The Cheltenham Festival got under way with a spectacular first day’s racing on Tuesday, and today promises more excitement. As always, there are seven big races with the elite of the jumping world at the famous south west venue.
As we gear up for the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, the Mirror’s leading tipster Newsboy takes a look at the prospects of Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite Jonbon and the other races lined up for Wednesday.
1.20 TURNERS NOVICES’ HURDLE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 THE NEW LION, 2 FINAL DEMAND, 3 POTTERS CHARM.
THE NEW LION is set to make his Cheltenham Festival debut with high expectations, anticipated to maintain his unbeaten streak. Dan Skelton is on track to secure his first trainers’ title, and in The New Lion, he has a horse that has already tasted victory at the highest level – with the promise of more triumphs on the horizon, reports the Mirror.
The offspring of Kayf Tara made an impressive start with a bumper win at Market Rasen last April, hinting at a promising future, and kicked off his hurdles career in a similar fashion at Chepstow in October. Skelton then took the six year old to Newbury for a novice event in November, where The New Lion clinched victory by three lengths from Califet En Vol, earning him a return to Royal Berkshire for the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle just after Christmas.
The manner in which my pick travelled under Harry Skelton before pulling away to defeat Wendigo by four and three-quarter lengths that day highlighted him as a horse with enormous potential – leading to his acquisition by JP McManus. Today’s £84,405 top prize may be a small fraction of the fee that saw The New Lion change hands, but every little bit counts.
Final Demand, another market contender, remains undefeated and deserves utmost respect, while The Yellow Clay and Potters Charm appear to be the most likely contenders for the final podium spot.
2.00 BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 BALLYBURN, 2 BETTER DAYS AHEAD, 3 DANCING CITY.
BALLYBURN is currently leading the pack among the novice staying chasers and is a strong favourite for a second Cheltenham Festival victory. Willie Mullins predicted a bright future for the Flemensfirth offspring after his impressive win in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle last year, and his words still ring true today.
When making his chasing debut over two miles and three furlongs at Punchestown in November, Paul Townend’s partner, who was sent off at 2-11, breezed home by 13 lengths. However, a return to two miles for the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park over Christmas resulted in Ballyburn’s first defeat over fences, as he couldn’t keep up with the brilliant seven-and-a-half-length winner Sir Gino.
But every cloud has a silver lining – this setback convinced his team to shift their focus from the Arkle Challenge Trophy over the minimum distance to longer races. Ballyburn took part in Leopardstown’s top-tier Ladbrokes Novice Chase over an extended two miles and five and showed great endurance to beat dual Grade 1 winner Croke Park by five lengths.
Three miles won’t pose a challenge for a horse that still has significant potential, with Better Days Ahead, Dancing City and Stellar Story predicted to follow the chosen one home.
2.40 CORAL CUP
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 BEAT THE BAT, 2 AL GASPARO, 3 BE AWARE.
BEAT THE BAT is stepping back up in distance, which could give him the advantage he needs. In his first hurdle campaign, Harry Fry’s son of Walk In The Park was successful once in three starts – a victory at Ascot was flanked by second-place finishes at Chepstow and Cheltenham. He kicked off this season with an impressive second place to Steel Ally over two miles and three furlongs at Haydock Park in November.
However, when he dropped back to two miles at Windsor in January, Beat The Bat seemed uncomfortable on the Thameside twists and turns, finishing seventh to Secret Squirrel. Fry chose to stick with the minimum distance for the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury last time out. Bryan Carver’s mount once again gave the impression that a more demanding stamina test was needed, finishing fifth to Joyeuse by 13 lengths.
A genuine pace over two miles and five furlongs, topped off with an uphill finish, will suit my selection perfectly, and a British Horseracing Authority rating of 133 seems achievable. The list of threats, as always, is extensive, led by Be Aware, with Impose Toi, Jimmy Du Seuil and Al Gasparo close behind.
3.20 GLENFARCLAS CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 LATENIGHTPASS, 2 STUMPTOWN, 3 IWILLDOIT.
LATENIGHTPASS is a horse that could certainly reward each-way backers, at the very least. The reliable performer from Tom Ellis’s stable boasts a win at Aintree’s Grand National meeting on his record – he clinched the Foxhunters’ Chase under the guidance of the trainer’s wife, Gina Andrews, back in 2022 when he was nine.
