Tom Cannon hoping to put a halt to 'Willie Mullins roadshow' on day two

Tom Cannon is hoping to prevent another 'Willie Mullins roadshow' on day two of the Cheltenham Festival as he prepares to partner Edwardstone in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Ireland's 17-time champion trainer struck gold on Tuesday with Gaelic Warrior, State Man and Lossiemouth and punters are latching on to another short-priced treble with Ballyburn, Fact To File and El Fabiolo all odds-on favourites. 

With Jonbon declared a non-runner this morning, Cannon and Edwardstone are El Fabiolo's biggest threat and the confidence in the Alan King camp has been high since his 40-length Game Spirit success at Newbury last month.

"I'm feeling good," the rider said on arrival at the track at 10.15am. "It’s the Willie Mullins roadshow but that’s the way it is. It’s a big wheel that keeps on turning. Hopefully next year or the year after we might get a bit back!

"On the face of it El Fabiolo looks the one to beat. He's probably a drop-in horse, whereas Gentleman De Mee and Elixir De Nutz might go forward. There’s a bit of pace on but he’s a sharp horse so hopefully he can get in front and we can do what we did in the Game Spirit."

Cannon's only ride on Tuesday came in one of the races Mullins didn't win as he partnered Favour And Fortune to finish a respectable sixth, the first of the British, in the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Edwardstone is his sole mount on Wednesday, while he gives Emitom a chance in Thursday's Pertemps Final. 

There has been much conjecture about whether Ballyburn would run in the Supreme or the newly-named Gallagher Novices' Hurdle but, such is his ability and standing, the consensus among racegoers is he would win either or both. 

No form is as strong as festival form and, with Slade Steel providing a timely form boost in winning the Supreme, there is little reason to take him on in a race his trainer is set to dominate. He's the big talking horse on day two.

After Gaelic Warrior dismissed track concerns with a monstrous performance in the Arkle, Wednesday's novice chase good thing is his Dublin Racing Festival conqueror Fact To File. The Brown Advisory favourite isn't far behind Ballyburn on hype, and this race is the perfect stepping stone to Mullins' Gold Cup ambitions.

Then, while Cannon and Edwardstone will surely give him something to think about from the front, it will be up to El Fabiolo to complete another magical Cheltenham treble. It's over to you, Willie.

Read these next:

Jonbon withdrawn from Champion Chase and Shishkin out of Gold Cup amid fears over health of Nicky Henderson string 

Cheltenham Festival day two updates: cross-country cancelled and race schedule revised for Wednesday 

David Jennings' Cheltenham Festival tips on Wednesday: 'This might just be his day' 

Do you want £1,000+ in free bets for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.