Key market movers for Cheltenham including Jonbon and Energumene

Arkle Chase

• L'Eau du Sud (8/1 from 9/1)
• Ile Atlantique (20/1 from 33/1)

L'Eau du Sud took his record over fences to three from three with victory in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on Saturday, underlining his status as Britain's leading contender for the Arkle.

He perhaps wasn't as fluent as he'd been on his first couple of starts, including when an 11-length winner at Cheltenham's November meeting, but he again travelled smoothly and was ultimately well on top. He's a top price of 8/1 but is as short as 11/2 in a place.

The Arkle betting is headed by Ballyburn at a top price of 9/4 following his impressive chasing debut at Punchestown a couple of weeks ago, and his trainer Willie Mullins introduced another exciting prospect to the division at Navan on Saturday in the shape of Ile Atlantique.

Ile Atlantique came up short at the spring festivals, though he was placed twice in Grade 1 novice hurdles last season and looks likely to make a better chaser based on his stylish success on his first start over fences at Navan where he comfortably landing a beginners' contest with some depth.

That event was over two and a half miles but, with no intermediate Grade 1 novice chase at this season's Festival, Ile Atlantique was unsurprisingly trimmed for the Arkle.

Champion Chase

• Jonbon (5/2 from 7/2)
• Energumene (6/1 from 10/1)

Jonbon was already established as Timeform's highest-rated chaser based in Britain prior to Saturday's Tingle Creek which was a race he was expected to win. However, he underlined his Champion Chase credentials with an emphatic success, extending his record under Rules to 16 wins from 19 starts.

He was already disputing favouritism with Gaelic Warrior for the Champion Chase but his second Tingle Creek success has seen him assume control at the head of that market.

Energumene also boasts a superb strike rate under Rules and he was a big mover in the Champion Chase market after proving plenty of ability remains intact on his return from a long layoff in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork on Sunday.

Energumene had been off the track since winning his second Punchestown Champion Chase in the spring of 2023, but raced with plenty of zest and jumped boldly to land his third Hilly Way to make it 13 wins from 16 starts.

Two of his most significant wins came in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, which he won in 2022 and 2023, and he has been cut to 6/1 to win this season's edition as an 11-year-old.

Ryanair Chase

• Energumene (12/1 from 25/1)
• Banbridge (16/1 from 20/1)

Energumene was also cut for the Ryanair Chase, but you'd imagine that would only come into the equation were he to suffer a defeat on the road to Cheltenham or display signs he'd lost some of his zip, even if Willie Mullins also has Gaelic Warrior and El Fabiolo as contenders for the Champion Chase.

Energumene ultimately won the Hilly Way by ten lengths on his return but the margin would have been much shorter had Banbridge not unseated at the final fence when attempting to mount a challenge.

Energumene looked the likely winner, but it was a good run from Banbridge and a big step forward on what he'd shown when only fourth in the Fortria Chase on his return last month.

He didn't do himself justice when pulled up on testing ground in the Ryanair Chase last season but he has the talent to make an impact and was deservedly trimmed.

Also on Sunday, Djelo left trainer Venetia Williams stating "you would have to think about that" in reference to a potential Ryanair bid following the horse's excellent performance in the Peterborough Chase.

Paddy Power introduced the six-year-old at 20/1 for the Festival and he might develop into an interesting outsider providing he has his favoured soft ground.

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

• The Yellow Clay (12/1 from 16/1)

The Yellow Clay had to work harder than expected to win the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle on Saturday but he stayed on strongly to lead close home and take his record over jumps to three from three.

The Yellow Clay's strength in the finish over two and a half miles, plus the cracking attitude he displayed, prompted bookmakers to cut his price for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, while he also drifted for the Turners Novices' Hurdle.

Mares' Chase

• Only By Night (12/1 from 25/1)

Gavin Cromwell won the Mares' Chase last season with Limerick Lace and has at least one more strong contender this time around following Only By Night's emphatic win in Grade 2 company at Cork on Sunday.

She quickly proved herself a better chaser than hurdler when making a winning start over fences at Tipperary last month and she backed up that excellent impression with an easy win at Cork, not needing to come off the bridle.

There's surely more to come from her in this sphere and she was halved in price for the Mares' Chase.

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