Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, g

Ballyburn was too keen, he saw the fence and let fly. He's doing too much.

Oh my, the favourite got that one wrong - Ballyburn catches a fence very heavily and nearly falls!

Paul Townend did well to keep his balance there.

Favourite Ballyburn is currently sat at the back of the seven-runner field. Jockey Paul Townend keeping his powder dry for now.

This is a lengthy race, 19 fences in total.

No fallers in the early stages.

Andrew Thornton
Former jockey on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Ballyburn hasn't been exuberant in his races. He wouldn't like standing off his fences, he's very sharp with his feet. We will see him in good stead today.

He can be a hard ride. He's heavy-headed. He gives Paul [Townend's] arms a lot of work.

We can guarantee one thing from this race - the winner will be Irish. All seven runners in the Brown Advisory are from the Republic of Ireland.

Ballyburn is the odds-on favourite.

Image source, Reuters

If you are looking for a detailed list of all the races, runners and riders today, you can find it through our racecard here.

The key thing to look out for is form. A horse’s recent form is usually displayed near their name and shows how the horse has performed in their most recent outings.

Form should be read from left to right, with the number on the furthest right indicating the horse’s most recent run. The number represents the position the horse finished in.

You will also find abbreviations if the horse has failed to finish a recent race. These are: P = Pulled Up, F = Fell, UR = Unseated Rider, BD = Brought down, R = Refused.

Image source, Getty Images

If you're following Cheltenham for the first time this year and are desperately looking to BBC Sport for guidance, we'll do our best to help you through.

The festival takes place over four successive days with today being the second. There are seven races per day, and the fifth race is the headline event.

All the races are jump races - except for the Champion Bumper, which is the final race today - meaning the horses and jockeys must navigate fences or hurdles around the course; hurdles are slightly smaller than fences. Cheltenham is regarded as the blue riband event in the jump racing calendar.

The races will generally take place over distances between two and four miles, and have very variable numbers of runners taking part.

Tom Scudamore
Jockey on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

You've got to have that balance. This has always been a better comparison to the Champion Hurdle than yesterday's Supreme. The New Lion to me showed even more stamina than speed. It was a race of enormous potential.

Image source, Getty Images

The Willie Mullins-trained Ballyburn is well fancied for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Ballyburn, a novice hurdle winner at Cheltenham 12 months ago, is a short-price favourite for where jockey Paul Townend.

All seven horses are trained in Ireland - including four by Mullins. Dancing City, the mount of nephew Danny, and Quai De Bourbon, ridden by son Patrick, join Lecky Watson (Sean O’Keeffe) in the field.

It was an especially impressive ride by Harry Skelton, given he has limited visibility out of his right eye having picked up an absolute shiner.

Skelton was kicked in the face following a fall during a race shortly before the festival. The durability of these jockeys is astounding.

Image source, Getty Images

Charlie Poste
Former jump jockey on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

The horse is so cool bobbing along. This will give them enormous satisfaction. It's come through the academy the whole way. What a potential superstar this horse is.

The New Lion trainer Dan Skelton speaking to ITV Racing: "I just trusted him the whole way around, I knew he'd win. It takes a horse I've never had before to get past. I'm so, so proud of the team. It was almost like it was meant to be. It was a phenomenal race."

On whether The New Lion is the best horse he's worked with: "I think so. It's unchartered territory. We've had superstars, but we've not had one like this."

On the race: "If you watch what The New Lion does, he leaves one leg down. State Man left both legs down. I'm so, so proud of him."

Image source, PA Media

The New Lion jockey Harry Skelton speaking to ITV Racing: "He's got it all. You hope one day in your life and your career you come across a good one, he's a good one.

"I'm just delighted I got to ride him today. I rode him as a three-year-old, you knew then there was something different. I'm the man who gets to sit on top and work this out. This place is magic. When you get a winner here, it's that special."

Congratulations Alex!

You can buy the four of us a drink as thanks.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham

Jockey Harry Skelton rose up and saluted the crowd after The New Lion's win - and he had every right to celebrate after a perfectly executed lan.

This could be a big day for the rider and his trainer brother Dan, with the well-fancied Be Aware and Unexpected Party still to come.

And in an unusual turn of events, judged by results of recent years, Great Britain lead Ireland 5-3 in the Prestbury Cup standings.

There was a celebration for Irish owner JP McManus, who was clocking up his 80th Festival win.

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Olympian Nick Skelton, the father of The New Lion trainer Dan and jockey Harry, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra: "That was amazing, I'm struggling for words. We thought a lot of this horse. Dan and Harry thought it would win. The horse was magic at the last.

"I'd rather be riding it. You're out there on your own. Harry's cool. Our whole life has ever been pressure, we're used to it."

One down, six to go. We could be in for another brilliant day at Cheltenham.

Did you pick the winner in that opening race? Who are you backing for the rest of the afternoon? Let us know via the usual channels.

1. The New Lion (Harry Skelton) 3-1

2. The Yellow Clay (J W Kennedy) 5-2

3. Final Demand (P Townend) 6-4 Fav

11 ran

Image source, Getty Images