EDWARDSTONE can win the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (GBB Race) (3.30pm) on the second day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
Alan King's nine-year-old can deny last year's winner Energumene another victory and land the Grade One feature himself on day two at Prestbury Park.
Edwardstone was an impressive winner of the Grade One Arkle Chase at last year's Festival, bringing up a fifth straight success. But he was beaten into second by Gentleman De Mee in the Maghull Novices' Chase at the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse the following month.
This season results have been mixed with a nine-length romp over Greaneteen in the Grade One Tingle Creek at Sandown on his seasonal return followed by a mishap when he unseated regular partner Tom Cannon five fences from home in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas. He looked like he would bounce back in the Grade One Clarence House Chase, which was rerouted to Cheltenham from Ascot at the end of January. But while Willie Mullins' Energuemene disappointed, Desert Orchid Chase hero Editeur Du Gite proved a tough nut to crack and Edwardstone had to settle for second again.
Trainer King didn't seem too disheartened by defeat with the Champion Chase having been Edwardstone's key target all season. He won't let Editeur Du Gite get too far ahead this time and with question marks over Energuemene, Edwardstone can come out on top and land a second successive victory at the Festival.
READ MORE: Full 73 current entries for the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree
Mullins' IMPAIRE ET PASSE can get the day off with another irish victory in the Grade One Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Registered As The Baring Bingham) (GBB Race) (1.30pm).
The five-year-old is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles since switching to Mullins' County Carlow stable from France – the latest was particularly impressive as he landed the Grade Two Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle in heavy conditions at Punchestown in Janaury. He looks a progressive young hurdler and with similar soft conditions he can get the better of chiefly, the Paul Nicholls-trained course and distance winner Hermes Allen, to land a first Grade One victory.
GERRI COLOMBE can continue his unbeaten record over fences with another victory in the Grade One Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Registered As The Broadway Novices' Chase) (GBB Race) (2.10pm).
Gordon Elliott's seven-year-old is unbeaten in eight career starts, the last three in fine style since he was switched to the bigger obstacles. Having won the Grade One Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick on Boxing Day, he added another victory at the top level in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown last month. He steps up in distance to three miles for the first time over fences, but having won over 2m7f over hurdles, he should be even better for this longer trip. Gerri Colombe can triumph ahead of Patrick Neville's The Real Whacker and the Paul Nicholls-trained Stage Star.
SAN SALVADOR can win the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (2.50pm).
The Joseph O'Brien-trained seven-year-old has two wins from six runs over hurdles and both of them came in big-field handicaps over a similar distance to this 2m5f. He won on his debut over obstacles at Listowel in September 2021. And on his two most recent starts San Salvador was a good second to the reopposing Riaan at Cork in November before beating another of his Coral Cup rivals Captain Conby at Punchestown last time. He is in good form and improving and may come out of top of the competitive handicap.
Elliott's DELTA WORK can land back-to-back victories in the Glenfarclas Chase (Cross Country Chase) (GBB Race) (4.10pm) before another crack at the Grand National at Aintree.
The 10-year-old, a Grade One winner in the past, played the villain last year when winning the Cross Country Chase and denying dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll a fairytale record-equalling sixth Festival win on his final career start. Delta Work built on that when a fine third to Noble Yeats and Any Second Now in the Aintree marathon the following month. He then won on his seasonal return at Punchestown in November. Delta Work was third over course and distance at the end of January but back off level weights he can turn the form around with the winner that day, Back On The Lash, and score again before heading back to Aintree on April 15.
READ MORE: Grand National 2023: dates, tickets and how to watch on TV
Dan Skelton's course and distance winner THIRD TIME LUCKI – who also triumphed at Sandown on his latest outing – can go in again in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (4.50pm).
It generally pays to side with Willie Mullins in the Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race) (GBB Race) (5.30pm) but he has 10 entered among the 24-strong field. Out of those FUN FUN FUN may give him a record-extending 13th victory and fourth in a row.
Fun Fun Fun was bred by Willie's son Patrick and the five-year-old mare was a 10-length maiden winner before taking a Grade Two mares' event at Leopardstown in February. She can beat the boys and give Mullins another victory.
Wright Ones
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL DAY TWO
1.30pm Impaire Et Passe
2.10pm Gerri Colombe
2.50pm San Salvador (NAP)
3.30pm Edwardstone
4.10pm Delta Work
4.50pm Third Time Lucki
5.30pm Fun Fun Fun
