Our form expert has tipped 11/1, 15/2 and 5/1 winners in his last three Verdict columns, including Kargese in the Arkle, and he has five selections for day two at Cheltenham.
The Verdict: Wednesday March 11
1pt e.w. Shuttle Diplomacy in the 13.20 Cheltenham at 25/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4)
1pt win Kaid d’Authie in 14.00 Cheltenham at 7/1 (General)
1pt win Jingko Blue in 14.40 Cheltenham at 10/1 (General)
1pt win L’eau Du Sud in 16.00 Cheltenham at 5/1 (General)
1pt win Inthepocket in 16.40 Cheltenham at 8/1 (General)
Go L’Eau in the Champion Chase
Dan Skelton missed out on the Champion Hurdle with The New Lion on the first day but he could well land the feature race on day two with L’EAU DU SUD in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The market has seen one-way traffic for Majborough after his Dublin Racing Festival success and then the defection of reigning champion Marine Nationale, but odds-on quotes look skinny enough about Willie Mullins' horse in a race that has been a scourge for those prohibitively priced in recent years.
Defi Du Seuil (2/5), Chacun Pour Soi (8/13), Shishkin (5/6), El Fabiolo (2/9) and Jonbon (5/6) have all been beaten in this race since 2020 and the very nature of top-level two-mile chases around Cheltenham's Old Course makes it a unique test of speed unlike anything else during the season.
Majborough was brilliant at Leopardstown and a repeat of that performance will likely see him win, but here he faces different opposition on much quicker ground at a track where he made three mistakes in the last four fences in last year’s Arkle.
If Majborough is below his DRF best, then a peak form Il Etait Temps or Quilixios could have a say here, but the one who looks primed to put in a new career high is L’eau Du Sud.
He looked the winner of last year’s Arkle when left in the lead two out, but he weakened into fourth up the hill and Skelton blamed himself for running him in the Kingmaker the month before.
Not one to make the same mistake twice, L’eau Du Sud comes in here fresh as paint after 95 days off and he has assembled a great record on the back of his breaks, winning his last three after two months or more off so we know Skelton has mastered getting him cherry ripe at home.
His best performance came after 223 days off in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last November, where he smashed Jonbon by 15 lengths after a terrific round of jumping.
Jonbon might well have needed the run, but he has been no back number at the age of 10, winning two Grade 1 races subsequently, and having never been out of the first two in his career it looks a piece of form worth viewing positively.
However you view Jonbon’s readiness for the assignment, L’eau Du Sud was in superb shape that day and while he was below form at Sandown three weeks later that run is easily excused on the back of the relatively short turnaround for a horse that loves time between his races.
If Majborough is pressured on the lead by Quilixios, L’eau Du Sud could get a dream tow into the race and he’s taken to come of age at the Festival while he’s in his eight-year-old pomp.
The Verdict: Back L’EAU DU SUD in the 16.00 Cheltenham
Kaid can land vintage Brown Advisory
The Brown Advisory has really benefitted for the removal of the intermediate Grade 1 novice chase this year with 16 rivals lining up and there is some serious strength in depth to this race.
Romeo Coolio (form boosted by Kargese) and Final Demand are well respected at their best for all that they look short enough considering the questions they have to answer here, while you can make cases for Wendigo, Koktail Divin, The Big Westerner and Predators Gold.
I do think the prices about proven Grade 1 winner KAID D’AUTHIE is worth snapping up, however, with the Willie Mullins-trained and JP McManus-owned six-year-old aiming to follow in the hoofprints of the same connections’ Fact To File.
He also won the 2m5f Grade 1 novice chase at the DRF before landing this and Kaid D’Authie looks hugely progressive over fences, improving with each start and jumping with aplomb with the cheekpieces back on at Leopardstown.
He's unbeaten in that headgear, retained here, and he looks every inch a three-miler as befitting his pedigree, the distance a potential catalyst for even further improvement which would make him tough to beat.
This should be run to suit if he sits just off the leaders under Mark Walsh, while I don’t think he’ll have any problem whatsoever with Good to Soft ground, a description likely to be maintained with the bit of rain forecast overnight.
He is the form horse in the race and chalked up as third favourite he looks the bet, especially given he’s as likely to improve again as anything in the line-up after just three chasing starts.
The Verdict: Back KAID D’AUTHIE in the 14.00 Cheltenham
Shuttle runner in the opener
Mullins has a strong hand in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, as well, with Sober and King Rasko Grey heading up his team in a full field of 22 for Wednesday’s opener.
If you fancy King Rasko Grey at 7/1, though, you have to give a chance Thomas Cooper’s SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY who gave him 8lb when beaten less than three lengths at Limerick at Christmas.
That was a much-needed bounce back to form after he had disappointed on his first two hurdling starts, but the application of a tongue-tie and the extra emphasis on stamina played to his strengths.
Next time out at Naas he looked even better stepped up in trip to 2m2f, as he bounded away from Mullins’ Arcadian Emperor, finally delivering on the promise of his bumper career.
Third to Bambino Fever in last year’s Champion Bumper when he had horses like El Cairos, Idaho Sun and Turners favourite No Drama This End beaten in behind, he looks every inch a likely improver at two and a half miles as he gradually goes out in trip.
He certainly looked to be fine on Good to Soft ground at last year’s Festival, too, so that eases worries on that score, and with the tongue-tie inspiring the best of him he looks worth getting on side at 25/1.
The Verdict: Back SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY in the 14.00 Cheltenham
Hendo up for the Cup again
Nicky Henderson had a good start to the Festival with Old Park Star on Tuesday and he could win the BetMGM Cup for a fifth time with JINGKO BLUE.
The seven-year-old looks really well handicapped over hurdles off a mark of 144, a rating 7lb lower than his chase number, and he went a long way to proving just that in the Relkeel at this track on New Year’s Day.
He didn’t jump great that day, but he should sharpen up in that regard given that was his second run back over timber since he reverted from novice chasing, but he still finished well ahead of horses rated 145, 146 and 153.
Not beaten too far by the 154-rated Stayers’ Hurdle hopeful Kabral Du Mathan, it was a performance that screamed handicap hurdle project and this race is the ideal fit.
He's clearly not been straightforward and his trainer has reported he had back issues, but he looked on the way back on January 1 and a bold bid is expected under James Bowen.
The Verdict: Back JINGKO BLUE in the 14.40 Cheltenham
Pocket money in the Grand Annual
Finally, INTHEPOCKET can finally come good again in the Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual for Henry de Bromhead.
There’s no finer trainer of two-mile chasers than De Bromhead and while this fellow has clearly not been straightforward his handler is gradually bringing him back to the boil.
With his handicap mark inching down to the mid-140s he put in his best effort for ages at the DRF, jumping with enthusiasm on the front end before finishing fifth behind Jacob’s Ladder.
He did too much too soon that day, but a strong gallop in the Grand Annual on better ground will suit him well and his strong novice hurdling form shouldn’t be forgotten.
Beaten six lengths by Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ at this meeting, he won the Grade 1 at Aintree after that and such back-class gives him an edge in a race like this.
He hasn’t hit the same heights over fences, but he might be about to judging by his latest run.
The Verdict: Back INTHEPOCKET in the 16.40 Cheltenham
Preview posted at 16:10 GMT on 10/03/26
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