Cheltenham Festival 2023 Day Two: Edwardstone to soar in Champion Chase while ‘Gerri’ is primed to conquer for Gordon Elliott

All eyes will be on Energumene with Willie Mullins’ nine-year-old bidding to make it back-to-back successes as the Champion Chase headlines day two at Cheltenham.

classic duel with Edwardstone awaits on a day when Delta Work also vies for successive Cross County Chase wins, while Gordon Elliott will be hoping that exciting novice Gerri Colombe can continue his rise.​

1.30 Grade One Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle 2m5f

There’s no doubt that the biggest talking horse has been Impaire Et Passe, with favourable comparisons being made with some of Mullins’ previous winners like Faugheen (2014) and Yorkhill (2018).

The French recruit hasn’t put a foot wrong in his two starts for the Closutton maestro with a dominant Naas debut followed by a facile success in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in January.

He could prove to be the class act, but stablemate Gaelic Warrior, just touched off in the Boodles last year, is rated 9lbs higher and comes here after a smooth handicap hurdle success at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Tendency to jump to his right is a worry, though, but the Irish form looks stronger than the hosts, with Challow Hurdle hero Hermes Allen respected but without the confidence that he can take a hot heat.

Mullins’ third string Champ Kiely is another to note after his Grade One success in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Hurdle last time out, but preference is for the Barry Connell-trained Good Land.

Much like Champ Kiely (both seven-year-olds), he has an edge in terms of maturity and Michael O’Sullivan’s mount has flown through the ranks this year. Should be more to come.

Verdict: Good Land may prove best for Connell in a cracking opener.​

2.10 Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 3m80yds

It’s no secret that ground conditions are very important for Gerri Colombe – and the deluge of rain in recent days makes him one of the best bets of the day.

Elliott’s seven-year-old has been faultless over fences with a hat-trick of successes, most recently at Grade One level when taking the Scilly Isles at Sandown on ground with less give than he would have liked.

He has the experience and know-how over fences to land this prize, whereas Sir Gerhard, a winner at the past two Festivals, comes here on the back of just one run after surviving a bad blunder to score at Gowran Park.

There’s no doubting his class, but it would be the most masterly training performance from Mullins were he to score given that inexperience.

Connections of the The Real Whacker had been toying with running in the Gold Cup, so they think highly of him, and his win here in the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase on New Year’s Day reads well.

Thyme Hill is another of interest with form figures of 3-4-2 in Grade Ones at the Festival, but Jordan Gainford can have his biggest day in the saddle with Gerri Colombe primed.

Verdict: Gerri Colombe will take all the beating under Gainford.​

2.50 Coral Cup Handicap
Hurdle 2m5f

Winners have been hard to find in this contest with the presence of 26 runners leading to a lottery which has seen 50/1, 33/1, 28/1 and 20/1 victors in the past five years alone.

Run For Oscar commands respect towards the head of the betting, with Charles Byrnes a dab hand at laying one out for a big handicap, while Camprond bids to hand Philip Hobbs and Johnson White their first winner as a dual training operation.

The seven-year-old, fourth in this race last year, races off 2lbs lower this time, but dangers are lurking every you look, with HMS Seahorse a particularly interesting prospect.

Paul Nolan’s Festival runners always need a second look, and the ex-Aidan O’Brien inmate looked an improved performer when stepping up in trip last time out.

That Navan success seemed to show his depths of stamina and with a fourth-place finish in last year’s Boodles also to his name, Seán O’Keeffe’s mount ticks plenty of boxes.

Another to note is Langer Dan for the Skelton brothers. He beat all bar Galopin Des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe before being brought down in the same race last year, but a big run is expected.

Verdict: HMS Seahorse can sail home for Nolan and O’Keeffe.​

3.30 Grade One Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase 1m7f199yds

Energumene broke Mullins’ duck in this race 12 months, but it was an average renewal given that Shishkin wasn’t his usual self, and there looks to be some cracks appearing after a sub-par display here last time out.

There were several different excuses thrown out for that off-colour showing, but he has six-and-a-half lengths to find with Edwardstone on the Clarence House Chase, and he hasn’t been his commanding self this season.

He could bounce back to his best, but that’s not a given, and last year’s Arkle winner Edwardstone looks like the heir to his throne despite being just touched off on his last outing.

Tom Cannon tracked Energumene all the way only for that rival to underperform, with the door left open for front-runner Editeur Du Gite to prevail in a nail-biting finish.

Alan King’s nine-year-old will be much closer to the pace this time before delivering a killer finish, and he can become the Barbury Castle trainer’s second Champion Chase winner after Voy Por Ustedes in 2007.

Verdict: Edwardstone can loom late to edge out Energumene.​

4.10 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 3m6f37yds

Elliott has essentially trained five of the last six winners of this contest (Tiger Roll was in Denise Foster’s name two years ago), and the Meath trainer holds all the aces again.

Delta Work spoiled the party last year when narrowly denying a fairytale finale for Tiger Roll before coming third in the Aintree National, and that represents the type of form which few of his 15 rivals can match.

A nice spin over this course when third in January – carrying a hefty weight – followed by an outing over hurdles should have him primed, with race specialist Keith Donoghue bidding for a fourth win in the contest.

His biggest danger would seem to be stablemate Galvin, fourth in last year’s Gold Cup. He seems to have regressed since then and was never a feature in the Irish Gold Cup on his last start.

But Delta Work could prove a class apart, with another Cullentra inmate Mortal much more appetising at juicy each-way prices.

Verdict: Delta Work can lead home Elliott’s stacked team.​

4.50 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase 1m7f199yds

Another race where value is advised with big-priced winners generally the order of the day, so Elliott’s Andy Dufresne is overlooked despite having much in his favour.

Second in this last year, Mark Walsh’s mount is off the same mark in a first-time tongue-strap, while Mullins’ Dinoblue – also in the JP McManus silks – is an unexposed mare with much in her favour.

Final Orders has been a winning machine for Gavin Cromwell – with six successes since August – and had been considering an Arkle tilt, but Keith Donoghue’s mount does have plenty of weight to carry for a novice and may have reached his ceiling.

Third Time Lucki may represent the value, with Dan Skelton’s eight-year-old performing well in his two Festival appearances and the course-and-distance winner looked back to his best at Sandown last time out.

Verdict: Third Time Lucki can live up to his name for the Skelton team.​

5.30 Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper 4-6yo 2m87yds

Mullins has 12 wins in the day two finale, including four in the last five years, and sends a whopping 10 runners into battle this time around.

Son Patrick, who usually rides the stable No 1, partners Fact To File, and that suggests the Grade Two bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival may be the best form on offer.

The six-year-old was second best to A Dream To Share that day, with McManus suitably impressed as he quickly snapped up the winner privately, and that leaves the Limerick owner with an impressive hand.

John Kiely must go down as one of the best trainers without a Festival winner, and that could change if A Dream To Share can build on that showing in what is also a huge day for emerging young rider John Gleeson.

Mullins must be respected, though, and while his strength in numbers suggest the absence of a star like Facile Vega (2022) or Sir Gerhard (’21), there is a lot of quality to take aim at with value advised.

Testing conditions should be to the benefit of Westport Cove with tasty odds to avail of on the comfortable Fairyhouse winner. That January success is his only career start, but he can reward each-way thieves under Danny Mullins.

Verdict: Westport Cove (e/w) can continue Mullins’ bumper monopoly.