Cheltenham tips - Best bets on Day One and Newsboy's 1-2-3 for every race
One of the most hotly anticipated weeks in the racing calendar gets underway on Tuesday in Cheltenham.
Champion's Day kicks off four days of action, with seven races scheduled for Tuesday. The Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy is the showpiece event of the opening day, with that race getting underway at 3.30pm.
Around 250,000 spectators are expected to travel to the Gloucestershire track for this week's racing. Irish trainer Willie Mullins is expected to be the big winner at this year's festival.
Mullins has the favourite in many of the 28 races and needs just six winners to become the first person to train 100 Cheltenham Festival victors. Here, Mirror Sport brings you the best bets for Day One.
1.30 - Supreme Novices’ Hurdle Race
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 TULLYHILL, 2 JERIKO DU REPONET, 3 MYSTICAL POWER
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Tullyhill is the selection to get what promises to be a record-breaking Cheltenham Festival for Willie Mullins off to the perfect start. With seven triumphs, Mullins is already the winningmost trainer in the history of the meeting’s curtain-raiser and, with half of the dozen runners hailing from Closutton, a record eighth success is very much on the cards.
Of the sextet, it’s Tullyhill that appeals most. Second to A Dream To Share in a Grade 1 Punchestown bumper last April, the grey was floored at odds of 1-8 in a maiden hurdle over two and three-quarter miles back at the Co Kildare venue last November.
But, back at two miles, Tullyhill moved on from that obstacles debut defeat with a seven-length call at Naas in mid-January. And he took another step forward - booking his place at Cheltenham in the process - with a nine-length humbling of No Flies On Him in a Listed novice event at Punchestown last time out.
There is plenty more to come from Paul Townend’s mount and, if sent to the front from the outset - as for his two hurdles wins - Tullyhill is likely to take some catching. Jeriko Du Reponet, Mystical Power and Tellherthename are the most convincing candidates for the minor medals.
Irish trainer Willie Mullins is set to see his horses dominate (PA)2.10 - Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 QUILIXIOS, 2 FOUND A FIFTY, 3 JPR ONE
Quilixios, representing the team successful in the Cheltenham Gold Cup two years ago with A Plus Tard, gets the vote.
After registering a Cheltenham Festival success in the 2021 Triumph Hurdle, my selection saw his fortunes take a downturn - he was beaten in his next four starts over hurdles and sat on the sidelines for 610 days after a third to Teahupoo in Gowran Park’s Red Mills Trial Hurdle in November 2022.
But Henry de Bromhead brought the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding back for a campaign in novice chases this winter, and Quilixios began with a neck margin over Cool Survivor in a beginners’ chase at Limerick in October. The wheels came off in a Grade 2 event over three miles at Punchestown the following month when Rachael Blackmore’s partner came home last of six finishers behind Favori De Champdou.
But they were clearly back in place back over the minimum distance at Naas in January, when Quilixios gave a textbook display of jumping en route to a two-and-a-quarter-length cushion from Sa Fureur. Another step forward and Quilixios is a major player in what doesn’t look a vintage Arkle, with Found A Fifty and JPR One feared most.
2.50 - Handicap Steeple Chase
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 CHIANTI CLASSICO, 2 THE GOFFER, 3 TWIG
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Chianti Classico looks a solid contender for the home team. The three-time hurdles victor made his debut over fences at Chepstow in October, having had wind surgery during his 210 days off games.
Fitted with a tongue strap that has been worn ever since, Chianti Classico and David Bass came out on top with a four-and-a-quarter-length supremacy from Pull Again Green. And my selection doubled in the sphere with a three-quarter-length call from Scrum Diddly in a novices’ handicap chase at Ascot in November.
Chianti Classico lost his unbeaten record over the larger obstacles when pitched into open company in January, finishing a two-length second to Flegmatik over Kempton Park’s King George VI Chase course and distance. But that defeat told us much about the seven-year-old son of Shantou’s chances today - he can mix it with more experienced chasers and his finishing effort in Sunbury makes this stiff three miles and a furlong ideal.
A 1lb nudge up the weights is neither here nor there for a horse with plenty more to offer, and Chianti Classico looks sure to give a good account of himself. The first handicap of the meeting has a characteristically wide-open look to it, with Trelawne, Meetingofthewaters, The Goffer and, at bigger prices, Twig all capable of playing a part.
3.30 - Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy
State Man is the favourite for the showpiece race on Day One (PA)NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 STATE MAN, 2 IBERICO LORD, 3 IRISH POINT
State Man will surely take full advantage of Constitution Hill’s absence to better his second of 12 months ago. Last year’s runner-up has spent much of his career in the reigning champion’s shadow, but that shouldn’t mask the fact he’s an outstanding performer in his own right.
