'Another Dessie moment beckons' - why this horse can win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, plus tips for the Champion Chase and Ryanair
The first batch of entries for the Cheltenham Festival were revealed on Tuesday. Here, a group of our tipsters, analysts and reporters provide their selections for the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Ryanair.
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup (March 13)
The Jukebox Man
By James Hill
For the first time in years I thought the King George was a much better race than the Savills last month. I’d take the first four home from Kempton to beat Affordale Fury any day of the week, but when it comes to the Gold Cup I’m in The Jukebox Man’s camp.
He was pretty much still a novice in the King George yet I thought he was the best jumper in the race. Given he should progress for the experience and for going left-handed, there’s loads to like about his Cheltenham chance. Stamina is a slight question mark, but I think 8-1’s a fair price as he looks to be the improver.
Jango Baie
By Graeme Rodway
The worry about Jango Baie in the King George around Kempton on Boxing Day was whether he would be quick enough to hold an early position, but he had no trouble doing so and, if anything, it was late on in the race when he struggled to stay with the principals.
He was beaten in a sprint finish by three genuine speed horses in The Jukebox Man, Banbridge and Gaelic Warrior, but it will be a different story over an extra two and a half furlongs up Cheltenham's stiff finish. Jango Baie has run twice at Cheltenham and stormed up the hill to win both times, so there is little doubt in my mind he is going to produce a career-best performance in the Gold Cup. Whether that's good enough remains to be seen, but I'll take a chance on it being sufficient.
By Richard Russell
Jango Baie flew home to snatch last season’s Arkle and has predictably done even better up in trip this term, impressively landing an Ascot Grade 2 before finishing a close fourth in that barnstorming King George.
He looks made for the extra distance of the Gold Cup and can bring a run of successive Irish victories to a halt.
By Scott Burton
Second-season chasers without too many miles in their legs are massively over-represented in the list of past Gold Cup winners, while the 'been there, got the T-shirt' brigade somehow always seem to be where the market settles.
Jango Baie and the Ben Pauling pair of The Jukebox Man and Handstands fit the up-and-coming profile among an especially aged bunch this year. Unexposed at the trip and only seven years old, Jango Baie gets the nod.
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Haiti Couleurs
By Richard Young
Rebecca Curtis's chaser put himself firmly in the Gold Cup mix with a tremendous weight-carrying performance to win the Welsh Grand National last month, leaving behind his Betfair Chase aberration. Haydock aside, he has been thoroughly progressive over fences and, on that Chepstow showing, is ready for another crack at Grade 1 company. He makes plenty of each-way appeal at 14-1 for the Cheltenham showpiece.
By David Carr
The bookmakers got it wrong when they offered Haiti Couleurs at 33-1 for the Gold Cup after his Welsh National win and their odds still underestimate his chance. That was a high-class effort under 11st 13lb and he's a thorough stayer who is proven at Cheltenham. What more do you need?
Grey Dawning
By Nick Barnes
It will have been 37 years since the one and only grey horse to win the Gold Cup provided one of the Cheltenham Festival's most iconic moments, and this year we could witness a similar emotion-charged success.
''We need to have the perfect preparation,'' says trainer Dan Skelton of his burning desire to win the race with Grey Dawning, and after the now nine-year-old's imperious success in the Betfair Chase and a prep run in the Cotswold Chase to come, another 'Dessie moment' beckons on Friday, March 13.
Affordale Fury
By Matt Rennie
Let's put some respect on Affordale Fury's name, and I'm happy to take a chance on that happening in the big one in March.
The eight-year-old is still lightly raced with just seven chase starts following an injury setback in November 2023, but is hugely progressive. He's really got his act together this season, finishing runner-up in the Down Royal Champion Chase before effortlessly winning a Listed chase at Thurles ahead of his brilliant Savills triumph.
The way he won there suggests the Gold Cup trip should be right up his street, especially on a sound surface. Don't forget he ran a stormer when a 150-1 runner-up in the 2023 Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.
BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (March 11)
Marine Nationale
By David Toft
Of all the market leaders at this stage, Marine Nationale looks the solid one, barring Sir Gino showing up in this race.
You have to fancy him to go back-to-back in the Champion Chase, as Il Etait Temps’s Cheltenham Festival below-par record is hard to ignore. The Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old has never finished better than third in any Grade 1 there, with one of those runs coming behind Marine Nationale in the 2023 Supreme Novices' Hurdle, having gone off a shorter price.
With Majborough having problems with jumping fences, Marine Nationale is a solid choice to remain unbeaten at Cheltenham.
Sir Gino
By Jonny Pearson
All the signs have been that Sir Gino will go to the Champion Hurdle. However, it wouldn’t be a complete surprise for him to be switched to the Champion Chase, where he has an entry.
In the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase just over a year ago, he put up one of the best novice chase performances in recent history. And in what doesn’t look the strongest division he has the talent to announce himself as the next star two-miler over fences.
Il Etait Temps and Marine Nationale deserve their places at the head of the market, but if Sir Gino is rerouted I’d expect him to go off favourite. With the owners likely to have Anzadam for the Champion Hurdle and Nicky Henderson potentially sending Constitution Hill there too, that scenario isn't too far-fetched.
Backing him is a risk, but it’s one I’m willing to take at the prices on offer.
Ryanair Chase (March 12)
Jonbon
By Richard Russell
King George disappointment Fact To File has hardened at the top of the betting, having not been given a Gold Cup entry. With him taking out a good percentage, in addition to the market being littered with potential non-runners, the Ryanair looks an interesting race to take a position.
One who will surely line up is the remarkable Jonbon, who has still not finished out of the first two in 25 starts and whose two-mile days look behind him after being shown a clean pair of heels by Il Etait Temps in the Tingle Creek.
This is his trip now and a top price of 20-1 makes plenty of each-way appeal.
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