After Jezki grabbed the headlines on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival 2014, winning the Champion Hurdle, attention will turn towards the second day of the festival - the Ladies Day - with the feature event being the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Jezki led in a one-two with My Tent Or Yours for owner JP McManus, with jockey Barry Geraghty enjoying a sweet victory over champion jockey AP McCoy, who chose to ride on My Tent Or Yours after previous unsuccessful finishes with the winner of Tuesday.
"AP has been beaten twice this season on Jezki, so why would he ride him? You need luck in running and maybe I had the gods smiling on me today," Jezki trainer Jessica Harrington was quoted as saying by BBC.
The win was Geraghty's second in the Champion Hurdle, having won in 2009 with Punjabi, and first for trainer Harrington. "I have been riding winners for Jessie since I was 17 or 18 and she has been great to me over the years," Geraghty said. "She has given me plenty of good horses like Moscow Flyer.
"It's brilliant to be back here for her again. The Champion Hurdle is one of the races in the year that you want to win. I had a great run around -- he missed the third last, which was the only slight concern I had, but apart from that he was very good.
"He found plenty when I needed him to. The runner-up was getting to me -- I needed the line."
Favourite Hurricane Fly, ridden by Ruby Walsh, could not complete a third victory in the Champion Hurdle, and finished fourth, with The New One taking third place.
However, there was tragedy in the race as well as Our Conor had to be put down after falling heavily and injuring his back.
"He was attended by vets immediately and they did everything possible to save him," a British Horseracing Authority spokesman said. "After extensive treatment for a back injury, the decision was made to humanely put down the horse."
There was also history made on Tuesday, with Quevega, Ruby Walsh atop, clinching a sixth consecutive victory in the OLBG Mares' Hurdle - a Cheltenham Festival record. "I'm so pleased for her and she has her own place in history now," trainer Willie Mullins said. "To get a horse here for six years in a row is enough."
On Wednesday all eyes will be on the Queen Mother Champion Chase and favourite Sire De Grugy. The eight-year-old has been in terrific form this season, winning four of his five races, and was catapulted into the favourite's position after the withdrawal of Sprinter Sacre, the horse who won by a massive 19lengths last year.
"I think people are trying to find ways to get him beat and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I'm not worried about the track," said trainer Gary Moore, whose son Jamie will ride the favourite on Wednesday.
"His jumping has been so much better this year. He's matured and having Jamie ride him makes it better all round."
Six other races are scheduled, starting with the Novices' Hurdle race.
Where to Watch Live
The Cheltenham Festival Ladeis Day is scheduled for a 1.30 pm GMT (7 pm IST, 8.30 am ET) start with live coverage on Channel 4. The broadcaster will begin their coverage from the morning and viewers in the UK can catch the action via live streaming online HERE or HERE. Racing UK is also an option to catch the action live online with the live streaming link HERE.
The racing will also be shown on BetFred TV at their stations, while the YouTube page with all the previews can be viewed HERE. The Cheltenham TV link is available HERE, with the radio link HERE (viewers can listen to the action online within five miles of the race course). Viewers can listen to the action via radio courtesy BBC Radio 5 Live HERE.