Since taking a fall two out at Leopardstown on Boxing Day 2021 when making his debut for Willie Mullins, the seven-year-old has suffered just one defeat - when nine lengths behind Constitution Hill in the 2023 Champion Hurdle. Four outings since have yielded four victories for Paul Townend’s partner - and all at the highest level.
Having rounded off last season with a bloodless three-length dismissal of stablemate Vauban at Punchestown, Doctor Dino’s son returned to Co Kildare in November to humble another Closutton trainee, Echoes In Rain, by five lengths in the Morgiana Hurdle.
Over Christmas it fell to another Mullins-saddled runner, Impaire Et Passe, to chase home State Man in Leopardstown’s Matheson Hurdle. And last time out he proved five and a half lengths too strong for Bob Olinger when defending his title in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in Foxrock.
There is a significant gap between the hot favourite and his rivals, and it will rank as the upset of the week if State Man fails to deliver Mullins a fifth triumph in the Tuesday feature. After being forced to withdraw an under-the-weather Constitution Hill, Nicky Henderson has supplemented Iberico Lord.
And, while the Betfair Hurdle victor has a few pounds to find on the figures, he’s a long way from the bottom of the barrel and has his favoured soft ground. He is fancied to fill second, with Irish Point preferred to Zarak The Brave and Nemean Lion for the final place on the podium.
4.10 - Mares’ Hurdle Race
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 LOSSIEMOUTH, 2 MARIE’S ROCK, 3 ASHROE DIAMOND
Lossiemouth is fancied to prove her stamina over two and a half miles for a second Cheltenham Festival victory. Thus far, the Willie Mullins-saddled mare has tackled no further than two miles and a furlong - she raced over that trip when running away with the Triumph Hurdle last March.
Lossiemouth confirmed herself as last season’s top juvenile hurdler with a beating of Closutton stable-companion Zarak The Brave in the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown the following month, and was then off the track for 273 days before making her comeback at Cheltenham in January.
The grey went off at 4-7 for the Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle on the Trials Day card and spared her backers a single moment of anxiety, cantering to the front approaching the final flight and sluicing home nine and a half lengths to the good of Love Envoi.
Lossiemouth has an additional three furlongs to go this afternoon but Paul Townend’s mount should last home to win again. Marie’s Rock won this race two years ago and is capable of playing a supporting role, along with Ashroe Diamond and Telmesomethinggirl.
4.50 - Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race
Gordon Elliott's Ndaawi is the favourite for the day's penultimate race (Getty Images)NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 NDAAWI, 2 LARK IN THE MORNIN, 3 LATIN VERSE
Ndaawi is progressing with every run over hurdles and should give another good account. A two-time winner on the Flat for Andrew Balding, Cracksman’s son joined Gordon Elliott to pursue a jumping campaign, marking his first start in the sphere with a fifth at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Ndaawi then took a step forward with a third to Miss Manzor at Fairyhouse in mid-January before making it third time lucky over obstacles in a soft-ground maiden hurdle at Naas 15 days later. Never far from the action, my selection travelled with ease under Jack Kennedy before asserting to hold stablemate Barrier by two and a quarter lengths.
A handicap mark of 134 looks within range and Ndaawi can draw on the progress needed to extend his trainer’s record in this race to five. In a contest of myriad possible outcomes, Lark In The Mornin, Milan Tino, Liari and Latin Verse are at the top of a long shortlist.
5.30 - National Hunt Novices’ Chase
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 EMBASSY GARDENS, 2 CORBETTS CROSS, 3 SALVADOR ZIGGY
Embassy Gardens has the right profile to give Willie Mullins and son Patrick, successful with Stattler in 2022 and Gaillard Du Mesnil 12 months ago, a hat-trick of wins. Having hit the target once from five attempts over hurdles, the son of Shantou made the perfect start to his career over fences with a 13-length margin from Lets Go Champ at Punchestown 13 days before Christmas.
My selection’s sights were then raised to Grade 3 level for a novice chase at Naas at the end of January and Embassy Gardens duly followed up with a 10-length beating of Sandor Clegane. This afternoon’s three-and-three-quarter-mile distance makes for five furlongs of uncharted territory, but the eight-year-old shapes like a horse who last home over extended trips.
A hood is called upon to conserve every last ounce of energy, and Embassy Gardens is confidently expected to give his trainer-jockey combination a fifth National Hunt Chase overall. Corbetts Cross, accident prone but talented, rates the main danger, while Salvador Ziggy and Henry’s Friend are next in the pecking order.
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