Get ready to place your bets and cheer your horses home – the 2022 Cheltenham Festival is here.
Fans return to the four-day meeting after missing out last year, with sales hitting record levels.
Over 60,000 people will watch the thrilling sporting action from the grandstands during the week.
The feature Gold Cup, sponsored by Boodles, is wide open this year despite previous winners Minella Indo and Al Boum Photo making the line-up.
Ireland dominated the fixture a year ago and they have many leading chances again to see off the British team of runners.
The atmosphere builds up to the first race on day one with the crowds hoping to make a flying start with their bets.
Here are the horses our top tipster has picked out for every race on Tuesday, Champion Day. Good luck!
Have Your Say! Who are you backing at Cheltenham? Join the debate here.
1.30
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 CONSTITUTION HILL
2 DYSART DYNAMO
3 MIGHTY POTTER
CONSTITUTION HILL has an unmistakable touch of star quality about him and is taken to get the home team off to a flyer.
Second on his only start in an Irish point-to-point, the son of Blue Bresil joined Nicky Henderson for £120,000 before making his hurdles debut on Sandown Park’s Tingle Creek Chase undercard at the start of December.
The five-year-old created a stirring impression with a 14-length score - and then tackled the top level Tolworth Hurdle at the Esher venue five weeks later.
Constitution Hill went off at 2-5 against five opponents and took the step up in grade in his stride, travelling with menace under Nico De Boinville and jumping to the front at the second-last before lengthening 12 lengths clear of Jetoile.
A natural at his obstacles and yet to come off the bridle - despite an emphatic Grade 1 victory on his second outing - Constitution Hill has the potential to boss the two-mile novice ranks.
Willie Mullins’ Dysart Dynamo has yet to be extended to land two starts over timber by an aggregate 38 lengths and is feared most, with Mighty Potter capable of edging out Jonbon for a place on the podium.
2.10
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 RIVIERE D’ETEL
2 BLUE LORD
3 COEUR SUBLIME
RIVIERE D’ETEL gets the vote to gain revenge on Leopardstown conqueror Blue Lord.
A one-time winner from four attempts over hurdles, Gordon Elliott’s mare was always going to be a different proposition over fences - and so it has proved.
Having begun her chasing career in the perfect manner at Fairyhouse in October, Riviere D’Etel moved up to Grade 2 level for a 21-length supremacy at Punchestown the following month before carrying a penalty to victory in a Grade 3 contest at Navan three weeks before Christmas.
My selection lost her unbeaten record over the larger obstacles with a length-and-a-half defeat by the sidelined Ferny Hollow in a top-level novice chase at Leopardstown on Boxing Day.
The silver medal was again her destiny at the Foxrock venue’s Dublin Racing Festival, where she went under by half a length to Blue Lord - Saint Sam came home third and Haut En Couleurs fell at the third - in the Grade 1 Irish Arkle Novice Chase.
That doesn’t tell the whole story, however - Jack Kennedy’s partner lost momentum with a mistake at the final fence and was tightened up by the winner on the run to the winning post.
Despite being 2lb worse off, Riviere D’Etel can turn the tables.
Home challenger Edwardstone keeps delivering but this is his toughest test, while Coeur Sublime is best of the rest.
2.50
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 OUR POWER
2 CORACH RAMBLER
3 FULL BACK
OUR POWER makes plenty of appeal, despite having to compete from 2lb out of the handicap.
The seven-year-old was trained by Christian Williams, Alan King and Nigel Twiston-Davies before joining Sam Thomas for a first campaign over fences this season.
After a novice handicap chase score over two and a half miles at Wincanton in December, Our Power fell at the first at Doncaster in January before making amends over the same trip at Huntingdon three days later.
My selection then tackled three miles for the first time in the three-mile Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton Park at the end of last month and, partnered as today by Charlie Deutsch, ran a fine 16-1 third to Cap Du Nord.
A medal appeared unlikely as Our Power was pushed along turning for home, but he came home strongly and would have got closer to the front two but for stumbling on landing at the final obstacle.
There is scope for better to come and an additional furlong combined with a stiff finish should trigger another personal best.
Dangers lurk at every corner, with Corach Rambler, Fantastikas, Noble Yeats and Full Back all capable of having a say.
3.30
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 APPRECIATE IT
2 HONEYSUCKLE
3 TOMMY’S OSCAR
APPRECIATE IT is a fascinating rival to Honeysuckle, who bids to become the first mare in Cheltenham history to win the Champion Hurdle twice.
A victory for the Willie Mullins-saddled eight-year-old would also create a first - no horse has marked their seasonal return with success in this iconic race.
But Mullins has spent the last decade re-writing the record books - so why should he stop now?
