Mullins set for further success on Day 2 at the Festival

Willie Mullins saddled two winners on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and the record-breaking trainer has plenty of good chances of adding to that tally this afternoon. Final Demand impressed at the Dublin Racing Festival last month and looks set to go off favourite for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at 1.20.

The Limerick maiden winner stretched clear on the run-in to beat Wingmen by 12 lengths and has solid claims for further Grade 1 glory with The New Lion and The Yellow Clay likely to provide the chief threats.

Mullins and Paul Townend also team up with Ballyburn the odds-on favourite in the following Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

The Flemensfirth gelding was an outstanding novice over hurdles last season winning three times at the highest level including the ‘Turners’ and now steps up to three miles for the first time.

He also scored in good style last time at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, while Mullins provides one of the main threats in Dancing City

The £400,000 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase is the feature on day two of the Festival and Jonbon is a shade of odds-on to make it six wins on the bounce.

The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding made all last time in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot for an impressive victory over two-time Champion Chase winner Energumene and the latter now bids to regain his crown having missed last season through injury.

The Weatherbys Champion Bumper is the other Grade 1 race on the card and Mullins sends out a powerful quintet of runners including Grade 2 winner Bambino Fever and recent impressive scorers Copacabana Gameofinches and Aqua Force

The going remains officially good to soft although there is a light dusting of snow on the track this morning.