1.20pm Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 5f
Bob Olinger heads for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle a fresh horse having being saved for Cheltenham since winning at Naas in January.
Trainer Henry de Bromhead did not see the need to go to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival in February, after the six-year-old won the Grade One Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle.
“He seems great and we’re delighted with him, and hopefully Cheltenham will suit,” said the County Waterford-based handler.
“He’s had three runs and he won his Grade One at Naas – the Lawlor’s is a really good race – so I didn’t feel any need to go to the Dublin Festival with him.
“He’s a good moving horse and works well on good-ish ground, so hopefully he should be fine.”
Gaillard Du Mesnil confirmed his place in the field when capturing the Grade One Nathaniel Lacy And Partners Novice Hurdle over two and three-quarter miles at Leopardstown last month.
Trainer Willie Mullins believes this slightly shorter trip will suit the five-year-old.
“He hasn’t done much wrong. We ran over two-six last time because we didn’t want to go back to two miles with him,” he said.
“I prefer this distance, and I think the pace there will suit us. He’s a horse that I like a lot and I think he’s improving all the time.
“Danny (Mullins) was very good on Stattler (in the race at Leopardstown). He got the fractions right and nearly stole the race himself, but when push came to shove, Gaillard Du Mesnil showed what he’s made of and hopefully he’ll be able to do that at Cheltenham, too.”
Paul Nicholls believes Bravemansgame has a big chance and would not swap the Challow Hurdle winner for anything else in the race.
“He’s a very relaxed horse and not keen. He’s a good ride and a class horse,” said the Ditcheat handler.
“The Ballymore is a hard race to win. Denman got beat in the race and there are some good horses in it.
“He’s definitely improving physically all the time and the best will come from him when he jumps a fence in the future, but I think he’s going into the race with a leading chance. He’s a lovely horse for the future.”
Joseph O’Brien is happy with the improvement shown by Keskonrisk in just two races over hurdles.
“Keskonrisk has pleased us with his progression so far this season,” O’Brien told Betfair.
“He got himself out of trouble to make a winning hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in November and we threw him into the deep end in Grade One novice hurdle company at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting after that.
“Considering how much of a step up in class that was for him, we were very happy with his effort in finishing third to Appreciate It. We had a good think about which race to send him to at this meeting and we opted to go up in trip for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.
“He isn’t a flashy work horse at home, so it’s hard to know where the ceiling of his improvement will be, but there should be more to come from him. This looks a very good renewal of this race, but hopefully he will be up to competing.”
Nicky Martin’s Bear Ghylls is unbeaten in three races over jumps and takes a big step up from maiden, novice and handicap company to the top level.
The Kim Bailey-trained Does He Know and Ben Pauling’s Optimise Prime complete the seven runners.
1.55pm Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 3m 80y
When Willie Mullins said last year that Monkfish could be a Gold Cup horse one day, it definitely got people’s attention.
He was speaking after his chestnut had won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and 12 months on Monkfish is back at Cheltenham, this time over fences and with his reputation further heightened after three faultless efforts over the bigger obstacles.
Next year it could be for the Gold Cup itself, but for now it is the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, where anything other than victory will be a huge disappointment against five rivals.
“It’s been so far so good with Monkfish, and I’m just hoping he can come back and do the same at Cheltenham,” Mullins said of Rich Ricci’s seven-year-old.
“He had a gruelling race there last year and I just hope he doesn’t remember that. Sometimes horses can, but he’s done everything right this season and done it well within his scope. He’s one that I’m really looking forward to at Cheltenham.
“I didn’t see him the first few mornings (schooling) like I did some of the other others over the years like Footpad and what have you, but anyone who rides him always says it (he’s a natural).
“You have so much ‘bonnet’ out in front of you, as Ruby (Walsh) describes it – he must be beautiful for a jockey to ride.”
Sporting John looked a smart prospect for chasing, and while beaten at odds-on first time out, he came good in very testing ground to claim Grade One honours in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
That performance suggested stamina is his strong suit, a view shared by big-race jockey Richard Johnson.
He said of the Philip Hobbs-trained six-year-old: “He’s obviously a very good horse and I was impressed with him at Sandown. I schooled him at Exeter 10 days or so ago and again at Philip’s, he’s in very good form.
“He showed at Sandown he’s very good and hopefully there’s more to come after just two runs over fences. He’s lightly raced and hopefully still improving. The way he finished his race off at Sandown, you’d be surprised if he didn’t stay three miles well.”
Sporting John’s conqueror first time out was Fiddleronetheroof, who is one of two representatives for the Colin Tizzard team along with The Big Breakaway.
