Willie Mullins' Il Etait Temps delivered a thrilling victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. The horse overcame a critical mistake at the final fence to edge out Majborough, who had entered as the odds-on favorite but struggled with jumping throughout the race. Jockey Paul Townend's expert handling proved decisive in securing the win.

This marked Mullins' third victory of the day, following earlier successes with King Rasko Grey in the opening race and Kitzbuhel in the Novices' Chase. The trainer expressed relief about his team's form after concerns they appeared "too well" during training. The Festival's first Ladies Day in five years saw dramatic action across multiple races, though the day was marred by tragedy when HMS Seahorse was euthanized after falling at the final hurdle.

Mullins' dominance continued with a one-two finish in the Novices' Chase, while Nicky Henderson secured his first win of the Festival with Jingko Blue in the Handicap Hurdle. The Cross Country Chase victory went to Final Orders, owned by a ten-person syndicate that has enjoyed tremendous success with the horse since 2019. Two horses have died at this year's Festival, adding somber notes to an otherwise triumphant day for Irish trainers.