The first day at Cheltenham is bound to be thrilling, but the best thing about the Festival is that it lasts for four days!
Wednesday’s card is just as exciting with the Queen Mother Champion Chase as the flagship race for the day. However, there are three Grade One races going, as well as some fascinating handicaps and the Cross Country Chase.
Here are our expert tips for the day’s racing.
1:30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Grade One) 2m5f
Gordon Elliott’s SAMCRO (4/6) has been described by some as “unstoppable” and heads up the betting market for this year’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. He won the Deloitte and rightly starts as favourite for this race.
There’s plenty of horses running in the Ballymore this year and with that comes lots of scope for each-way bets and a very appealing one is BLACK OP (14/1).
The Tom George-trained horse won at Doncaster by an incredible 17 lengths and would have won the Grade Two Classic Novices’ Hurdle had he not slowed down in the closing stages.
Black Op can handle heavy ground and although Samcro is a banker, Black Op can challenge for a place finish.
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle Tip: BLACK OP E/W 14/1
2:10 RSA Novices’ Chase (Grade One) 3m½f
PRESENTING PERCY (5/2) leads the betting markets and is very imposing over fences. BLACK CORTON (7/1) has also been impressive over the season and will be ridden by Bryony Frost, who could become the greatest ever female jockey. She’s won seven out of eight races while riding the horse trained by Paul Nicholls.
Henry De Bromhead’s MONALEE (10/3) is one to look at for this race. He would have beaten SHATTERED LOVE (14/1) at Leopardstown had he not fallen on the second circuit. However, he didn’t lose confidence as he powered to win the Flogas Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Monalee finished second on his last visit to Cheltenham, but he’s in impressive form and there’s no reason why he can’t go one better this time around.
RSA Novices’ Chase Tip: MONALEE 10/3
2:50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m5f
BLEU ET ROUGE (12/1) has impressive form in races over two miles and looks a better bet than WILLIAM HENRY (9/1), who despite winning the Lanzarote Hurdle, will have to set a new career-high if he’s to win this race.
If JER’S GIRL (25/1), trained by Gavin Cromwell, is declared in the race then there’s some money to be won there. However, she seems likely to target the Mares’ Hurdle.
With Jer’s Girl yet to confirm participation, then SPIRITOFTHEGAMES is at an excellent each-way price and boasts good form this season. He won over hurdles at Lingfield and also entered the Lanzarote Hurdle, pushing William Henry all the way to the post before coming second.
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle Tip: SPIRITOFTHEGAMES E/W 16/1
3:30 Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade One) 2m
If DOUVAN (4/1) starts the race, then it’s the much-anticipated race between him and ALTIOR (8/11) to see who will win this year’s Champion Chase. It’s been 12 months in the making, but it could just happen on Wednesday. However, between the two of them, they’ve managed a combined one run this season, and this isn’t a two-horse race at all.
SPECIAL TIARA (14/1) won last year’s Champion Chase and returns to defend her title and is a leading candidate in the each-way betting market.
However, the horse to watch here is Altior, who’s looking for a third consecutive win at Cheltenham Festival. There are doubts over his fitness, but he won the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month. POLITOLOGUE (17/2) was favourite heading into that one, but Altior swept him aside to show no injury scars. MIN (5/2) will give Altior a run for his money, but it’s likely that Nicky Henderson’s horse will be too strong for the rest of the field in the Champion Chase this year.
Queen Mother Champion Chase Tip: ALTIOR 8/11
4:10 Cross Country Chase (Class 2) 3m6f
There are two multiple Cheltenham Festival winners taking part in this race in CAUSE OF CAUSES and TIGER ROLL. Cause of Causes is going for an unprecedented fourth consecutive victory at the Festival, while Tiger Roll won the 2014 Triumph Hurdle and last year’s National Hunt Chase. They head up the betting markets and it’s tough to see a winner from elsewhere in the field.
Having said that, Tiger Roll is relatively new to the Cross-Country ranks and finished fifth in the Cross-Country Handicap at Cheltenham’s International meeting, finishing over 40 lengths behind the winner. There is scope for improvement though and could prevail in this race now that the weights are set level.
Cross Country Chase Tip: CAUSE OF CAUSES 11/4
4:50 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade Three) 2m½f
ACT OF VALOUR (8/1) has finished behind We Have A Dream on two occasions this season, but Nicky Henderson’s horse isn’t entered into this Grade Three handicap. However, Act of Valour’s stablemate MALAYA (14/1) is the most appealing in what is a very competitive handicap.
Nicholls has trained Malaya in five starts where she’s failed to finish outside the top two in any of them. She came a distant second to Famous Milly, but returned to form in the Adonis, where she was beaten at the post by REDICEAN (11/1).
Nicholls has an excellent record in this race, having won it twice in the last three years, but French horses have also shown good form here in the past. NUBE NEGRA (10/1) was beaten by Apple’s Shakira earlier this season, but it wasn’t by much and is a contender here. As is Gordon Elliott’s MITCHOUKA (12/1), who’s shown excellent form in Graded Juvenile races this season.
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Tip: MALAYA E/W 14/1
5:30 Champion Bumper (Grade One) 2m½f
Willie Mullins has bought seven of his fastest horses to Cheltenham this year purely for this race, meaning that a winner from outside his stable seems unlikely. BLACKBOW (5/1) brings the most impressive form into the Champion Bumper and currently heads the betting market. The five-year-old won on debut, beating RHINESTONE (15/2), who’s also taking part and was heavily backed in the Goffs Future Stars in Leopardstown in February.
Stablemates HOLLOWGRAPHIC (11/2) and SQUADRON COMMANDER (16/1) have both won this season on heavy ground and can improve further. However, it’s hard to see past Blackbow, who’s shown some outstanding displays so far this season.
Champion Bumper Tip: BLACKBOW 5/1
*Please note all odds subject to change
