Cheltenham Festival entries: Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase
The entries have been published for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase.
Star pair set for Champion Chase
Shishkin and Energumene headline 22 contenders for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, the feature race on the second day of the Festival, March 16.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin landed the Arkle at last year’s meeting before going on to further Grade One glory at Aintree, while he kept his unbeaten record over fences intact when making an impressive return in the Desert Orchid Chase over the Christmas period.
A late setback saw Energumene miss out on his Arkle date, but he gained compensation at the Punchestown Festival and is yet to be topped in five chase starts, most recently landing the Hilly Way at Cork last month.
He is one of three potential challengers for Mullins, along with Allaho and Chacun Pour Soi, who was only third in this race last year.
De Bromhead’s reigning champion Put The Kettle On is entered again, but she has been below her best so far this term, while runner-up Nube Negra could renew rivalries for the Skelton team.
Envoi Allen is another of four De Bromhead entries, along with Notebook and Captain Guinness, with Paul Nicholls’ Tingle Creek hero Greaneteen one of four entries for the champion trainer.
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y - Wednesday 16th March
Allaho (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Willie Mullins IRE
Allmankind 6 The Gredley Family Dan Skelton
Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Captain Guinness (IRE) 7 Declan Landy Henry de Bromhead IRE
Chacun Pour Soi (FR) 10 Mrs S. Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
Dunvegan (FR) 9 G. Turner/Clipper Logistics Group Ltd Pat Fahy Ireland IRE
Editeur du Gite (FR) 8 The Preston Family, Friends & T Jacobs Gary Moore
Energumene (FR) 8 Tony Bloom Willie Mullins IRE
Envoi Allen (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
First Flow (IRE) 10 Mr A. N. Solomons Kim Bailey
Funambule Sivola (FR) 7 My Racing Manager Friends Venetia Williams
Greaneteen (FR) 8 Chris Giles Paul Nicholls
Hardline (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Hitman (FR) 6 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls
Notebook (GER) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
Nube Negra (SPA) 8 Mr T. Spraggett Dan Skelton
Politologue (FR) 11 Mr J. Hales Paul Nicholls
Put The Kettle On (IRE) 8 One For Luck Racing Syndicate Henry de Bromhead IRE
Rouge Vif (FR) 8 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls
Samcro (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Sceau Royal (FR) 10 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Alan King
Shishkin (IRE) 8 Mrs J Donnelly Nicky Henderson
22 entries
11 Irish-trained
Allaho set to defend title
A number of contenders for the Gold Cup and Champion Chase also feature in the Ryanair Chase contenders, with the 36 including Allaho, A Plus Tard, Energumene, Tornado Flyer and Put The Kettle On amongst others.
Allaho won the race last year and he is the ante-post favourite, with last year’s second Fakir D’Oudairies entered by Joseph O’Brien and also prominent in the betting.
The Skelton-trained Shan Blue is in the mix while Midnight Shadow, Defi Du Seuil, Dashel Drasher and Janidil are other familiar names.
Ryanair Chase (Grade 1) 2m 4f 127y - Thursday 17th March
A Plus Tard (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
Allaho (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Willie Mullins IRE
Asterion Forlonge (FR) 8 Mrs J. Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
Battleoverdoyen (IRE) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Blackbow (IRE) 9 Roaringwater Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
Chacun Pour Soi (FR) 10 Mrs S. Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
Chatham Street Lad (IRE) 10 Mr V. Healy Michael Winters IRE
Cilaos Emery (FR) 10 Luke McMahon Willie Mullins IRE
Conflated (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Dashel Drasher 9 Mrs B Tully and Mr R Lock Jeremy Scott
Defi du Seuil (FR) 9 Mr John P. McManus Philip Hobbs
Eldorado Allen (FR) 8 J P Romans & Terry Warner Colin Tizzard
Energumene (FR) 8 Tony Bloom Willie Mullins IRE
Envoi Allen (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
Fakir d'Oudairies (FR) 7 Mr John P. McManus Joseph O'Brien IRE
Fanion d'Estruval (FR) 7 Mr David Wilson Venetia Williams
Franco de Port (FR) 7 Bruton Street V Willie Mullins IRE
Funambule Sivola (FR) 7 My Racing Manager Friends Venetia Williams
Fusil Raffles (FR) 7 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
Hardline (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Hitman (FR) 6 Mason, Hogarth, Ferguson & Done Paul Nicholls
Janidil (FR) 8 Mr John P. McManus Willie Mullins IRE
Lostintranslation (IRE) 10 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
Melon 10 Mrs J. Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
Midnight Shadow 9 Mrs Aafke Clarke Sue Smith
Mister Fisher (IRE) 8 James & Jean Potter Ltd Nicky Henderson
Notebook (GER) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
Put The Kettle On (IRE) 8 One For Luck Racing Syndicate Henry de Bromhead IRE
Rouge Vif (FR) 8 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls
Royal Rendezvous (IRE) 10 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald Willie Mullins IRE
Saint Calvados (FR) 9 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls
Samcro (IRE) 10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Shan Blue (IRE) 8 Mr Colm Donlon Dan Skelton
Simply The Betts (IRE) 9 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls
Sizing Pottsie (FR) 8 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Jessica Harrington IRE
Tornado Flyer (IRE) 9 T. F. P. Willie Mullins IRE
36 entries
22 Irish-trained
Last year's principals going for Gold
Minella Indo and A Plus Tard, last year’s first and second, top 30 entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup – the highlight of the Festival meeting in March.
Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the duo were separated by just a length and a quarter in 2021, but it is A Plus Tard who is the ante-post favourite at this stage after winning the Betfair Chase before being narrowly denied in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last week, while Minella Indo disappointed in the King George at Kempton.
Willie Mullins’ dual winner Al Boum Photo had to settle for third in his hat-trick bid last term, but he is in the mix to try to regain his crown after a triumphant seasonal debut at Tramore on New Year’s Day.
He is part of a seven-strong entry from the champion Irish handler who has also nominated King George hero Tornado Flyer plus John Durkan winner Allaho, Asterion Forlonge, Carefully Selected, Franco De Port and Melon.
Savills Chase winner Galvin is Gordon Elliott’s leading hope at this stage, with the trainer making five initial entries including the mare Mount Ida, who was a Grade Three winner at Punchestown on New Year’s Day.
Dan Skelton’s Protektorat is the shortest-priced home-trainer contender at this point, with Nicky Henderson’s Long Walk Hurdle winner Champ and another King George flop, Chantry House, also among the possibles.
Leading novice Ahoy Senor is an eyecatching entry for Lucinda Russell having won at Newbury and found only Bravemansgame too good at Kempton over Christmas.
Fiddlerontheroof, Lostintranslation, Royale Pagaille and Aye Right are also on the list.
3:30 pm Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) 3m 2f 70y - Friday 18th March
A Plus Tard (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
Ahoy Senor (IRE) 7 Mrs C Wymer & Mr PJS Russell Lucinda Russell
Al Boum Photo (FR) 10 Mrs J. Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
Allaho (FR) 8 Cheveley Park Stud Willie Mullins IRE
Angels Breath (IRE) 8 Walters Plant Hire & Ronnie Bartlett Nicky Henderson
Asterion Forlonge (FR) 8 Mrs J. Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
Aye Right (IRE) 9 Geoff and Elspeth Adam Harriet Graham
Carefully Selected (IRE) 10 Miss M. A. Masterson Willie Mullins IRE
Champ (IRE) 10 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson
Chantry House (IRE) 8 Mr John P. McManus Nicky Henderson
Chatham Street Lad (IRE) 10 Mr V. Healy Michael Winters IRE
Conflated (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Delta Work (FR) 9 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Eklat de Rire (FR) 8 Mr P. Davies Henry de Bromhead IRE
Fiddlerontheroof (IRE) 8 Taylor, Burley & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
Franco de Port (FR) 7 Bruton Street V Willie Mullins IRE
Galvin (IRE) 8 Mr R. A. Bartlett Gordon Elliott IRE
Imperial Aura (IRE) 9 Imperial Racing Partnership 2016 Kim Bailey
Lostintranslation (IRE) 10 Taylor & O'Dwyer Colin Tizzard
Melon 10 Mrs J. Donnelly Willie Mullins IRE
Minella Indo (IRE) 9 Mr Barry Maloney Henry de Bromhead IRE
Mister Fisher (IRE) 8 James & Jean Potter Ltd Nicky Henderson
Mount Ida (IRE) 8 KTDA Racing Gordon Elliott IRE
Protektorat (FR) 7 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L bHales Dan Skelton
Remastered 9 Brocade Racing David Pipe
Royale Pagaille (FR) 8 Mrs S. Ricci Venetia Williams
Run Wild Fred (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
Saint Calvados (FR) 9 Kate & Andrew Brooks Paul Nicholls
Santini 10 Mr & Mrs R. Kelvin-Hughes Polly Gundry
Tornado Flyer (IRE) 9 T. F. P. Willie Mullins IRE
30 entries
16 Irish-trained
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