Assistant trainer Joe Tizzard said of the latter: “He hasn’t done an awful lot wrong and has won a chase around Cheltenham, finished second in a Grade One over fences and is a horse that is maturing over time. I am sure his time will come and he is going to win or be competitive in these big races.”
He added of Fiddlerontheroof: “He has been second four times on the bounce in great company and stepping him up to three miles last time showed us he certainly stays. He ran in three point to points, won his bumper and is a horse we think will be better the further he goes. He has some high-class form.
“I don’t think he or The Big Breakaway are particularly ground dependent.”
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore team up with Eklat De Rire, who is unbeaten in two starts over fences, most recently in a Grade Three at Naas.
De Bromhead said: “He’s two from two so far and is lovely. He’s done nothing wrong this year, and he won his Grade Three the other day very impressively.
“He jumps his fences really well, touch wood, and we’ll find out how good he is there and see if we can give Monkfish a race. (Monkfish) has obviously been super impressive, but our lad has been very good as well, so we’ll see on the day.”
The line-up is completed by Dickie Diver, from Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows yard.
2.30pm Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m 5f
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3.05pm Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 99y
Chacun Pour Soi faces a critical Cheltenham mission as he bids to complete master trainer Willie Mullins’ full set of Festival titles in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The short-priced favourite will be joined by stablemate Cilaos Emery against eight other heavyweight contenders on Wednesday.
But there is no doubt the hopes of Closutton will be centred chiefly on Chacun Pour Soi to deliver the one Cheltenham championship event that has as yet eluded the Festival’s all-time most successful trainer.
Among his record-breaking tally of victories, at the start of business this week Mullins could count two Gold Cups – after Al Boum Photo conquered that Everest for him in each of the last two years – four Champion Hurdles, two Stayers’ crowns and three Ryanair Chase successes.
He has suffered only disappointment, though, in the top two-mile chasing division – including with his brilliant but fragile favourite Douvan in 2017 and 12 months ago when Chacun Pour Soi had to miss the race because of a last-minute stone bruise.
Since then, the lightly-raced nine-year-old has been imperious in three dominant victories on home soil against the best of his compatriots.
At the prospect of winning the great race for the first time, Mullins said: “It would be huge for the stable and everyone here to get that win and have all the championship races at the Cheltenham Festival.
“I hope he will give us a chance to try to put that away. He’s in great form since Leopardstown (in last month’s Dublin Chase) and does everything right at home, so fingers crossed.”
Mullins is not inclined to dwell on last year’s mishap – and neither was he at the time, because there were a string of other major races he needed to concentrate on.
He added: “It hurts – but at Cheltenham, every 35 minutes it’s a new page, and you don’t really get to think about it or for it to sink in. Thankfully we had a good Cheltenham last year – so it’s history.
“It’s different if you had one horse – you would probably wallow in it – but as I said to the lads ‘just put it behind us and get on to the next race’.”
Chacun Pour Soi, who will be ridden by Paul Townend for owner Rich Ricci, developed a reputation for susceptibility to injury as well as brilliance on the track as he managed just four appearances in his first two campaigns for Mullins.
There has been no sign of any problems this season, however, and Mullins understandably has high hopes he can rise to his biggest challenge yet on his first attempt at Cheltenham.
He said: “He had his troubles early on in his career – but now everything has settled down, he just goes up the gallop every morning and does his work.
“He is one of the ones if you had to pick the top five or six travelling over, you’d say he is one that you are really hoping can bring his ‘A’ game there.”
He faces a clutch of top-class contenders – even in the absence of dual winner Altior, pulled out of the race for the second year running because of a late setback.
The challengers are headed by Paul Nicholls’ title-holder Politologue and Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra.
Festival stalwart Politologue had already finished fourth and second to Altior in the previous two Queen Mothers when he won emphatically last year.
The grey – who will be running at the meeting for the sixth time – started this season with a Tingle Creek triumph at Sandown, before finishing second to the vastly-improved and reopposing First Flow at Ascot in January.
“I think it was a good run in the Clarence House,” Nicholls said of Politologue’s most recent effort.
“The ground was probably testing enough for him that day, and he might be slightly better on spring ground – which is why Cheltenham suits him very well.
“He always gives his all. There was no excuse at Ascot – he got beaten by a better horse on the day. (But) he still ran to a very high level, which he’ll do in this race.
“He’s solid and jumps well and will give you a good run for your money. Being realistic, we’ve got a nice chance, but it will be hard.”
Kim Bailey’s First Flow is unbeaten in his last six races, during which he has risen 25lb – often showing a liking for very soft ground.
