Katie Midwinter (14/03/23)
1:30pm – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Impaire Et Passe has been a popular selection on the Cheltenham Festival previews circuit, with many pundits confident in his chances to win the race on only his third start over hurdles. The positive talk surrounding him has seen him backed favouritism and, with two convincing soft-ground wins already, he should be difficult to beat come Wednesday.
Stablemate Gaelic Warrior is unbeaten for the yard since being narrowly beaten by Brazil in last year’s Boodles. The step up in trip could suit but he has the tendency to jump to the right, which could prove detrimental for him in this contest. He will be stronger and more experienced for his recent handicap run and copes well in conditions.
Champ Kiely benefitted from a step up in trip at Naas to win his first Grade One. Danny Mullins gave his mount a trademark front-running ride to victory. If able to get an easy lead once again, he could be difficult to peg back from the front as he has proved he has the stamina to stay.
Fellow Closutton contender Ho My Lord fell at the second hurdle on his debut for the yard before winning his maiden comfortably at Navan. He is unexposed and could be capable of putting in a good performance at this level.
Good Land may be slightly overlooked in the market, currently available at best odds of 11/2. He unseated early on in his maiden hurdle run, but was very impressive when beating a good field of novices at the Dublin Racing Festival. There could be further improvement to come and he is already proven over the trip.
Course-and-distance winner Hermes Allen arguably brings the best form into the race, having won the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December. He made light work of the field, winning at a canter on attritional ground, with a number of horses in behind winning since. His run at the November Meeting when beating Music Drive and Weveallbeencaught amongst others is perhaps his most impressive success to date, and he’s certainly one to consider.
Marble Sands landed a Listed contest when last seen at Huntingdon. He finished fifth in the Challow Hurdle, staying on well having raced freely in the earlier parts of the race. The Fergal O’Brien-trained gelding is sure to be useful in novice contests and may perhaps find success down the handicap route in future, but does seem out of his depth in this field.
An intriguing contender is Gordon Elliott’s American Mike, the forgotten horse in the race. He had a big reputation to live up to when entering his first season over hurdles, but is yet to live up to the expectations surrounding him. He made light work of his maiden before being beaten by Dawn Rising at odds of 2/7 at Navan.
His most recent performance failed to suggest an imminent revival, and he is perhaps best watched here but remains of interest at 40/1. His best performance came at the track in testing conditions last year, when he finished second to Facile Vega in the bumper. Perhaps a return to Cheltenham could bring with it a resurgence, with Davy Russell onboard.
Persian Time and Master Chewy complete the lineup, both with plenty to find on ratings. The latter, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, could improve for a step up in trip but will need a career best performance to enter calculations.
Prediction:
Winner: Impaire Et Passe – W P Mullins, Paul Townend
2. Hermes Allen – Paul Nicholls, Harry Cobden
3. Good Land – Barry Connell, Michael O’Sullivan
2:10pm – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
Unbeaten Cullentra hope Gerri Colombe heads the market for Gordon Elliot, seeking a hat-trick of Grade One wins. Ground conditions will suit the seven-year-old gelding as he thrives on a softer surface. He appears the one to beat, but this could be the toughest test he’s faced so far.
Course-and-distance winner The Real Whacker has risen in the weights this season and is now rated 17lbs higher than when winning on yard debut at the track.
Patrick Neville’s charge beat two promising novices in Monmiral and Thunder Rock at the start of the year, but both have disappointed since and finished a distance behind Gerri Colombe at Sandown when the ground didn’t suit the Irish raider. He’ll need to show further improvement and a career-best to beat the field here, but he shouldn’t be ruled out and could show further progression.
Sir Gerhard has been seen only once since a below par performance at the Punchestown Festival and has had injury issues this season. The lack of experience over fences is a concern as he has only made one appearance over the larger obstacles, but he has won twice at the Festival and jumped well enough on chase debut. He may be found out if he does make some novice errors but he is a classy horse and the softer ground was no problem for him last year when he won the Ballymore.
