Day Two Cheltenham Festival Preview

Envoi Allen is unbeaten in all seven of his contests which include a point to point, four bumper wins including the Grade One Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham festival and since his switch to hurdles he has swept the field aside on three occasions.

Three starts ago after winning nicely at Down Royal on his debut he went on to win in the Grade One Royal Bond Novices Hurdle at Fairyhouse over two miles seeing off his stablemate Abacadabras who has since gone on to win nicely in a Grade One franking the form.

Having not been tried over two and half miles but ever shortening in the Ballymore market, Gordon Elliott sent his horse to Naas in the Grade One Lawlor’s of Naas Novices Hurdle where he went on to win very comfortably staking his claim as one of the bankers of the festival.

This week the market was rocked due to his trainer seriously considering switching him to the Supreme but he is now in this contest and has a superb chance of extending his unbeaten run.

The six year old is three from four this season scoring at Down Royal on his seasonal debut in a bumper before being taken over hurdles and taking to them just the same.

He won nicely at Gowran Park in a decent novice event seeing of Mt Leinster for Willie Mullins which is strong form and then when upped in trip last time out Easywork bolted up again seeing off another bright Mullins horse in Unexcepted.

He then headed to the Dublin Racing Festival at the start of February and was a narrow second to the Supreme favourite Asterion Forlonge which looks exceptional form and could be a nice each way shout.

The RSA as ever looks to a very hot affair and Minella Indo for Henry De Bromhead looks to have a huge chance off the back of his Cheltenham record and progressive nature.

The six year old has raced eight times during his short career and has not finished outside the top three in his point to point and rules career to date.

Last season on his final two starts he really came to life landing the Grade One Albert Bartlett at the festival at a huge price of 50/1 but then backed that up at the Punchestown festival when landing another classy Grade One.

This horse has been said to be made for chasing and the yard are very excited to see how good he can be after making a positive start to life over the bigger obstacles when second behind star mare Laurina.

He got off the mark last time out in great style seeing off 12 runners when stepped up to three miles for the first time and the second has since gone on to frank the form.

An outsider in the RSA that we believe has huge chance of sneaking into the placings is the Nicky Henderson trained Pym who has been a much improved horse this season.

The seven year old will enjoy the ground drying out and has shown on good to soft ground over three miles that he firstly stay but also power away near the finish.

He finished second on his first even chase start at Huntingdon behind a nice Alan King trained French exploit but since then landed back to back wins at Ascot and Cheltenham.

His win at Prestbury Park is his stand out bit of form landing a decent Novices' Chase over slightly further staying on up the hill well.

It was to soft for him at Ascot last time out in the Grade Two Reynoldstown Chase and he must put that run right to go close in this one.

The Coral Cup has always been a minefield for punters but this season we have two strong each way shouts starting with Black Tears for Gordon Elliott.

The six year old mare heads into the contest off a decent mark especially having been ran frequently this season.

She for the most part has been consistent placing in five of her six events including getting off the mark for the season two starts back at Leopardstown in a similar looking handicap which had 25 runners.

She was a bright second last time out behind the Willie Mullins trained Elfile who has been tipped to go well in the Mares Hurdle and thats decent form.

With such a big field set to go to post we have another selection at a similar each way price and Champagne Well for Fergal O'Brien loves it at Cheltenham.

The seven year old has been a model of consistency this season racing four times, winning on his debut and finishing second in his other three events.

He has raced at Cheltenham three times landing his seasonal debut in good style and then after that he has finished second to Albert Bartlett favourite Thyme Hill and Redford Road in a Grade Two when stepped up to three miles.

Last time out he was second again over three miles in good to soft ground finishing in behind Ramses De Teillee in another Grade Two.

He has a live chance now dropping back in trip and proving that he stays up the hill.

The seven year old has only had four starts for the handler since joining from France back in December 2016 but has shown plenty of ability on all of his runs just losing his unbeaten record two starts ago.

Having not raced since March 2016 he went to Naas for his first run in nearly exactly three years in a Beginners Chase and showed a perfect temperament to take the spoils by 31 lengths.

