Cheltenham Festival Day 2: Champion Chase headlines three Grade 1 races

Day two of the four-day Cheltenham Festival is highlighted by the Queen Mother Champion Chase, for two-mile steeplechasers. Run at a solid speed, it’s one of the great spectacles of the festival.

The day also includes two interesting Grade 1 events for novices, and the eventful fences of the Cross-Country Chase. Here are some betting thoughts for the day.

Race 1, 9:20 am ET: Turners Novices' Hurdle  (G1), 2 5/8 miles, novice hurdlers, $202,000

• $10 win/$30 show: #1 Act Of Innocence ($40)
• $1 trifecta: 1, 12 with 1, 9, 12, 17 with 1, 2, 9, 12, 16, 17 ($24)

Grade 1, set-weight novice hurdles are not normally this open. But a full field of 22 has been declared, and there isn’t really a standout.

The Irish challenge is strong as usual. #2 Ballyfad and #9 King Rasko Grey, second and third in the two-mile Tattersalls Ireland Novice (G1) Feb. 1, are both being stepped up in trip; a good sign for the latter is that Willie Mullins’ leading stable rider Paul Townend has chosen him over another leading Mullins chance,  the Group 2 flat winner #17 Sober. Ballyfad’s trainer Gordon Elliott also has a decent chance with #16 Skylight Hustle.

Nicky Henderson has a good prospect in #1 Act Of Innocence, who enjoyed the step up to 2 1/2 miles at Huntingdon last start. Dan Skelton’s #3 Bossman Jack also has prospects, while another leading chance is #12 No Drama This End, a Grade 1 winner at Newbury last start.

It’s a tough line-up, but I liked the way Act of Innocence rounded off his trip at Huntingdon and will make him the main focus of bets.

Race 2, 10 am ET: Brown Advisory Steeplechase (G1), 3 1/8 miles, novice steeplechasers, $277,000

• $10 win/$30 show: #4 Kaid d’Authie ($40)
• $1 trifecta: 4, 10 with 2, 4, 10 with 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16 ($20)

Gordon Elliott may be wondering if he made the right decision to send #10 Romeo Coolio to this race instead of the Arkle yesterday, given that the horse he beat in the Irish Arkle, Kargese, went on to win yesterday’s novice two-mile feature. However, his most convincing wins have been at 2 1/2 miles rather than two miles, so the step up to 3 1/8 miles may see him even better.

Willie Mullins has #4 Kaid d’Authie and #2 Final Demand in the field; Final Demand had the greater hype leading into a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last start, but it was the former who came out best. Don’t read too much into Paul Townend being on Final Demand; Kaid d’Authie is owned by J.P. McManus so his retained jockey Mark Walsh had the choice to ride him. Elliott’s #15 Western Fold split the Mullins pair at Leopardstown and has prospects here.

Irish trainer Henry De Bromhead has two good chances in #6 Koktail Divin and #16 The Big Westerner, though both look more like place chances. England’s best hope is probably #14 Wendigo, but he was soundly beaten at Grade 1 level two starts back and needs to improve to win here.

Romeo Coolio is undoubtedly talented, but I’m more inclined to go with Kaid d’Authie over this trip.

Race 3, 10:40 am ET: BetMGM Cup Handicap, 2 5/8 miles, hurdlers, $148,000

• $10 win/$20 show: #10 Jingko Blue ($30)

As with most handicaps at Cheltenham, this isn’t easy. Mullins is likely to be well in the market again, with #3 Storm Heart coming in with two victories, and #9 Kopeck De Mee with a big reputation. Kopeck De Mee is a McManus horse, and it would pay to keep an eye on the market to see if his big-betting owner has plunged on him.

If there isn’t a lot of money poured on them, my preference is for two horses that have been taking on graded company in recent times. #1 The Yellow Clay has been running into top-level hurdlers Teahupoo and The New Lion in recent times and should appreciate lesser company. But he has top weight to carry, so I’m settling for #10 Jingko Blue. He was second in Grade 2 company on this track Jan. 1 and with 11 pounds less to carry than The Yellow Clay, he has top prospects.

Race 4, 11:20 am ET: Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, 3 5/8 miles, cross-country steeplechasers, $101,000

• $10 win/$30 show: #1 Stumptown ($40)

Always one of the great spectacles at Cheltenham over the varied cross-country fences. This is a race where form from previous years tends to work out well, and last year’s first four are all back – including the winner, #1 Stumptown. He has a bit of weight to carry this year, but he did win the Pardubice in the Czech Republic in October, and I’d expect him to run well again.

The big challenger looks to be #2 Favori De Champdou for Elliott, winner of his last two. He does look a decent horse, but I’m inclined to stick with Stumptown.

Race 5, 12 pm ET: Queen Mother Champion Chase (G1), 2 miles, open steeplechasers, $537,000

• $10 win/$20 show: #6 L’Eau du Sud ($30)
• $3 trifecta: 8 with 4, 5, 6, 9 with 4, 5, 6, 9 ($36)
• $1 trifecta: 6 with 8, 4, 5, 9 with 8, 4, 5, 9 ($12)

The big question for the day’s highlight here is whether #8 Majborough has finally put it all together. He’s been let down by bad jumping several times, including when third in the Arkle here last year. But after a clean round of jumping at Leopardstown, he easily won the Dublin Chase (G1) Feb. 1. A repeat of that form may well see him win, but can he be trusted?

I’m going to put Majborough on top in most trifectas, but also have a sneaky bet on #6 L’Eau du Sud as well. Trainer Dan Skelton is a canny player who has his horses ready to peak at Cheltenham, and if Majborough doesn’t jump cleanly, he can pick up the pieces.

#4 Il Etait Temps, the novice #5 Irish Panther, and #9 Quilixios are worth including in exotics.