Cheltenham Festival: The best pictures from day two

The second day of the Festival promises more drama and plenty of silly Irish hats – it's St Patrick's Day after all. The big race at 3.20pm features Paul Nicholls's Master Minded against the Irish charge Big Zeb – no doubts about which horse these ladies will be backing Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The runners in the first race, the Hunt Challenge Cup, set off in front of the stands. Mobasher is the favourite, with Nina Carberry's ride Becauseicouldntsee also well backed ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk Becauseicouldntsee, racing on three shoes, leads over the penultimate fence ... but Poker De Sivola, the 14-1 shot with Katie Walsh on board, comes through to steal victory Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk Katie, who is Ruby Walsh's sister, is all smiles as she enters the winner's enclosure Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk The spectacle of a big pile-up in the Novice Hurdle draws gasps from the crowd ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Peddlers Cross was unscathed, completing the course ahead of Reve De Sivola and the favourite Rite of Passage ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk ... much to the delight of these punters Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Irish supporters await the 2.40 in which Punchestowns - a potential future Gold Cup runner - will go head-to-head with stable-mate Long Run Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk But they both perform disappointingly and Weapon's Amnesty exploits with an impressive round of jumping, eventually galloping away from Burton Port to win the RSA Chase Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Time for the big one: Master Minded, the eight-year-old going for his third straight Champion Chase, is the one to beat. Odds on ... invincible they say ... we'll soon see ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk A shock result (and a shocking performance from the favourite) as Big Zeb with Barry Geraghty gets his jumping right - unusually for him - and convincingly wins the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Master Minded's expense Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk The favourite finishes down in fourth Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Big Zeb gets a kiss from Geraghty who later says: "They didn't go that quick so I made sure I was in a good position all the way and he jumped brilliantly for a five-year-old. I had a fair idea he'd stay but he's only five - he did it really well." Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Ruby Walsh reckons the ground was to blame. He cut a forlorn figure afterwards Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Water glistens on the flank of Big Zeb as he is cooled down Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Big Zeb licks his chops. The winning trainer, Colm Murphy (not pictured), has tasted Cheltenham success before with Brave Inca in the 2006 Champion Hurdle. He skipped and jumped across the track to meet his winner after the race and said: "He takes a bit of knowing and Barry knows him really well. We were coming here fresh and well and I think that made all the difference. We've had a fantastic run-up to this race and everything went right. It's incredible." Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk Fresh from his win on Big Zeb, Barry Geraghty saddles Spirit River and guides the 14-1 chance in behind the early leaders in the Coral Cup Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk With two fences remaining Spirit River moves through the pack and eventually wins the race, despite a late charge from the outsider Tullamore Dew (80-1) Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: Tom Jenkins/guardian.co.uk Ruby Walsh looks thrilled after winning the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle on Sanctuaire, a victory which makes him the Festival's most successful jockey Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk In soft evening sunshine the field in the final race of the day - The Weatherbys Champion Bumper - head out into the country. If any punters had money on the 40/1 shot Cue Card then they would be heading home happy as he romped home by a couple of lengths Photograph: Tom Jenkins The sun goes down behind a statue of Dawn Run, the only horse ever to have won both the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup, as the day's racing comes to an end Photograph: Tom Jenkins Photograph: guardian.co.uk