The highly anticipated 2023 Cheltenham Festival got underway on Tuesday, and what a first day we’ve had, Constitution Hill unsurprisingly won the Champion Hurdle and Honeysuckle triumphed in the Mares’ Hurdle under jockey Racheal Blackmore, now we delve into which horses we think you should look out for.
4. Impaire Et Passe 7/4
The first race of the Cheltenham Festival gets underway at 13:30, with many people including the bookies putting their money on W.P. Mullins horse Impaire Et Passe, Et Passe isn’t Mullins first horse to cause a buzz at the festival with horse Faugheen winning the Champion Hurdle back in 2015.
But many suggest that Et Passe has the potential to be even better than his predecessor, speed is the main asset for the five-year-old horse, winning the 1m4½f bumper in France before joining Mullins, things got even better for Et Passe landing a 2m3f maiden at Naas on his Irish debut back in December.
Et Passe expectation comes from reputation rather than form, but with Mullins training and Paul Townend as jockey we feel Et Passe is a sure favourite.
3. Gerri Colombe 5/4
With the “Broadway Novices’ Chase” getting underway at 14:10 many people feel that Gordon Elliot’s Gerri Colombe, is definitely one to put your money on.
Having not tasted defeat in seven starts under rules, and with a potential eighth victory today, Colombe will be completing a Grade One hat-trick, after winning the “Faugheen Novice Chase” at Limerick at Christmas, followed by the “Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase” at Sandown.
One of Colombe’s strengths is that he isn’t ground dependant, meaning that the recent rain on the track is irrelevant, meaning that a Gerri Colombe victory is very much a sure thing.
2. Edwardstone 6/5
The big race of day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase, with many people backing Alan’s King’s Edwardstone to win big.
After winning the Arkle Challenge Trophy last year, many people are tipping Alan King’s nine-year-old to beat last years winner Energumene and secure victory himself, but form has been mixed for King’s horse with a nine-length romp in the Grade One Tingle Creek at Sandown, before unseating regular rider Tom Cannon with five fences to go, in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas.
After being beaten by Editeur Du Gite in the Dessert Orchid, trainer King didn’t seem too disheaned by the defeat, relaying his faith in his horse to take the victory this time out.
1. Delta Work 6/5
The horse who is known as the one who ruined Tiger Rolls’ fairy-tale farewell at Cheltenham last season, it only seems right to back Delta Work to grab the victory today.
The only threat for Delta Work is his stablemate Galvin, the 10-year-old is certainly one of the biggest names in the race, having won in his previous two visits at Cheltenham, the French gelding aims to go back-to-back in the Glenfarclas Cros Country Chase, and claim victory for the second successive year at the biggest horse racing festival.
