Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Tips

Chacun Por Soi

Mullins' favourite to have too much for his rivals

4/6

An eleventh-hour setback ruled Chacun Pour Soi out of the Champion Chase last year, but Willie Mullins’ top-class performer can gain compensation this time around.

Chacun Pour Soi has been successful on all three starts this season, including in Grade 1 company the last twice, and he was especially impressive in the Dublin Chase on his most recent outing.

He is Timeform’s top-rated horse in training and a pure two-miler blessed with plenty of speed. He has an enthusiastic way of going about things and was always moving powerfully in the Dublin Chase before showing a good turn of foot to bursting between Fakir D’Oudairies and Notebook, settling the race in a matter of strides running to the last.

This looks a good opportunity for him to cement his status as the star in the division by landing the Champion Chase his lofty rating deserves.

Monkfish

A short price, but with good reason

2/7

Monkfish announced himself as a really smashing prospect when overcoming a big step up in class to land the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival, impressing with how he went through the race and his willingness in the finish.

He has taken to chasing like an absolute natural and has won all three starts over fences, including in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown the last twice.

His performance in the Flogas Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival last month demonstrated the progress he has made this term, and he is a stone clear of his rivals here on Timeform ratings.

He has already shown his effectiveness at Cheltenham and this most exciting prospect is rightly regarded by many as one of the bankers of the Festival.

Craigneiche

Nicky Henderson set to land Coral Cup hattrick

13/2

Craigneiche opened his account over hurdles at the second attempt in a Doncaster maiden in January 2020 and, a year later, he picked up where he left off by landing the Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at Ascot, proving a long way ahead of his opening mark with a seven-length success.

He is up 12 lb for that victory, but he still appeals as being well handicapped, and, given his lightly raced profile, remains with serious potential.

It’s also worth noting that trainer Nicky Henderson has won the last two runnings of the Coral Cup and has landed the race a record four times in total. The well-handicapped Craigneiche has strong claims of enhancing that impressive record.