Appreciate It, second to stablemate Ferny Hollow in the Champion Bumper two years ago, was four from four over hurdles as a novice last term.
Paul Townend’s mount followed a winning debut in the sphere at Cork with two top-level scores at Leopardstown - but it was his trouncing of seven opponents in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle that really made his name, as Appreciate It thundered 24 lengths clear of Ballyadam.
The imposing son of Jeremy was being aimed the Arkle Challenge Trophy when the campaign began, but a setback over Christmas persuaded Mullins to stay over timber.
My selection has spent the last 264 days on the sidelines but Ireland’s champion trainer will have him tuned to concert pitch, and Appreciate It ranks a very real danger to Honeysuckle.
The incumbent is now 14 from 14, including a six-and-a-half-length triumph in this race 12 months ago, and it would surprise nobody were Henry de Bromhead’s mare to mount a successful defence of her title.
Teahupoo arrives here on the up, while Epatante, winner of a weaker Champion Hurdle than this two years ago, is at least back to form approaching her best.
Glory And Fortune is a smart handicapper but is out of his depth - the latter comment also applies to 2020 County Hurdle victor Saint Roi - and the capable Not So Sleepy is a law unto himself.
More is needed from Adagio and Zanahiyr and, although Tommy’s Oscar currently falls short of the required standard, the Ann Hamilton trainee gets better with each run and can make the frame.
4.10
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 TELMESOMETHINGGIRL
2 QUEENS BROOK
3 MRS MILNER
TELMESOMETHINGGIRL rates a worthy favourite to score at the Cheltenham Festival for the second year in a row.
Twelve months ago, the Henry de Bromhead-trained seven-year-old swept through from the back to land the Parnell Properties Mares’ Hurdle by an emphatic five and a half lengths.
Stowaway’s daughter is without a win in three starts since, finishing fifth to Galopin Des Champs as she attempted three miles for the first time at Punchestown last April.
Telmesomethinggirl was below her best with another fifth to Dysart Diamond in a Listed mares’ hurdle back at the Co Kildare venue in November, but a close third to Royal Kahala at Leopardstown over Christmas was much more like it.
Rachael Blackmore found herself short of room when attempting to make ground on the run to the second-last obstacle but gained ground on the run to the line to be beaten a length and a quarter behind the winner, now a fancy for the Stayers’ Hurdle on Thursday.
Telmesomethinggirl is 8lb better off for a one-length beating by runner-up Heaven Help Us, and her absence since the end of December is of no concern.
Burning Victory and Queens Brook, separated by a length and a half at Punchestown last month, enter calculations, while Marie’s Rock and 2021 Pertemps Network Final heroine Mrs Milner are others worth a second look.
4.50
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 HMS SEAHORSE
2 GAELIC WARRIOR
3 PRAIRIE DANCER
HMS SEAHORSE is the value play against favourite Gaelic Warrior.
Trained on the Flat by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Galileo drew a blank from five attempts but still ran to marks in the mid-80s before a switch to Paul Nolan for a career over hurdles.
Third to Triumph Hurdle leading lights Pied Piper and Vauban at Punchestown on his debut in the sphere, HMS Seahorse returned to Co Kildare to run second to The Tide Turns, whom he meets on 9lb beneficial terms after a two-and-three-quarter-length beating.
Bryan Cooper’s partner made no mistake as the 8-11 favourite for a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last time - he held next-time-out winner Global Export by a length and a quarter - HMS Seahorse has more to offer.
Willie Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior may very well be thrown in for his handicap - and stable - debut but the last remaining drops were squeezed out of his odds weeks ago.
In a large field of juvenile hurdlers who have their best days ahead of them, Brazil and, at bigger prices, Prairie Dancer are capable of getting involved.
5.30
NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3
1 RUN WILD FRED
2 STATTLER
3 PATS FANCY
RUN WILD FRED looks tailor-made for this test and should put his experience over fences to good use.
One win from 10 attempts over fences represents a less-than-inspiring return for the Gordon Elliott-saddled eight-year-old.
But three of those starts came in big field handicaps - Run Wild Fred finished second to shock winner Freewheelin Dylan in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse last April but hit the bullseye when landing Navan’s Troytown Chase by seven and a half lengths last November.
An eight-length second to stablemate Fury Road at the highest level over Leopardstown’s three miles in December was no disgrace, and going back up in trip to the tune of an additional six furlongs looks very much the right move.
Elliott’s booking of Jamie Codd, whose decorated career as an amateur rider includes no fewer than 10 triumphs at the Cheltenham Festival, is an obvious plus and Shantou’s son should prove a potent force on the climb to the winning post.
Market rival Stattler is a danger - for all that there is polish to be applied in the jumping department - and, with Vanillier well beaten by both horses on his last two outings, Pats Fancy can clinch the bronze medal.
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