Published: Thursday, 18th March, 2010 11:00am

Maguire and Geraghty in winners' enclosure

by John Donohoe

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Jason Maguire

A double for Barry Geraghty included the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Big Zeb at the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, while Jason Maguire's belief in Donald McCain's Peddlers Cross was rewarded with a 7/1 win in the Novices Hurdle.

Having travelled smoothly on the heels of the leaders for three-quarters of the race, Peddlers Cross was tucked away on the inside rail as Sleepy Hollow, The Knoxs and Quartano formed a wave of three up front. Kilmessan jockey Maguire and Peddlers Cross were momentarily nudged along at the top of the hill when the tempo increased, but he came back firmly on the bridle approaching the last, and showed a nice combination of pace, stamina and battling qualities to hold the sustained challenge of Reve De Sivola.

Drumree man Geraghty completed a double on the second day of the festival when the Nicky Henderson-trained Spirit River ran out a ready winner of the Coral Cup.

The jockey had partnered Big Zeb to victory in the Champion Chase and Spirit River provided the second leg of a 164-1 double. Gaining a mighty leap from the Colm Murphy-trained Big Zeb at the final fence of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Geraghty powered his mount up the hill to win by six lengths. Masterminded's bid for a third consecutive Queen Mother ended in disappointment as the 4-5 favourite could finish only fourth.

Also on St Patrick's Day, Ruby Walsh became the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Festival history, breaking Pat Taaffe's record of 25 wins, when successful aboard Sanctuaire in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle, while his sister Katie saw off Nina Carberry in a powerful battle to bring in Poker De Svola in ahead of Becauseicouldn'tsee in the opening National Hunt Chase.