The action returns to Cheltenham on Wednesday afternoon and there’s plenty more Grade 1 action to get stuck into.
The big race of the day is the Champion Chase at the new time of 4.00, where Jonbon will bid to remain undefeated for this season.
We have selections and analysis for all seven races on the card including a couple of eyecatchers in the handicaps.
A really intriguing renewal of this contest with plenty of nice prospects, but it’s hard to get away from the claims of Final Demand.
He sets a clear standard on his Dublin Racing Festival effort at Leopardstown last month, and there’s every chance he will continue to progress for a trainer who has won the last three renewals of this contest.
Ballyburn doesn’t always impress with his jumping, and that might leave the door open for Dancing City, who has done nothing wrong over fences so far.
He really impressed with his jumping on heavy ground last time out and his Grade 1 novice success at the Punchestown Festival came on a quicker surface, so he may be capable of outrunning his odds.
Plenty in with claims but Jimmy Du Seuil has some smart form in the book, most notably his second to Ballyburn at last year’s Festival and he’s far less exposed than most of his rivals.
An opening mark of 145 looks lenient and while this is his first start of the season, an absence isn’t a concern for one from Willie Mullins’ yard.
This can go the way of Galvin, who finished runner-up in this contest back in 2023’s renewal to his stablemate Delta Work.
He’s become really well treated and his effort in the American National last time out is worth upgrading given that race would have been much more of a speed test than he would want.
Marine Nationale is highly effective around Cheltenham, and he may be able to reverse form with Solness at this venue.
Jonbon is going to be a short price, but there are doubts about how he performs at this venue, which is the only place he’s tasted defeat.
Unexpected Party makes plenty of appeal for the Skeltons. He’s been in good form all season without managing to get his head in front, and he arrives on the back of a respectable second to Matata at Windsor.
A mark of 144 probably underestimates him.
Copacabana looked like a really bright prospect when bolting up at Navan on debut, finishing his race off in fine style and leaving the impression he’s going to relish the Cheltenham hill.
His yard have won four of the last five renewals of this race and it’s notable that he is the ‘stable selected’ with Patrick Mullins booked to ride.
Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival tends to be the day where bettors make their choices for the week ahead, a budget is set for the week and depending on winners and losers, that may increase or decrease. However, Day 2 is typically when most bettors utilise their free bets and the difference between a good Cheltenham Festival and an excellent Festival is maximising your profit from those free bets. Finding tips and trends for races such as the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Cross Country Chase and more are fantastic ways of picking a winning horse in these races, of course, nothing is every guaranteed but tips and trends help direct you towards horses who, on-paper, look more likely to succeed.
In horse racing, nothing is guaranteed, but there is a reason why in a 13-horse race, every horse isn't valued at 14/1 because there are attributes to each horse that determine their likely success. For example, if a horse is valued at evens, the chances of the horse winning are valued at the same price as a coin flip, which in theory, you would still lose 50% of the time, so anything you can find to tip the scales in your favour potentially should be considered.
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