Closutton stablemate Adamantly Chosen has been supplemented for the race, raising doubts over Sir Gerhard’s efficiency and fitness. Paul Townend has been declared to ride the latter however, therefore they must expect him to be ready to take his chance in the contest and perhaps class will see him through on the day.
Brian Hayes rides Adamantly Chosen, a horse that has finished twice in his last two runs in Grade One company. He recorded a Grade Three success earlier in the season and benefits from five runs over fences but did struggle in his only appearance at the racecourse, finishing down the field in the Martin Pipe last year.
Ramilles was demoted at Naas when last seen, having finished first past the post over 3m1f in a soft ground Grade Three. He’ll need to show plenty of improvement on his previous Grade One appearances, but is likely to stay and handle conditions. Bronn and I Am Maximus also represent the Mullins yard, with both needing to progress further to feature in the finish.
Thyme Hill won a Grade One when last seen, beating a below par McFabulous with Galia Des Liteaux pulled up and Gelino Bello failing to finish. The race cut up at Kempton and the manner in which Thyme Hill was able to record his victory was slightly flattering. Despite being worthy of consideration at the top table over timber, he hasn’t proven himself as the most efficient over fences and others are preferred.
Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux is the underdog in the field. She stays the trip well and excels on heavy ground. If others struggle with stamina in the closing stages, she is likely to be staying on well and could pose a threat to the leading contenders.
The aforementioned Thunder Rock is an interesting contender stepping up in trip as one of the outsiders for Olly Murphy, but will need to find plenty to reverse form with a number of his rivals. Completing the line up is Amirite who finished behind Ramilles when last seen but was emphatic in his maiden win and could be capable of more.
Each-way selection:
Sir Gerhard – W P Mullins, Paul Townend
2:50pm – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3 Handicap)
Run For Oscar heads the market with 5lbs claimer Philip Byrnes onboard. Third in both of his two previous runs following a Cesarewitch win at Newmarket, he has to be in with a good chance that reflects in his relatively short price.
Paul Nolan’s HMS Seahorse won a soft ground handicap at Navan when last seen but is up 11lbs, whilst Martin Brassil’s An Epic Song sports first-time cheekpieces and is unexposed off a mark of 137.
Camprond has been disappointing this season but is back down to a more workable mark, only 1lbs higher than when winning at the Punchestown Festival last season. Despite having soft ground form in France, his best form for Philip Hobbs has come on better ground, and the predicted conditions will be a concern.
Last year’s Martin Pipe favourite Langer Dan was unlucky to be brought down early on in the race when rated 4lbs lower. A Grade Three Handicap winner last season, he has previously finished two-and-a-quarter-lengths behind Galopin Des Champs at the Festival and is certainly a formidable horse on his day. A mark of 141 puts him in with a chance in this field.
Beacon Edge finished fourth in the Stayers’ Hurdle two years ago, but failed to be competitive in last year’s Brown Advisory. Three miles possibly tests his stamina slightly, therefore the drop back to 2m5f should suit. He put in a promising performance to finish third behind Blazing Khal at Navan in the Boyne Hurdle, and has previous form on softer ground.
Top-weight Fil Dor has 5lbs claimer Ben Harvey onboard easing his burden slightly, and is fresh from a Grade Three win at Gowran Park. He has plenty of class, thrives in the ground and is an excellent each-way contender.
Sam Thomas’ Good Risk At All will need to improve on his last run, running off the same mark of 143 here, but is capable of better and has shown glimpses of promise. Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies noted his mount was too free at Haydock over an extended three miles, and the drop back in trip could be more to his liking, allowing him to sneak into contention.
In-form Benson bids for a hat-trick of wins having beaten Colonel Mustard at Kelso only eleven days ago. Sandy Thomson’s horses have been running well, and his charge must be respected.
