Day Two Cheltenham Festival 2023 Preview

The first race of the afternoon on the second day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is the Grade One Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and we have a win and each way selection.

The talking horse of all the preview nights is Impaire Et Passe who could turn out to be a superstar off the back of this race and we think he will take all the beating.

He is a horse we are a huge fan of, having been bought by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede after winning a bumper in France over 1m4 1/2f, he was given to Willie Mullins and made his debut on the 20th December at Naas.

He looks a serious talent being an 18 lengths winner of a 24 runner Maiden Hurdle over 2m3f and although he would be dropping in trip for this race he has bundles of class.

Impaire Et Passe extended his credentials At Punchestown in January when bolting up by close to seven lengths in the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, tracking the leader Shecouldbeanything the whole way round, jumping like a stag and then quickening away after the last in very deep ground.

He has been heavily backed since then for the Ballymore and having previously won over 2m3f and looking like he will stay no problem, he looks the one to beat.

From an each way perspective in the race we think Good Land for owner/trainer Barry Connell can run a classy race and pick up some place money.

Although unseating on hurdles debut this season at Fairyhouse when just pecking on landing at the first that can be put behind him because what he did at Leopardstown over Christmas was special and the form has worked out accordingly.

Winning over 2m4f at Leopardstown over Christmas he went on to beat a good field by eight lengths, with the big form boost coming from Embassy Gardens who he beat by close to 10 lengths.

Embassy Gardens has since gone on to score over 2m7f at Thurles beating a field by 35 lengths and he is now the second favourite for the Albert Bartlett.

Good Land beat that horse doing handstands and then last time out at the DRF getting an extra two furlongs in the Grade One Nathaniel Lacy Novice Hurdle, he went on to win well from the front, beating a good field.

Currently at 13/2 he looks each way value.

Another top race on Wednesday is the Grade One Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and again we have a win and each way selection.

The win selection is Gordon Elliott's unbeaten superstar Gerri Colombe who will take all the beating especially with the rain falling.

Lightly raced in both bumpers and over hurdles over the last two seasons, his whole career has been geared towards getting the best of him over fences and so far, Gordon Elliott has done so.

Making a nice chase debut at Fairyhouse in a Beginners Chase when seeing off Grade Two winning hurdler Bronn and the talented stayer Tenzing for Willie Mullins.

He was then next seen on Boxing Day he saw off Adamantly Chosen, Kilcruit and Authorised Art with ease in the end to land the Grade One Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick.

When last seen at Sandown in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase he made it back to back Grade Ones over fences and eight wins on the bounce including his PTP.

He proved that soft ground although better for him was not the be all and end all for him and now getting his first try at three miles under rules he is going to be even better.

A horse that could be the classiest in the field is multiple Grade One winner Sir Gerhard who if getting the three miles in this event could have a part to play from an each way perspective.

Sir Gerhard has been a superstar over the last two/three years, although throwing out an odd bad performance, for the majority of his career he has been very taking.

The seven year old son of Jeremy was a smart bumper horse last term, landing his first three events in taking style including winning the Champion Bumper, he rounded off last season with a tame third at this festival.

Sent hurdling this term the £400,000 purchase won a 18 runner maiden at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and then next time out over the same course and distance landed the Grade One Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He was last seen stepping up to 2m5f for the first time in his career but having won over three miles comfortably in his point to point he showed he got the trip and went on to land the Grade One Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

Dropping back to two miles for his last run of the season in the Group One Champion Novice Hurdle he blew out finishing a well beat third behind Mighty Potter.

Set to be sent chasing this season, Mullins has commented on a number of occasions that he has not been happy with the horses work at home and his chase debut was delayed until the end of January.

Heading to Gowran Park in a three runner event over two miles, he guessed at a few fences but overall performed well to win by 38 lengths.

He now steps up a mile in trip which should help his jumping and having proved his stamina over three miles in a PTP he could be a big player.

One of the trickiest betting mediums of the afternoon on Wednesday is the Coral Cup over 2m5f and we have two horses at each way prices that can go close.

The first is the Paul Nolan trained HMS Seahorse who was a decent flat horse rated 86 at his peak on the level and over the last two seasons has turned into an accomplished jumps horse.

A winner on his third start over hurdles last term over two miles in a Maiden at Fairyhouse, he then went into the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival and finished a solid fourth of 21 in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

A winner back on the flat since then in June, he then went back over hurdles at Galway in July and finished a close third of nine when looking to need a step up in trip.

