Cheltenham Festival 2024: Ballyburn and Fact To File win to edge Mullins close to 100 winners

Willie Mullins' Ballyburn (1-2 favourite) proved far too good for his rivals with a smooth victory in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle), the opener on day two of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old had looked a cut above his rivals in two wins at Leopardstown and he was again when landing the Grade One opener to day two to give trainer Mullins his 98th victory at the Cheltenham Festival. Stable-mate Mercurey made the running with Ballyburn, under Paul Townend stalking just in behind in second and after the second last hurdle he moved to the front and quickly put daylight between himself and the pack. Coming to the final flight he was well ahead of the pack and just comfortably kept up the gallop and came home a whopping 13 lengths from 66-1 stable-mate Jimmy Du Seuil. County Carlow handler Mullins saddled the first five home out of the seven runners with Ile Atlartique (9-2) three-and-a-half lengths back in third, the front-running Mercurey fourth and Predators Gold fifth.

Ballyburn is as low as 5-1 with some firms in the antepost betting for next year's Champion Hurdle behind the past two winners, Constitution Hill and stable-mate State Man.

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On his 98th winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Mullins said: "It's the first time he's wowed me, I thought 'wow, what a performance' and to me that was a Champion Hurdle performance. It was really really spectacular. With his size, scope and pedigree our owners might decide to go chasing with him next year, I don't know. But with that performance he can go anywhere. Our team are in flying form, but we are just so sorry for Nicky Henderson that he has had to pull his good