Nicky Henderson hotpots: is it worth opposing Champ and Chantry House?

The two main events of Cheltenham's Trials day are the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.30) and the Chapel Stud-sponsored Cleeve Hurdle (3.05) in which leading trainer-owner combination Nicky Henderson and JP McManus have two odds-on favourites in Chantry House and Champ. But are they both sure-fire bets or is it worth taking them on? Three of our tipsters and writers have their say. . .

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'No - go for it with class acts'

I think Champ is so talented, when he's right, he might give Honeysuckle a race and wouldn't be out of place in a Gold Cup, but staying hurdling seems perfect for the ten-year-old, who is hardly up against Big Buck's in the Cleeve. He has disappointed twice at Cheltenham, but those efforts came over fences and he did manage to beat the brilliant Minella Indo and Allaho at the track, while his Long Walk victory showed he had his mojo back.

Chantry House ought to win the Cotswold Chase, but he ought to have performed better in the King George too. I'm not saying break the track record or emulate Kauto Star, but his effort was underwhelming.

That said, I remember being at Warwick for his bumper win three years ago when Barry Geraghty told me he was a staying chaser in the making – and a good one at that – so maybe the speedier Kempton caught him out. He's classy without screaming it and the small field should help him excel on Saturday.
James Burn, Lambourn correspondent

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Simply The Betts can lay it down to Chantry

I backed Simply The Betts at 6-1 for the Cotswold on Monday and see no reason to jump ship. He is better treated by the conditions of the race than the odds-on Chantry House and absolutely loves Cheltenham. The trip is a minor concern and he clearly didn't get home over 3m1f on soft ground in the Many Clouds Chase two starts back. However, I'm confident this quicker ground will ensure he gets it.

Champ in the Stayers' is probably my best ante-post position going into the Cheltenham Festival and I think his task in the Cleeve Hurdle is more straightforward than Chantry House's. Paisley Park has been a great horse but his best days are behind him. McFabulous is open to a bit of improvement and I prefer him for forecast purposes. Whether he's good enough to serve it up to Champ is debatable, though.
Robbie Wilders, tipster

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Could Champ meet the same fate as Klassical Dream?

Holes can be poked in the form of Chantry House and his disappointing showing in the King George last time is enough to make him opposable at odds-on with some solid, if unspectacular, rivals taking him on. Aye Right is only rated 1lb lower than Chantry House and although he probably isn't good enough to make a mark at the highest level, he could prove difficult to peg back here from his customary front-running position given he will definitely stay the trip and can be trusted to run his race.

Champ is certainly the more bankable of the pair, but we've already seen one Stayers' Hurdle favourite turned over at short odds this week and it's far from impossible Champ could follow suit.

Finding something to take him on with is slightly more difficult and the good ground will not help the chances of Paisley Park, who seems past his best in any case. McFabulous could be the one worth giving another chance to over three miles – he has form on a quicker surface and trainer Paul Nicholls has always held him in high regard. He has just turned eight and is open to further progress.
Sam Hendry, reporter

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