San Salvador beat Captain Conby when the pair met at Punchestown in December, and on that formline the former appears overpriced running off a mark of 138 with 3lbs claimer Richard Deegan onboard for Joseph O’Brien.
The mount of Davy Russell, Sa Fureur, is hugely unexposed making his handicap debut following three successive wins. He has big field experience, has won on softer ground and could be a danger at a big price.
Each-way selections:
Good Risk At All 12/1 – Sam Thomas, Sam Twiston-Davies
Sa Fureur 14/1 – Gordon Elliott, Davy Russell
3:30pm – Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
Tingle Creek winner Edwardstone may be more prepared for the threat of Editeur Du Gite this time around, attempting to reverse the Clarence House form. It’s likely Edwardstone will be primed for this and prepared for the challenge. He was an impressive winner of the Arkle at last year’s Festival and performed exceptionally well in his first run in open company at Sandown. The one to beat in a race that is difficult to predict.
Last year’s victor Energumene jumped poorly when last seen and never appeared to be travelling comfortably. He wasn’t fluent at his fences and it’s certainly a concern coming into this race.
The form of his win last year isn’t the most impressive, with the runner-up Funambule Sivola performing poorly this season prior to his recent Grade Two win. Envoi Allen rolled back the years at Down Royal but ran no sort of race in the King George at Kempton, whilst Politologue and Put The Kettle On were both making their final racecourse appearances and past their peak. Energumene’s two main rivals in Chacun Pour Soi and Shishkin both failed to complete the race in attritional ground, and although Energumene won comfortably, he wasn’t faced with a real challenge.
The ground may suit him on Wednesday, if the rain continues to fall on already soft ground at the track, but he certainly needs to show masses of improvement on his recent run behind two horses who line up against him again.
Editeur Du Gite has defied expectations this season with two Graded successes, including a recent Grade One win. He stayed on well at the track when last seen, battling on when headed by Edwardstone, and the tenacity he showed on that occasion was very impressive. It’s likely he’ll be prominent again, keen to make the running and get into a good rhythm out in front. If that is the case he could be difficult to peg back, but his rivals will be more prepared for the threat this time around.
Nube Negra was unlucky to be narrowly beaten by formidable mare Put The Kettle On in the 2021 renewal, but is unlikely to replicate that performance on soft ground. Greaneteen has plenty to find with Edwardstone on Sandown form and was disappointing in a Grade Two last month. He’ll need to bounce back if he is to make the frame.
4:10pm – Cross Country Chase (Class 2)
Reigning champion Delta Work was the villain of last year’s Festival, denying Tiger Roll a sixth Cheltenham Festival win in his final race. He perhaps wasn’t given the credit he deserved for beating such a fantastic horse in the battling manner that he did twelve months ago.
In his following run at Aintree, he finished fourth in the Grand National off a mark of 160, showing his versatility and staying ability. Many people’s banker of the week, it’s difficult to see him being beaten by any of his rivals but stablemate Galvin appears to be his biggest danger, with Gordon Elliott holding the ace cards once again.
Franco De Port has been a difficult horse to place, but now finds himself back up in trip with a stint at the French Grand National suggested. He has been running in competitive races recently, and is one of the classier horses in the race, certainly worthy of consideration.
Back On The Lash beat Delta Work in a handicap recently, but a repeat performance is highly unlikely off level weights. Snow Leopardess has ground in her favour and is available at an enticing price of 18/1.
Henry de Bromhead’s Plan Of Attack was best of the rest in last year’s renewal, finishing third behind the Cullentra pair. He could make the frame once again, but will need to show improvement on his recent runs. Stablemate Gin On Lime comes into the race fresh having not run since fourth in the Kerry National in September.
NAP of the day:
Delta Work 5/4 – Gordon Elliott, Keith Donoghue
Each-way selection:
Snow Leopardess 18/1 – Charlie Longsdon, Aidan Coleman
THE CONDITIONAL 