THE heavy rain on the Tuesday morning at The Cheltenham Festival means that conditions will certainly be testing with stamina to the fore on day two of The Festival with the Queen Mother Champion Chase the feature with El Fabiolo Unibet 8/15 on. El Fabiolo has plenty more improvement to come and whilst Jonbon for Unibet Ambassador will surely return to form, whilst Edwardstone, who was brilliant at Newbury will not have everything his own way this time with the favourite coming out on top in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The cross-country course faces an inspection at 8am on Wednesday after the rain on Monday and Tuesday morning.
Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or watching #athome on ITV Racing and Racing TV.
See you at Cheltenham!
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1:30 Cheltenham – Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle Grade 1 (2m 5f)
Ile Atlantique has strong each way claims at minimum with at the time of writing an eight-runner field.
He was an easy winner in heavy ground at Gowran Park two starts ago, If Paul Townend could have had another go on him in the Lawlor’s Of Naas he might have tried to take a length or two out of the eventual winner, Readin Tommy Wrong, between the last two but he was worn down late on, and was on the wrong end of the neck margin at the line. All the same, that was an excellent effort, and he looks tailor-made for this test.
Unibet are BOOSTING the price of the favourite in this race!
2.50 Cheltenham – Handicap Hurdle (2m 4f)
Doddiethegreat (nap) for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson is an eight-year-old who has had six career starts, with four appearances over hurdles and it is great to see him make this field with room to spare! He was marked up in my handicappers for The Festival blog at Unibet 9/1.
He had been off for 746 days when winning at Ascot ahead of a second to Go Dante in a very competitive handicap hurdle at Cheltenham in December and then he was fourth, one place behind Go Dante, in Newbury’s big February handicap. At Newbury he was held up in rear over a trip of 2m½f and would have been much closer but for being impeded which left him short of room at the second last. From that performance it was very clear that he would benefit from a step up in trip.
His career form figures feature four wins, his Cheltenham second and Newbury fourth, which show he retains all his ability and more.
He ticks plenty of boxes for this too – unexposed, proven up the Cheltenham hill, runs well in big handicap fields, is ground versatile and Nicky knows what it takes to win this, having trained the winner four times since 2010.
Unibet are paying MONEY BACK AS CASH if 2nd or 3rd in this race!
4:10 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3m 5½f)
Galvin will handle the testing conditions and has had a big sign around his neck for much of the winter that says, “Spring Campaign”, or so it seems, as this, followed by the Grand National, seems very much the plan.
He was denied by stablemate Delta Work in the contest last season, he has shaped well enough without being asked too many questions in the two Cross-Country events this winter and looked like he was coming back to form when fourth in the Boyne Hurdle last time, a contest often used to give a chaser an outing before reverting back to fences. Plenty to like about his chances and he really should be on the premises come the business end.
Unibet are SUPER BOOSTING the price of EVERY runner in this race!
4.50 Cheltenham – Jonny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (2m)
Harper’s Brook we know can pull himself up in front as we saw at Ascot on his penultimate start when 5l clear at the last and was defeated by ½l by Triple Trade. Harper’s Brook returned to winning ways on his most recent appearance when winning by 7l from Sacre Coeur at Sandown.
The fact remains with Harper’s Brook is that he has plenty of ability with two wins and three seconds in eight chase appearances. Given the testing conditions, it must be noted that he has won on the heavy over 2m 4½f at Bangor with stamina no issue for this eight-year-old. He can run a big race in a competitive renewal.
Gemirande is of definite interest for an each way play given he didn’t finish outside the first two in his first six races in his 2022-2023 campaign. He had his first race of the season in early March when fifth in the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury and comes here dropping back in trip with conditions to suit. He could have been found a good opportunity here by trainer Venetia Williams.
5.30 Cheltenham – Weatherbys Champion Bumper Grade 1 (2m)
You Oughta Know is one of nine runners in the Champion Bumper for Willie Mullins and has strong each way claims at a minimum as he looks overlooked here. He won his first two bumpers at KIlbeggan and Galway respectively and then his second last time out to Jeroboam Machin in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown was a good performance after being short of room on the home turn. He stayed on well at the finish that day and that has to be important with conditions as they are at Cheltenham.
Unibet are paying TWO EXTRA PLACES in this one!
The Wine Tipster’s Fourfold
After napping Chianti Classico on Unibet Champion Hurdle Day the corks really would be popping and glasses overflowing if this one lands!
Roll these picks from our red-hot tipster into an acca and retirement may be just around the corner– £10 each way potentially returns over £53,000 if they come in! Of course, it’s a long shot, but…
Click the image below to add directly to your betslip!
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