but to be fair to him he's as tough as nails,' he added.

The fourth Irish-trained winner of the day came in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper where Dunguib, another well-backed from 7/1 to 9/2, routed his rivals under 22-year-old Limerick amateur Brian O'Connell.

The Philip Fenton-trained gelding made smooth headway before quickening clear in the straight to beat Some Present by ten lengths, with 5/2 favourite Rite Of Passage another three quarters of a length back in third.

'Brian rode him with plenty of confidence. Hopefully we might bring him back here again next year for the two-mile race (Supreme Novice). He's something to look forward to, and I'm sure we'll be doing plenty of celebrating,' said Fenton.