He was then sent to the Punchestown festival with many punters still unaware of the ability of this horse but he gave one of the stand out performances of the meeting, beating the Arkle Novices Chase winner Duc Des Genievres and JLT Novices Chase victor Defi Du Seuil to land the Grade One Ryanair Novices Chase.

He made his seasonal debut this season over Christmas at Leopardstown in a Grade One Chase against some superb horses and although looking like he had the race wrapped up he found nothing when coming off the bridle and was pipped close home by A Plus Tard.

He got back to winning ways on his final start at the Dublin Racing Festival when again seeing off a decent field including stablemate Min in the Grade 1 Dublin Chase and that is some very stylish form.

The Paul Nicholls trained Dynamite Dollars lit up the Novice Chasing world last season landing race after race and looking very likely to go off favourite for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

However, after picking up a season ending injury, like many of the potential 2019 Arkle field he did not go to the festival and has not been seen since his victory at Doncaster in the Grade 2 Lightning Novices' Chase this time last year.

The seven year old is very much the forgotten horse this season being off the track so long but the gelding landed four wins from five starts, including the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown.

He made his come back in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February and produced a superb effort to finish third behind Altior and Sceau Royal and he will certainly come on for that.

The two time Grand National winner will head to Cheltenham bidding for his fifth festival winner and truly cement himself into the history of the sport of being one of the greatest horses of a generation.

After suffering a setback at the start of the season it was touch and go for a short time whether he would be able to head to the festival at Prestbury Park or even head to Aintree for his record breaking run in the Grand National.

However, after an operation which saw him have surgery to remove a chip in a joint in November he has been back in full training for a few months now had a prep run at Navan where he finished a pleasing fifth.

He is said to be back to his old self and after dominating this race for the last two seasons he has a strong chance of landing the hat-trick.

It would not be a Cross Country Chase without some French raiders and one that could sneak into the placings is Diesel D'Aller.

The seven year old was a course and distance winner back at the November meeting over course and distance which was an impressive performance.

Since then he has not been as good and fell over in France last time out which is never good heading into a festival, however if getting back to his November form he has to be considered.

The Boodles ,again is a very tough race from a punting perspective hence why we have two selections and the first is Paul Nicholls' best chance of a winner at the festival.

The youngster joined Paul Nicholls' this season after having one race in France and winning nicely the being bought by JP McManus.

He started his life in Britain at Cheltenham in the Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial where he ran very green and ultimately spoiled the race for himself.

Since then he was dropped back in class and showed his true ability at Ludlow bolting up and much more improvement is expected of the four year old.

Another horse at a bigger price that warrants respect in this contest is Galahead Quest who has raced three times this season all to a good standard.

He finished fourth at Warwick on debut behind the superstar Allmankind but he was much better at Taunton next time out when second to a bright youngster for Nicky Henderson.

With his form stacking up he headed to Cheltenham over course and distance in another Grade Two Triumph Trial and he stayed on strongly to land the contest up the hill.

That is some strong that must be respected with course and distance form at this tricky track a huge plus.

The Champion Bumper has thrown out some superstars over the last few years and another who falls into that bracket is Willie Mullins leading chance in the contest.

Appreciate It is the short priced favourite for this event finishing third in his first point behind the impressive Envoi Allen which is a strong form line to start with.

He has ran in three bumpers to date finishing third on his rules debut at Fairyhouse but since then has turned into a different animal.

He bolted up at Christmas at Leopardstown in a two and half mile bumper not seeing a rival for the last two furlongs.

At the same track he landed a Grade Two in the same form as his other win which is what has sparked him to the top of the market.

One to beat.

With 23 runners in the event we have also added an each way punt at a decent price with plenty of bookies offering extra places for this event.

The Glancing Queen for Alan King is a very interesting character who ran in the Champion Bumper last season and finished a decent fifth.

The mare then went to the Grand National meeting and landed the Grade Two bumper at Aintree in great style but has not been seen since that.

Hence why she can run in the bumper again having never gone over hurdles and having experience in this race could be a huge factor if being fresh enough for not having a run.