Wednesday is Ladies’ Day at the Cheltenham Festival, with the Queen Mother Champion Chase the feature race.
The Queen Mother Champion Chase (16:00) – Preview and Tips
This two-mile race over 12 large hurdles is the most anticipated on day two of the Cheltenham Festival and all eyes will be on Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon.
Forced to miss last year’s meeting on health grounds, he has won five out of five races since and is very much the horse in form.
Winner by eight lengths in the Tingle Creek at Sandown last December, the nine-year-old followed this up with a rampant six-and-a-half length victory in the Clarence House last time out.
The key concern is whether he can reproduce this form at Cheltenham, a racecourse where he has only won two of five. This is in sharp contrast to his perfect record elsewhere.
The main threats come from the Willie Mullins trio of Gaelic Warrior, Energumene and El Fabiolo, but all of them have a point to prove heading into this race. Dual winner Energumene is perhaps the most likely, having won the Champion Chase in both 2022 and 2023.
There will be a strong Irish challenge too coming from Solness and Marine Nationale. They finished first and second respectively in the Irish Chase last month and also offer a strong threat, particularly as Marine Nationale also won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2023.
King George VI Chase runner-up Il Est Francais should also be in the mix.
Tip: Marine Nationale
Turners’ Novices Hurdle (13:20) – Preview and Tips
Willie Mullins has six runners in the opening race of Day Two, with Final Demand being of particular interest. Winner of three out of three, the last time by 12 lengths in the Grade One Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, he is definitely the one to beat.
His main competition is likely to come from Dan Skelton’s The New Lion,who won by nearly five lengths in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury over the Christmas period.
Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay, winner of four races since November, is also worthy of consideration.
Tip: Final Demand
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (14:00) – Preview and Tips
The second race of the day is the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over three miles and 19 fences.
Ballyburn is the understandable favourite following a five-length victory at Leopardstown in early February. Last season’s top hurdler, who also won the Novices’ Hurdle here at Cheltenham last year, carries high hopes. The step up to three miles could also be to his benefit.
Gorgeous Tom could also benefit from the step up in distance, having been beaten narrowly over two and a half lengths at Fairyhouse back in December. He was flying towards the end and with good ground expected at Prestbury Park, he could run Ballyburn close.
Stellar Story, winner of last year’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, could provide a strong challenge too, although recent form has been patchy. This has largely been due to unforced errors and if these can be eradicated, Stellar Story could offer stellar competition.
Finally, Mullins’ Dancing City, three-and-a-half length winner of the Finlay Ford at Naas Novice Chase last time out, could also be worth a gander. He is very much a stamina-based horse and the three-mile trip could be well suited to him. The key will be the conditions – the softer the ground, the greater his chance.
