Cheltenham Day Two Preview – Altior vs Chacun the highlight in Champion Chase

The action continues thick and fast at the Cheltenham Festival with day two of the meeting seeing the two-mile chasers take centre-stage.
The Champion Chase is a day two highlight / Picture: GettyThe Champion Chase is a day two highlight / Picture: Getty
The Champion Chase is a day two highlight / Picture: Getty

Chacun Pour Soi, Altior and Politologue look set to do battle in what promises to be a fantastic clash. We have once again previewed the action with our race by race guide.

1.20pm Grade One Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle

An interesting event to start proceedings with Paul Nicholls suggesting that Bravemansgame is his best chance of a winner at the meeting. He cruised to success in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury last time out and promises to be suited by this stamina test.

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His main rivals are Bob Olinger who easily scored in G1 company at Naas last time out and is progressing at a rate of knots along with Gaillard Du Mesnil for Willie Mullins who had a hard race when scoring at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Selection: Bravemansgame 4/1

1.55pm Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

It’s hard to look past Monkfish here. Winner of the Albert Bartlett at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, he is unbeaten in three starts over fences this term. He was particularly impressive on his most recent start at the Dublin Racing Festival and it would be no surprise if he is lining up in a Gold Cup in 12 months’ time. For each-way purposes, The Big Breakaway looks capable of following Monkfish home.

Selection: Monkfish 8/11

2.30pm Coral Cup

Sussex trainer Gary Moore has a fascinating runner here. Botox Has remains unexposed over hurdles and has won two of his three starts at Cheltenham. He has been laid out for the race according to his trainer and looks attractively handicapped off a mark of 142. Two and a half-miles seems the perfect trip and he looks a cracking each-way bet

Selection: Botox Has 14/1

3.05pm Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase

The feature race of the day sees Chacun Pour Soi chase a first victory at the Cheltenham Festival. The lightly-raced chaser was at his monstrous best at the Dublin Racing Festival in February and whilst he has to prove his effectiveness at Cheltenham, his form is on another level to his rivals.

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Of course, it is folly to dismiss Altior. A four-time Cheltenham Festival winner and a dual winner of the Champion Chase, he does need to bounce back from a below-par return to action when second to Nube Negra at Kempton and could be book for a placed finish along with defending champion Politologue who was no match for First Flow in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot last time out.

Selection: Chacun Pour Soi 4/5

3.40pm Glenfarclas Chase

This race could be Tiger Roll’s swansong with connections revealing he could be retired depending on what happens in this event. Despite somewhat hinting at a revival last time out in the Boyne Hurdle, he was in the end still soundly beaten and with that in mind, Easysland, the 2020 winner makes plenty of appeal. He routed Tiger Roll in that contest and has been laid out for this year’s race. He should take plenty of beating.

Selection: Easysland 11/10

4.15pm Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

Lots to like about the chances of Embittered for Joseph O’Brien. He was not disgraced in two hot G1 events recently and the dip into calmer waters for this handicap event will play right to his strengths. Without a win in four starts over fences, he has run with credit on all of those occasions and was also third at last year’s Cheltenham Festival over hurdles. He looks a leading player.

Selection: Embittered 6/1

4.50pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper

Willie Mullins holds a strong hand as he chases a phenomenal 11th win in this event. Kilcruit looked a potential superstar when scoring in emphatic fashion at the Dublin Racing Festival. He looks the most likely winner, with his new stable companion Sir Gerhard, who is unbeaten in two starts, giving him the most to think about.

Selection: Kilcruit 15/8

In association with Betting Expert

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