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Robbie Power

Cheltenham Festival 2023: Robbie Power reflects on 'absolute superstar' Honeysuckle's win and gives his tips for day 2

I have never seen scenes on a racecourse like I did yesterday when Honeysuckle won the Mares Hurdle.

She's an absolute superstar. She is just a super tough mare. Like all good women when you really want her, she's there for you. That was her greatest performance today, coming off the back of two defeats to bounce back here in Cheltenham to make it four Festival wins in a row. She's just an unbelievable mare. Kenny Alexander is very lucky to have her and Henry de Bromhead as well.

In those 45 minutes yesterday we saw what racing is all about. We saw an absolute superstar in Constitution Hill and we've seen the fairytale of Honeysuckle. What a way for her to retire.

Meanwhile today, I strongly fancy Gerri Colombe to win the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and give Jordan Gainford a Grade One Festival victory.

Gerri Colombe (PA)

Gerri Colombe has been very, very impressive in winning all seven of his racecourse starts after his point-to-point success. He's a horse I know very well through my connection with owners Robcour.

He's a very nice horse and will relish the ground if it is soft. He shown his class to win over 2m4f in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown last time. I think he will be even better over three miles and he looks like one of the Irish bankers of the week.

But Sir Gerhard is a big danger. Going up in his distance might just improve his jumping and he has obviously won twice at the Cheltenham Festival already.

However, Gerri Colombe looks like a Gold Cup horse in the making and hopefully he can win here.

The feature race of the day is the Champion Chase and sees Editeur Du Gite, Edwardstone and Energumene face each other again after their clash in the Clarence House earlier in the season.

Again if the ground is soft, it could just play into the hands of Energumene, who won the race on the very wet day we had at the Festival last year.

But if it is quicker, it will suit Edwardstone and Editeur Du Gite so the ground really is crucial in this one.

I did a few preview nights in the past couple of weeks and one horse who seems to be getting tipped everywhere is Impaire Et Passe for Willie Mullins in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, the opening race today.

He comfortably beat The Model Kingdom in the Moscow Flyer in Punchestown back in January and although this is a competitive race, he might just take all the beating.

The Coral Cup is a very competitive race as it always is, but I like the look of HMS Seahorse. He was a winner on his last start at Navan, Sean O'Keefe partners him again and he looks set to run a big race.

Gin On Lime and Plan Of Attack both run for Henry de Bromhead in the Cross Country Chase. Plan Of Attack has run over these obstacles before, but Gin On Lime hasn't and I think it is very tough to win over them first time out.

Although Delta Work did that last year when beating his stablemate Tiger Roll in the two-time Grand National winner's last ever race. He could win here again but faces a big challenge from another stablemate this year in Galvin.

Henry runs a couple in the Grand Annual, which is ultra competitive.

Ben Harvey takes five pounds off Coeur Sublime, while Darragh O'Keefe rides Maskada, but the one I really like is Epson Du Houx, who Rachael Blackmore rides, and I can see him running a big race.

The bumper is the final race of the day and A Dream To Share deserves to be favourite after his win at the Dublin Racing Festival. He looks very smart but soft ground probably wouldn't suit him.

Willie Mullins runs 10 in the race, but it is very interesting that Patrick rides Fact To File and that could be a tip in itself.

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