Latenightpass also has a successful track record over this course and distance, having secured a cross-country chase victory in December 2023 while temporarily under the care of Ellis’s close friend, Dan Skelton. This season, following a warm-up 10th place finish over the National fences in the Grand Sefton Chase in November, my pick finished third behind Stumptown and Mister Coffey over the Cheltenham banks and hedges just 12 days before Christmas, but meets both rivals again here under more favourable conditions.
We can overlook Latenightpass’s first-fence unseating at Ascot in January – a stumble on landing was the culprit for the early exit – and he’s well equipped to put in a strong performance at attractive odds. Favourite Stumptown poses an obvious threat and should be respected, as should Mister Coffey, The Goffer and Iwilldoit.
4.00 BETMGM QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 SOLNESS, 2 JONBON, 3 ENERGUMENE.
SOLNESS has transformed into a top-tier two-mile chaser this winter and is tipped as the value alternative to the much-favoured Jonbon. Joseph O’Brien’s trainee, Solness, may not have been the favourite for Champion Chase honours after finishing 11th in last year’s Grand Annual Chase or coming last of four behind Jonbon in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in December. However, the seven year old has seen a significant turnaround, bagging Grade 1 prizes in his last two races.
In the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown in December, Solness and jockey JJ Slevin led the pack through thick fog to beat Gaelic Warrior by three and three-quarter lengths, with Marine Nationale close behind in third, 2024 Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness in fifth and Found A Fifty pulling up. Those who dismissed this 28-1 win as a fluke were proven wrong when Solness, ridden by Danny Mullins – as Slevin was contracted to ride second-fence departee El Fabiolo – set a challenging pace but still had enough left to beat Marine Nationale by two lengths at Foxrock in February.
Quilixios (fourth) and Captain Guinness (last of six finishers) were well beaten. With Slevin back in the saddle and aggressive tactics on the cards again, Solness will be hard to catch. Jonbon, having triumphed over Energumene in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January as part of his Cheltenham preparation, is not to be dismissed lightly. However, Willie Mullins’ two-time Champion Chaser is tipped for the bronze medal.
4.40 DEBENHAMS JOHNNY HENDERSON GRAND ANNUAL CHALLENGE CUP
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 JPR ONE, 2 UNEXPECTED PARTY, 3 TRAPRAIN LAW.
JPR ONE, who still has more potential over fences, is predicted to outpace his rivals. Despite falling short of top class as a novice chaser last season – finishing 7th as a 16-1 chance for the Arkle Challenge Trophy – Joe Tizzard’s eight year old did secure a Grade 2 victory in the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Lingfield Park on his previous outing.
JPR One kicked off the current season with a three-quarter-length lead over Djelo in the Haldon Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Exeter in November. The horse was then elevated back to the top tier for the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in December, where he held his own with a third-place finish to Jonbon.
JPR One maintained a similar level of form when he came fourth in the Grade 2 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on his latest run, and with a British Horseracing Authority rating of 156, he is well-placed as he returns to the handicap sphere. In a race teeming with potential, last year’s winner Unexpected Party, General Medrano and Traprain Law are just three horses capable of making an impact.
5.20 WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 KALYPSO’CHANCE, 2 COPACABANA, 3 NO DRAMA THIS END.
KALYPSO’CHANCE has made an impressive start to his career and is a strong contender. Trained by Gordon Elliott, he’s a newcomer from the English point-to-point circuit, having triumphed by 13 lengths at Corbridge in Northumberland last April.
This performance led Elliott to purchase Kalypso’chance for £85,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sales just five days later. Seven months on, the son of Masked Marvel represented Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, securing a 15-length victory in a Punchestown bumper.
He then competed in Listed company at Navan 10 days before Christmas, delivering a four-and-a-half-length defeat to Heads Up. Despite only five horses participating in that race, time experts were singing praises afterwards, with Kalypso’chance demonstrating a swift turn of speed to clinch the win. He’s far from being a spent force. Willie Mullins’ record of 14 Champion Bumper wins makes Copacabana and Gameofinches serious contenders, but Paul Nicholls’ No Drama This End also deserves consideration.
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