11 March 2020

Cheltenham Festival day two round-up: Politologue stuns Defi du Seuil as Tiger Roll is beaten by Easysland

Politologue stole the show on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, racing to victory in the Champion Chase ahead of hotly tipped favourite Defi du Seuil.

On a bad day for the bookies, Tiger Roll was also on the end of an upset in the Cross Country Chase as Easysland took the win in comfortable fashion.

Davy Russell kicked off the day's action by claiming victory on Envoi Allen in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

Allen was fautless throughout the race, galloping away from Easywork and The Big Getaway.

Next up it was Champ, named after AP McCoy, who finished superbly with jockey Barry Geraghty to take the Novices' Chase.

Rachael Blackmore had to settle for an agonising second on Minella Indo after being pipped at the post, while bookies favourite Paul Townend rode Allaho to third.

Geraghty won again less than an hour later as he rode to victory on Dame De Compagnie to claim the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.

The win was Geraghty's third of the week as Black Tears and ThoseDaysAreGone rounded off the places.

But the main event on day two was the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Defi du Seuil was the overwhelming favourite to take the prestigious race, but it was Politologue who led from the front and never looked in any danger of letting the win slip.

Dynamite Dollars took second and Bun Doran an unlikely third, while Defi du Seuil rode home to pick up a disappointing fourth.

The other major story of the day came in the Cross Country Chase as two-time Grand National winner Tiger Roll was stunned by Easysland who, much like Politologue, always looked in control of proceedings.

And at the end of a Ladies Day full of shocks and thrills, the final race saw another upset as Ferny Hollow won the Champion Bumper ahead of pre-race favourite Appreciate It to cap off a thoroughly entertaining second day at Cheltenham.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox