DAY two began with Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead; the sequel.

This time the lead actor was Bob Olinger (73) who took the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle in the style of a very smart horse.

A small but select field set out on the two-mile-five-furlong trip on ground that was continuing to dry with the evidence of the clock suggesting the Old Course was verging on genuinely good ground.

Harry Cobden was soon setting a good pace on Bravemansgame (68), while at times, both the winner and Gaillard Du Mesnil (70) raced a little keen.

Bob Olinger swept to the front rounding for home and immediately left both Bravemansgame and Gaillard Du Mesnil searching for an extra gear.

The distance of victory was six and a half lengths with Gaillard Du Mesnil just outstaying the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame on the climb to the line.

To his immense credit Bear Ghylls, who had travelled through the race like a good horse, stayed on to be just half a length back in fourth and would have done enough to win the Coral Cup.

Coral Cup

Moving on to that typically well-contested handicap, renowned for a being a fierce event, well that was until Heaven Help Us (67) completely dominated her field winning by a convincing nine lengths. Paul Hennessy’s mare was given a perfect ride for a horse that possesses two-mile speed.

For the first time at this year’s Festival there was a standing start which may have helped the winner as she established a handy lead early in the race before settling to an even pace.

A couple of scratchy leaps down the back straight saw the field close the gap but Richard Condon did not panic and allowed his mount to regain her poise.

Running down the hill he pressed the accelerator pedal again and found his partner more than willing, so much so that her final sectional from four out was 0.3 seconds faster than the impressive Bob Olinger.

Considering the run of the race and, in particular the final sectional, there are a couple from in behind the impressive winner to note, the first being the second Craigneiche.

Nicky Henderson’s lightly-raced gelding found himself trapped behind a couple of his stablemates coming down the hill, an issue he compounded with a mistake at the second last. However, from that point the seven-year-old came home to good effect.

A little further back, but arguably as unlucky was Palmers Hill, who was caught in a sandwich between Craigneiche and Sayo as he tried to make ground after jumping the second last.

He was undoubtedly too far back at that point, but after losing his momentum the lightly raced gelding was seen to good effect in finishing off his race well, a step up to three miles may yield further improvement.