Edwardstone is expected to add the Queen Mother Champion Chase to last year’s emphatic Arkle Challenge Trophy triumph to prove himself the best two-mile chaser in Britain and Ireland.
His four-and-a-quarter-length romp at the 2022 Festival was the high point of an impressive rookie campaign over the larger obstacles, and Alan King’s nine-year-old made a taking return to action in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park at the start of December, streaking to a nine-length supremacy over Greaneteen , with Funambule Sivola , a 40-1 second in the Champion Chase 12 months ago, last of the sextet.
Edwardstone reappeared 24 days later in the Grade 2 Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton Park, but unseated Cannon at the fifth, leaving Editeur Du Gite to beat Nube Negra , the Champion Chase runner-up of 2021, by 13 lengths, with Funambule Sivola in fourth.
Returning to the highest level for the Clarence House Chase, re-routed from frostbound Ascot to Cheltenham in January, Edwardstone went under by a head to Editeur Gu Gite, six and a half lengths to the good of 4-9 favourite Energumene ,with Funambule Sivola again well held in fifth.
It’s no calumny against Cannon to suggest he was more preoccupied with Paul Townend and reigning Champion Chaser Energumene than Editeur Du Gite, who got a unpestered time of it up front under Niall Houlihan.
King was sanguine about his horse’s chances of revenge in the immediate aftermath, and it’s not hard to share his optimism.
Editeur Du Gite has an excellent course record and is not dismissed, while Energumene, although below par last time, is clearly in the mix.
The rain has gone against Nube Negra and Captain Guinness looks up against it, but Greaneteen has a role to play on his best form and is the suggestion for those seeking to play at big odds.
HMS Seahorse showed the benefit of a step up in trip, and a gelding operation, at Navan last time and should give another good account in the Coral Cup (2.50).
Having drawn a blank from five attempts on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien, Galileo’s son made the frame in each of his five starts over obstacles for Paul Nolan, the highlights being victory in a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle and a fourth to Brazil in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle last March.
There was then a decent payday on the Flat, as HMS Seahorse landed a big-money handicap on the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes undercard at the Curragh last June.
Following a defeat in each sphere, my selection came back from 118 days off – he was gelded in the interim – for a two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Navan in January.
And Sean O’Keeffe’s mount put up a personal best, moving with before asserting to hold Felix Desjy by two and a quarter lengths.
There’s the inevitable hike in the weights to deal with, but HMS Seahorse has plenty more to offer as he bids to go three places better than at the 2022 Festival.
The short list is a depressingly long one, with Camprond , Run For Oscar , Good Risk At All and Benson just four horses capable of having a say.
Newsboy's tips for day two of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival
CHELTENHAM
1.30 HERMES ALLEN
2.10 THE REAL WHACKER
2.50 HMS SEAHORSE (NB)
3.30 EDWARDSTONE (NAP)
4.10 GALVIN
4.50 THIRD TIME LUCKI
5.30 A DREAM TO SHARE
HUNTINGDON
1.50 LUCKOFTHEDRAW
2.30 MILLDAM
3.10 BENIGN DICTATOR
3.50 MISTRAL LADY
4.30 ENDURING LOVE
5.10 TELHIMLISTEN
5.50 SUPREMELY WEST
NEWCASTLE
5.05 LAND LEGEND
5.40 ARABIAN STORM
6.15 MINTNTHAT
6.45 GRAND LIBYA
7.15 SWISS ACE
7.45 DEBYDINKS
8.15 ROCKLEY POINT
KEMPTON PARK
6.00 THROUGH THE AGES
6.30 WOODSTOCK
7.00 ALZAHIR
7.30 FIRST EMPEROR
8.00 HOT DIGGITY DOG
8.30 EARLY MORNING DEW
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