Running no race in the Irish Cesarewitch, he was upped in trip over hurdles in his last start at Navan in a competitive Handicap hurdle and went on to win well off 11st.

Racing off 11lb higher in this race he has shown he handles good to soft/soft ground and having acted round Prestbury Park before is a big player to hit the frame.

Another at a similar double figure price in the Coral Cup of interest is the Eamon Sheehy trained Captain Conby who has been very consistent of late and off the back of his last run will love the extra distance in this race.

Second at Fairyhouse on his seasonal debut behind the well handicapped Eric Bloodaxe on his first start for Gordon Elliott, he then went over three miles in a Pertemps qualifier and finished a good second behind live Mares Hurdle chance Shewearsitwell.

Seen once more back down in trip over 2m 3 1/2f at Punchestown he was a staying on second behind San Salvador who he takes on again in this race, giving a fair bit of weight away to him that day.

Upped 10lb to 143 for this event he has the profile and stamina to stay on up the hill and for a lesser known trainer might be a bigger price than he should be.

The feature race of the afternoon at Cheltenham on day two of the Festival is the Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase and Edwardstone for Alan King can make it back to back wins at the Festival.

A horse that has never been given the respect he fully deserves took on a stellar field of runners in the Grade One Tingle Creek on seasonal debut this year, including last year's winner Greaneteen, multiple Grade One winner Shishkin, Aintree Grade One winner Gentleman De Mee and Champion Chase second Funambule Sivola and he went on to take the event by an eased down nine lengths.

The gelding was exceptional last season going over fences, having a slight hiccup on debut when being bought down at Warwick when travelling well, next time out he put things right over the same C&D when taking a decent two mile Novices' Chase.

Stepped up to Grade One company next time out he went on to improve once more to land the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown, seeing off his closes rivals War Lord and Third Time Lucki by 16 lengths.

With the second and third since going on to frank the form, Edwardstone went to Kempton and also boosted it by making it a hat-trick of wins when landing the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.

He made it four in a row next time out at Warwick in the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices' Chase when easily seeing off Third Time Lucki again.

Sent off favourite for the Arkle at the Cheltenham festival he was an emphatic winner of the race under a great ride by Tom Cannon.

Looking to finish the season off with a third Grade One and sixth straight win he found Gentleman De Mee too good in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

Having been pulled out on a few occasions for his seasonal debut this term, he was kept fresh for the Tingle Creek and looked to have improved again for the break when bolting by nine lengths from Sandown specialist Greaneteen.

An uncharacteristic unseating of his rider when a hor favourite for the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase, he then went to Cheltenham and put that behind him only being beat by a head at Cheltenham in the Grade One Clarence House Chase.

He was left with a lot to do to rein back long time leader Editeur De Gite that day and having got to him he ultimately entered the tank and lost close home.

He came back lame that day and will be ridden much differently and having bolted up in the Arkle last season he is the worthy favourite to reverse the form in this event.

The Cross Country Chase is not a race for everyone but this year it looks to be a much classier event with the two at the top of the market very hard to split and we are advertising them to be bet as a forecast.

Last year's winner Delta Work has a huge chance to do it all over again especially getting his preferred soft ground.

A five time Grade One winner over fences earlier on in his career, his biggest accomplishments came in open company when landing the 2019 Savills Chase and then 2020 Irish Gold Cup.

Slightly losing his way after that he was tried down a different route in the Cross Country at the festival and breaking the hearts of the racing world he narrowly saw off stablemate Tiger Roll to take the event.

Hi class prevailed on the day and it allowed owners Gigginstown to dream of another Grand National as they sent Delta Work to Aintree and he ran a cracker to finish third of the 40 runners, with only Noble Yeats and Any Second Now finishing ahead of him.

Seen once this season with the firm plans for the season being the race at Cheltenham in March, he mountains of weight away in the Risk Of Thunder Chase and still managed to get up late on at Punchestown.

Stripping fitter for that run and although giving weight away to the field he ran a cracker in January over the X Country C&D to finish third behind Back On The Lash.

Given a prep run since then for this in the Grade Two Boyne Hurdle won by Stayers Hurdle favourite Blazing Khal, he will now be spot on for this and is the one to beat.

For the same trainer Galvin is the class horse in the race and if taking to the Cross Country course he brings serious Grade One ability to the fore.

