Cheltenham Festival 2023: Tips and best bets for day two including the Champion Chase

The Cheltenham Festival continues on Wednesday with some eagerly anticipated match-ups on the card, notably in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The Champion Chase tests fence-jumping at speed, with Edwardstone and Energumene set to renew hostilities in one of the few Britain v Ireland contests of the week that does look evenly matched.

Editeur Du Gite sprang a surprise when beating the big two in the Clarence House in January over this course and distance, but remains very much third favourite for the race.

Wednesday March 15, with the first race of the day going off at 1.30pm.

ITV will have live coverage fronted by Ed Chamberlin. Alternatively, you can bookmark this page and return on the day to follow the race on our dedicated live blog.

Run over two miles and five furlongs, this race is the intermediary trip for novice hurdlers sitting in between the two mile Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the longer Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at three miles.

Hermes Allen is the outstanding British horse in the race but will have to fight off a serious challenge from the Irish. Hermes Allen, trained by Paul Nicholls, won the Challow Hurdle at Newbury on New Year's Eve which has worked out well as a form line: the second, fourth, five and sixth in the Challow all won next time out.

That form has not convinced the market Hermes Allen is worthy of favouritism though, with Impaire Et Passe feared to be another Willie Mullins superstar in the making. The unexposed five-year-old is yet to run in Grade One company, but was impressive in a six-and-a-half length win at Punchestown in January. 

Impaire Et Passe is just one of Mullins' stable of novice hurdlers also including Gaelic Warrior, Champ Kiely, Il Etait Temps and Facile Vega. They are all 'confirmed' for the Ballymore, but that does not necessarily mean the race is the main target. Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps are expected to run in the Supreme, and while it is possible Impaire Et Passe could opt for the two-miler, he is expected to run in Ballymore. 

Best bet: Hermes Allen

Formerly the Royal Sun Alliance Chase, this three-mile race is viewed as a typical route towards the Gold Cup for novice chasers. Past champions who went on to win the big one include Denman, Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere. Last year's winner L'Homme Presse would have been fancied to join that company before injury scuppered his season.

There is huge excitement in Ireland about Gordon Elliott's Gerri Colombe, who is unbeaten since he started chasing this season. Won over a sharp two miles four at Sandown in February at the expense of Nicky Henderson's Balco Coastal, and he is expected to prefer a stiffer test of stamina. Elliott's Mighty Potter is a potential runner here, but is more likely to go for the shorter Turners. 

The main British hope is Patrick Neville-trained The Real Whacker, who won the Dipper at Cheltenham on New Year's Day ahead of Monmiral. That showed a turn of speed, and The Real Whacker also has a Cheltenham win at three miles on his CV.

Best bet: The Real Whacker

Always a wide open contest over two miles five furlongs and exciting betting heat, but very difficult to assess with a number of the possible contenders entered into multiple Cheltenham races. There has been a lot of interest in the JP McManus-owned Camprond, who was fourth in this last year and carrying just one more pound in weight this time around. Back over hurdles after an unsuccessful stint chasing, the gloomy weather forecast could be bad news: his four wins over hurdles in Britain have come on good ground. One horse definitely targeting this race is Run for Oscar, who finished third in a three-mile race on soft ground at Haydock earlier in the season, so clearly rated to stay. 

Best bet: Run for Oscar

Edwardstone is looking to become the eighth horse since the turn of the millennium to win the Arkle/Champion Chase double in consecutive years after Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop, Voy Por Ustedes, Sizing Europe, Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Put the Kettle on. 

Alan King's horse is a superb jumper and is proven over course and distance. Defending champion Energumene is the Irish hopeful for Willie Mullins, and was thought to be the second coming. Confidence has been dented by the Clarence House performance though, which saw Energumene under pressure before the last before he blundered to third. Editeur Du Gite won that day, but everything went right for Gary Moore's horse who established a soft-ish lead with Energumene and Edwardstone stalking each other. With the big two expected to be ridden closer to the pace, odds are against a repeat result for Editeur Du Gite.

Best bet: Edwardstone

A right old slog at three miles and six furlongs over the Cross Country obstacles, this race has been dominated by Ireland in recent times. Gordon Elliott has the two strongest contenders in his stable again, and there are still high hopes for Galvin. Despite some erratic performances, Galvin has a three-mile chase win over A Plus Tard on his CV. Delta Work was the villain of the piece last year when he denied stable-mate Tiger Roll a triumphant farewell. 

Best bet: Galvin

Another wide open handicap chase with a sharp trip of less than two miles. Rouge Vif did not train on as hoped, but there is interest in the nine-year-old. Has dropped well down the weights for this one, and was third in an Arkle at the 2020 Festival, one place clear of Global Citizen who won the 2023 Grand Annual. Saint Segal is expected to run well for Jane Williams while Dinoblue and Final Orders are the two hot Irish horses.

Best bet: Final Orders

The only flat race of the week, and is a race for horses right at the start of their jump racing career. Willie Mullins has an outstanding recent record, and has used this race to introduce horses of the calibre of Facile Vega, Sir Gerhad and Envoi Allen. It would be no surprise if he repeated the trick again with It's For Me.