THE entries were revealed for the three Grade 1 feature chases for the Cheltenham Festival this week with just 20 horses entered for chasing’s blue riband, the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase on Friday, March 15th. The same stage entry last season had 27 entered. Nine of the 20 are trained in Ireland.
Willie Mullins again supplies the favourite in the three races with El Fabiolo taking over the mantle in the Champion Chase from his absent stablemate Energumene.
Galopin Des Champs leads seven returning again from last year’s Gold Cup, including the four upsides at the second last, the favourite, Bravemansgame, Conflated and Hewick.
The most intriguing newcomers are Mouse Morris’ Haydock Grade 2 winner Gentlemansgame, with just two wins from three runs over fences under his belt, the 2022 Brown Advisory Novices winner L’Homme Presse, due to reappear, after missing the second half of last season, at Lingfield at the end of the month. He looks the only horse who will shorten considerably from the 20s in places, should he make an impressive reappearance.
This time last season there was speculation as to which Festival race Shishkin would run in but the only entry for the unlucky King George runner is in the Gold Cup. Reported to be sore after his Kempton mishap, it is unknown where he will run next but he is set be trained as a Gold Cup horse for the next 10 weeks.
Monkfish missed most of last season through injury and was well beaten when last seen at Punchestown in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle, and a Gold Cup would surely be a big ask.
Also entered by Paul Nicholls is the novice, last year’s Albert Bartlett winner Stay Away Fay, winner of his two novice chases this season.
The two big handicap winners of this season, Coral Trophy winner Datsalrightgino and Welsh Grand National winner Nassalam are also entered. Grand National winner Corach Rambler has also been given the go ahead to run and will go straight there according to trainer Lucinda Russell.
Latest odds: Galopin Des Champs 11/10; Fastorslow 4; Shishkin 9; Gerri Colombe 10; Hewick 16; LHomme Presse 20; Bravemansgame 20; Gentlemansgame 25
Champion Chase
The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase on the second day of the Festival has an entry of 19 compared to 14 last season and is dominated by last season’s top two novices with Jonbon out to avenge a five-and-a-half-length defeat in last year’s Arkle. Both horses are unbeaten since and Jonbon is the last horse to beat El Fabiolo in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree in 2022.
Ten of the 19 are trained in Ireland. Apart from the big two, eight horses from last season’s entries are in again, Captain Guinness, Editeur Du Gite, Edwardstone, Funambule Sivola, Gentleman De Mee, Greaneteen, Nube Negra; none of whom really look like improving on last season’s efforts.
Appreciate It also has entry in the Ryanair after his two runs this season at two and a half miles in the John Durkan and over three miles in the Savills.
Of the new names, Ferny Hollow, has been absent since winning the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase in 2022 while this year’s Christmas Grade 1 winner Dinoblue may have the Mares’ Chase as her number one target.
Latest odds: El Fabiolo 5/6; Jonbon 5/2; Dinoblue 12; Edwardstone 20; Boothill, Ferny Hollow 25
Ryanair Chase
The 32 entries for the Ryanair Chase is the biggest entry of the three Grade 1s, up five from last season. Over half of them – 18 – are trained in Ireland.
After missing last season, Allaho will bid to regain his crown and make it three wins in the race but faces strong opposition from last season’s Turners winner Stage Star, despite that horse’s below par run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Last year’s winner Envoi Allen and fellow Gold Cup entries Ahoy Senor, Conflated and Fastorslow are entered as well as the top two in the Champion Chase – El Fabiolo and Jonbon.
Irish stables may also represented by Galway Plate winner Ash Tree Meadow and John McConnell’s 2023 Festival winner Seddon while Sir Gerhard – a winner back over hurdles last weekend, is another Cheveley Park Stud entry along with Classic Getaway.
Latest odds: Allaho 9/4; Stage Star, 6/1; Envoi Allen 8/1; Appreciate It 14/1; Jonbon, Edwardstone 14/1