Winning the National Hunt Chase two years ago at the festival and finishing second in the 2m4f Handicap Chase that his since been scrapped the year before, his festival form is good.

Winning in October last season at Punchestown in a Grade Three Chase and then went to Down Royal and finished second to a primed Frodon in the Grade One Ladbrokes Champion Chase.

Last seen at Christmas he was given a stunning ride by Davy Russell to see off rival A Plus Tard in the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

Off the back of that he ran a solid race to finish fourth behind A Plus Tard in the Gold Cup and then in his final run of the season maybe the term took its toll as he petered into sixth in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Back this season he started strongly when winning a three mile Grade Three event at Punchestown, but off the back of that put in two below par runs In Grade One company, firstly in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal and then in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown he had won the year before.

Slightly like Delta Work being a bit gone at the game he has been reverted to the Cross County sphere and if retaining his Grade One ability he can take the favourite very close, with stamina being no issue having previously won a NH Chase.

The penultimate race of the afternoon on the second day of the Festival is the Grand Annual Handicap Chase and with a big field heading to post we like two at each way prices.

The first is the Willie Mullins trained Dinoblue who off a mark of 140 looks feasibly treated handling softer ground and holding some good form over fences this term.

A very smart mare last time over hurdles when bolting up on hurdles debut at Clonmel before going off favourite for the Mares Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but ultimately spoilt her chances on the day when pulling too hard.

After that she went to Fairyhouse and finished a good fourth behind Brandy Love and Love Envoi in the Grade One Mares Novice Hurdle and then rounded off her season with another fair fourth behind Party Central at the Punchestown Festival in the Listed Mares Hurdle.

Sent chasing this term she made a stellar debut over the bigger obstacles when winning a Mares Beginners Chase at Cork on soft ground.

Since then she has been seen twice more finishing second to Impervious in a Grade Two Mares Novice Chase at Cork which looks strong form and then was second again when last seen at Naas behind the smart Magic Daze in the Listed Mares Opera Hat Chase.

Given a mark of 140 for this event she is weighted to go very close.

Another one for Willie Mullins in the field of some interest is the course and distance winner Dads Lad who has been campaigned strangely for a Mullins horse, but has bags of potential.

Ran throughout the summer on quicker ground he landed a Beginners Chase at Limerick in July being dropped onto the flat at the Galway Festival and winning a Maiden over 1m4f.

Sent back over fences he landed a hat-trick of wins at Killarney in a Handicap Chase over 2m1f off 123 having plenty in hand.

Seen three more times he stepped back over hurdles at Listowel in a valuable Handicap Hurdle and finished six lengths back in fifth.

Back over fences in October he made a mockery of his mark of 135 in a decent Handicap Chase beating Effernock Fizz by just less than a length but he was flattered by the winning margin as he could have won further.

Last seen in November at Cheltenham again in the Greatwood Hurdle he ran no race at all and has been put away since then for this event.

Given a 10lb rise by the handicapper he will have to put up a career best and although doing his best work on better ground he has previously won on soft and this has looked the target for a while.

The final event of the afternoon at Cheltenham is the Grade One Champion Bumper and we have picked out two Willie Mullins runners that can hit the frame.

The first and the stand out selection is the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede trained It's For Me who has been the ante-post favourite for this race for a long time but now sits at 5/1 second fav and that looks value.

Winning a point to point by eight lengths at Loughanmore in April 2022, he was bought by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede for €40,000 and sent to Mullins.

Making his rules debut at Navan on Saturday he looked a top talent, going on to bolt up by 10 lengths, never getting asked to come off the bridle.

He is a horse with bundles of potential with his PTP form extremely strong and looking to handle both good and soft ground, he is a player.

Another for Mullins who will love the rain falling and looks a stayer in time is the JP McManus owned Fact To File, who has some strong form in the book.

A three mile PTP winner on soft ground at Belharbour bolting up by six lengths back in February 2022, he was then bought by JP McManus and given to Willie Mullins.

Seen twice in bumpers to date, he made his rules debut at Leopardstown over Christmas when battling over 2m4f to land a bumper by two lengths.

Last seen dropped to two miles at the DRF in the Grade Two Future Stars bumper he was beaten by A Dream To Share who has since been purchased by JP McManus.

We think he can reverse the form with that horse with his staying ability up the hill and handling soft ground better than the fav.

He could be overpriced and looks the pick of Patrick Mullins.