AFTER an opening day of high drama Cheltenham served up a spectacle of a different nature on day two as Altior joined the greats of two-mile chasing by making it back-to-back Champion Chase victories.

A four-year winning streak and four-timer of Cheltenham wins have deservedly made this gelding one of the biggest names of jump racing, but aside from his undeniable style there is real substance to Nicky Henderson’s charge which only adds to his appeal. Anyone who viewed the Champion Chase as a mere coronation of the king of two-mile chasing would have received quite a jolt given how the race unfolded.

As outstanding horses do, Altior found a way back after being headed at the last fence and it is that unbending will to win which is such a notable part of his appeal. The fashion of two-mile chasers trying their hand in a King George has all but disappeared lately but such a possibility now looks quite likely for Altior, and such a hark back to days of yore is to be welcomed.

Lastly, comparisons between Altior, Kauto Star and Arkle, which raised their head after this race, are utterly pointless and needless. Altior should be enjoyed for being the champion that he is, and not every horse has to be defined by what has gone before them.

The peaks and troughs of racing were amply illustrated over the course of the first two days and Gordon Elliott had endured more than his share of troughs over Tuesday and the first half of Wednesday. Over the first 11 races of the meeting the trainer’s best placings were a pair of thirds.

However, it was all change over the course of 90 minutes on Wednesday as Tiger Roll won, Coko Beach took second in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and then Envoi Allen won the Champion Bumper. The trainer hailed Tiger Roll as the horse of a lifetime and such a title befits the nine-year-old who was accorded a reception to match anything that had gone before him this week. The well of superlatives for this diminutive gelding never seems to run dry and deservedly so. His versatility, longevity and class all make him a truly charismatic performer.

Over the next few seasons, who knows how Envoi Allen will be described. He had to fight hard for this latest success, but as his trainer puts it he knows how to win, and he wants to win, and he has been doing so in a discipline that isn’t maximising his potential. His switch to jumping cannot come soon enough.

A hugely popular success was in the offing in the opener as Martin Brassil secured his first winner at the meeting a decade after his last runner here.

In the past, Brassil’s handling of the likes of Nickname and Numbersixvalverde has shown just what he can achieve given the material, and he has deftly guided City Island through a relatively understated season before bringing him to a peak when it mattered most.

Finally, Joseph O’Brien’s more than well deserved first Cheltenham winner in his own name arrived courtesy of Band Of Outlaws whose seamless transition to hurdling has been impressive, to say the least. Just 11 months ago this gelding was running in a six-furlong handicap at Naas, but he already looks like an old hand over hurdles. It was entirely appropriate that the trainer’s initial official success at the meeting should come from a member of his incredibly strong juvenile team.

Record crowd

THE attendance of 59,209 was a new second-day record since the meeting switched to four days in 2005. This bettered last year’s corresponding figure of 58,959.

Riders banned

BRYAN Cooper picked up a two-day careless riding ban in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. In the same race, Jack Kennedy reported that Battleoverdoyen (lost a left fore shoe) was never travelling.

Harry Cobden was given a two-day suspension for using his whip in the incorrect place after riding Topofthegame to victory.

Auvergnat was reported to be unsuited by the ground after pulling up in the cross country chase.

Irish origins

TWO former Irish point-to-point winners won Grade 1 races on Wednesday. It was exactly three years ago to the day that Topofthegame won a maiden in Belclare for Donnchadh Doyle, the same race won by Best Mate in 1999. Rob James rode Topofthegame to win by nine lengths from No Hassle Hoff, a subsequent Grade 2 winner.

Colin Bowe trained Envoi Allen to win a maiden at Ballinaboola in February 2018.

The 10-length winner was partnered by Barry O’Neill and raced in the colours of Walter Connors, who bought him as a foal in France.

NUMBERS

6 Irish-bred winners

9 Festival wins for Jamie Codd

18 in a row for Altior

63 Festival wins for Nicky Henderson