The Queen Mother Champion Chase headlines day two of the Cheltenham Festival with Edwardstone, Energumene and Editeur du Gite doing battle once more; Willie Mullins has strong team for Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
Tuesday 14 March 2023 18:00, UK
Top tipster Simon Rowlands has four fancies for day two of the Cheltenham Festival, where the Queen Mother Champion Chase headlines the card.
The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.30) is the traditional highlight of Day Two at the Cheltenham Festival. This year's renewal lacks the superstar quality of some editions - Master Minded, Sprinter Sacre and Altior, all dual winners, have taken the prize in the last 15 years - but it is delicately balanced and fairly high on class despite only seven runners having been declared.
There is the possibility of another dual winner in Energumene, who won comfortably by eight-and-a-half lengths 12 months ago, as well as strong challengers to him in the shape of Edwardstone and Editeur du Gite.
The three ran against each other in a relocated Clarence House Chase on the New Course here at the end of January and finished in the opposite order to that mentioned, but in a race which raised as many questions as answers.
Editeur du Gite made almost all that day, steadying what was initially a good pace and kicking on three out. Energumene closed on him but had not got there when meeting the last hurdle wrong and losing his chance, while Edwardstone closed even more, from further back, edging ahead before being run out of it late on by his rallying rival.
It is possible to make a solid case for each of the three to come out on top here. Editeur du Gite may again get to boss things from the front, and is a better horse than many of us thought; Edwardstone came out best on sectionals in that Clarence House race and will surely not be set quite so much to do, and Energumene's best is better than any other horse's, and slightly softer ground (judged on Tuesday's times, which pointed to 'soft' on the hurdles course and bordering on 'good to soft' on the chase course) may enable him to show it.
There is not a great deal in it on ratings once they are converted to odds - see the fair odds lines below - and I feel no obligation to get financially involved (other than having had what now seems an ill-advised ante-post bet on Greaneteen each-way). The Champion Chase should be an intriguing battle of tactics and much more.
There look to be a few bets earlier on the card, anyway, starting with GAELIC WARRIOR in the opening Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (1.30).
He sets quite a high standard, having won a valuable handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival last time off the equivalent of a mark of 148 in British terms. He also managed to win a race at Tramore on his return by more than a furlong, which is no mean feat even against run-of-the-mill rivals.
The main concerns with him are his tendency to jump to his right, though that was only a minor inconvenience last time until the final flight, and his ability to see out two miles and five furlongs in what is likely to be a well-run race on fairly testing ground.
He will also need to have the measure of his stable-companion Impaire Et Passe, who has been impressive against undemanding opposition, and Hermes Allen, who has looked very good when front-running against the largely weaker British cohort.
Ultimately, it comes down to odds, and I make Gaelic Warrior a point or two 'overs' in a race which does not have a huge amount of depth.
Gerri Colombe is many people's idea of a banker on Wednesday, but he has not achieved enough to be such a short price for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (2.10) the way I see it, admirable individual though he is proving to be.
He beat Adamantly Chosen (a double-figured price for this) at Limerick then Balco Coastal at Sandown on his last two starts in workmanlike rather than spectacular fashion, but he does promise to be well suited by this longer trip.
Gerri Colombe does not have much in hand of THE REAL WHACKER, Thyme Hill or Galia des Liteaux on form, with last year's Ballymore winner Sir Gerhard a dangerous lurker also.
I like the claims of The Real Whacker most of all, with his New Year's Day win on this course coming at the chief expense of Monmiral and Thunder Rock (giving the latter a similar beating to the one Gerri Colombe managed at Sandown), and in a remarkably good time compared to the valuable handicap on the same card.
That was at two miles and five furlongs, and under an attacking ride, but The Real Whacker had been running and winning at around today's trip of three miles prior to that. He jumped really well out in front, and similar tactics can be expected, with perhaps a bit less of the full throttle mid-race.
Some words of warning: The Real Whacker can hang left in the closing stages, and did so last time, so some insurance in-running may have its merits.
I priced up the other races at Cheltenham, but felt it would be overkill to display them all below, so you will have to take my word for it that I reckon both GOOD RISK AT ALL and LANGER DAN are a bit over the odds in a typically competitive Coral Cup (2.50).
Good Risk At All has long promised to be very useful, and his absence since Haydock in November may well have been intentional with this race in mind given that he seemed to show he did not stay three miles that day.
Langer Dan is only 4lb higher than when going off a short-priced favourite at last year's Festival (brought down early) then winning a hot affair at Aintree. He has shown distinct signs of retaining ability this season without getting especially close.
They both look worth a small each-way interest, especially if you can get enhanced place terms with those generous bookie fellas.
I nearly put up Maskada at a price in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual (4.50) in the hope that she can pick up the pieces late on in a race in which the early pace is nearly always lickety-split. But the form of her Limerick win over Christmas looks less impressive if you take out the runner-up.
I often have a strong fancy in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.30), but have found this division a bit confusing this season. A Dream To Share has the best form, and ought to go close, but more than the usual number of his rivals have a difficult-to-quantify amount of improvement in their lockers.
1.30 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle - GAELIC WARRIOR (1pt win)
2.10 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - THE REAL WHACKER (1pt win)
2.50 Coral Cup - GOOD RISK AT ALL (0.5pt each-way); LANGER DAN (0.5pt each-way)