His Cotswolds trainer reports jockey David Bass has great faith in his ability to compete at this highest level.
“David totally believes in the horse, and we both know that the horse stays well,” said Bailey.
“We’ve been arguing all season whether we ought to be running over two and a half miles rather than two, but David has been adamant two miles is the right trip – and he’s proved himself right so far.
“He probably just goes through soft ground better than everybody else. I think his last performance probably gave the horse confidence and the jockey confidence that he can handle better ground better than we thought.”
Nube Negra has run just once this season – but that is by design, and his surprise Kempton victory over Altior at Christmas was a revelation.
Skelton said: “We come here fresh and well. He had a little gallop round Warwick three weeks ago, and I was happy with how that went. Nice ground will suit him, and we’re just really looking forward to it."
Henry de Bromhead supplies two more Irish hopefuls, last year’s Arkle favourite and winner respectively, Notebook and Put The Kettle On.
He said of the former: “The first year he ran (at Cheltenham), he ran in the Ballymore, and he’s never looked as good over a trip as he has since we dropped him back to two miles.
“Last year, yes, he was disappointing – having set off favourite.
“He’s coming here off the back of one less run than last year, so hopefully that will stand to him. He’s a bit fresher, and I would say the better the ground, the better his chance.”
While Notebook fluffed his Festival lines, finishing sixth and last, stablemate Put The Kettle On emphatically did not – at 16/1.
The mare won again at Cheltenham in November, before having to settle for third behind Chacun Pour Soi – and Notebook – at Leopardstown a month later.
De Bromhead said: “She was brilliant in the Shloer obviously, and then she ran very well at Leopardstown.
“We were planning to go to Kempton – but obviously with Covid we weren’t allowed to travel, so we were never convinced Leopardstown was going to be ideal for her. But she still ran really well.
“As we all know, she just loves Cheltenham, so hopefully that’ll improve her a couple of pounds as well.”
The remainder of the 10-strong field features Harry Whittington’s Rouge Vif, third in last year’s Arkle, the admirable Sceau Royal for Alan King and Nicholls’ second-string Greaneteen.
3.40pm Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 3m 6f 37y
Tiger Roll will bid to reclaim his crown and become the first three-time winner of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.
The 11-year-old claimed the prize in 2018 and 2019, but last season’s attempt at a third consecutive win was foiled by the French-trained Easysland.
Defeated by a conclusive 17 lengths, Tiger Roll has been beaten by similarly wide margins since and was pulled up when contesting the handicap chase run over the same cross-country course at Cheltenham’s November meeting.
Now campaigned by Denise Foster after the suspension of Gordon Elliott, the dual Grand National hero will cross paths with Easysland again at Cheltenham – where he is a four-time Festival winner – and is reported to be in fine fettle ahead of the contest.
“Keith (Donoghue, jockey) rang after schooling Tiger Roll this morning and tells me he’s in great form,” Foster said.
“He seemed in super form at home before he left.
“I watched him last week and he was very bullish in himself, which is hopefully a good sign.
“The truth is only Tiger really knows how he’s feeling, but he obviously likes Cheltenham and Keith seems very happy with him.”
4.15pm Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 2m 62y
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4.50pm Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) 2m 87y
The Weatherbys Champion Bumper is a competitive looking heat, with Willie Mullins seemingly well positioned to take an 11th victory in the Grade One race.
Kilcruit heads the market after a commanding victory at Leopardstown last month, where he was completely unchallenged as he cruised to an easy 12-length success.
“Kilcruit put up a huge performance at the Dublin Racing Festival and I was very pleased,” Mullins said of the run.
“I was gobsmacked actually at how well he won on the day, and I’m hoping he can put a similar kind of performance in at Cheltenham.”
Mullins will also saddle the undefeated Sir Gerhard, who joined his yard earlier in the month from Elliott.
“Sir Gerhard is a fine horse,” he said of the Cheveley Park-owned gelding.
“His form looks very good and he looks like he could be anything, as he’s got all the qualities of a good horse.
“It’s going to be very tough changing stables so soon before the race, but we’ll see what we can do.”
Paul Nicholls will be hoping for a first success in the contest as he sends out Shearer, a five-year-old son of Flemensfirth.
The gelding was last seen triumphing by nine lengths in a bumper at Warwick, before which he was beaten by just a head on his racecourse debut.
“Shearer is a very nice horse,” Nicholls said.
“He was named after Alan Shearer and I know Alan has followed him.
“He just got beaten on his debut at Hereford and then won well at Warwick on ground that was far too testing for him. He’s had a nice break and has improved, he definitely deserves to take his chance.”
