Cheltenham Festival tips: Simon Holt previews day two including Champ in the RSA Chase

By Simon Holt

Horse Racing

Tue March 10, 2020 · 5y ago

Racing commentator Simon Holt is backing Champ to justify the hype and win Wednesday's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Recommended bets

2pts win Champ in 2.10 Cheltenham at 7/2

1pt e.w. Repetitio in 4.50 Cheltenham at 16/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5)

1pt e.w. The Glancing Queen in 5.30 Cheltenham at 20/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4)

If there is one horse who seems to be polarising opinion at this year's Cheltenham Festival, it is CHAMP and, depending on one's point of view, the J P McManus owned gelding is either the class act in Wednesday's RSA Chase or a horse who has been over-hyped ever since he was named after the 20-times champion jockey A P McCoy.

It was the gelding's early potential which earned him such a distinguished sobriquet, and I am in the former camp believing that he could be too good for his rivals in the staying novices' championship.

This will be Champ's first chase start over three miles, the distance at which he won a Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree (from Stayers Hurdle contender Emitom) last April, having previously "run in the wrong race" according to trainer Nicky Henderson when beaten by City Island in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs at this meeting.

In hindsight, Henderson has said that he should have run the horse in the Albert Bartlett but, so far over fences, he has remained at shorter distances, winning stylishly on two occasions at Newbury (on the second occasion despite being badly hampered on the run-in) and then looking to have the Dipper Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day in the bag until falling at the second last.

All of Champ's form over hurdles and fences points to him being a mid-150's horse with the potential for more to come but, on the downside, it is not ideal that he comes here without a confidence-restoring prep-race despite reports that he has been schooling well at home.

Backing a horse like this who has fallen in his previous race is a questionable policy but, if he can put in a clear round, I will be surprised if he's not classy enough to win albeit up against two good Irish rivals in Minella Indo (a grinding winner of the Albert Bartlett) and the strapping Allaho along with the much improved Reynoldstown winner Copperhead.

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For all the excitement surrounding Envoi Allen's bid to win the opening Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and the fascinating clash between Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi in the Queen Mother Champion Chase (a toss of a coin for me) there is probably better value elsewhere on the second-day card - and hopefully with REPETITIO in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Admittedly, there aren't too many Festival winners who began the season with a 66/1 defeat at Newton Abbot in July, but this son of Pour Moi has really warmed to hurdling and, significantly, has twice run extremely well at Cheltenham.

Third to the now 140-rated Nordano at Chepstow in October, Repetitio was then beaten just under ten lengths behind leading Triumph Hurdle fancy Allmankind and subsequent course winner Botox Has (Nordano fourth) over this course and distance before beating older horses off a light weight in a handicap on the New Course in December when beating Oakley (seventh in the Betfair Hurdle next time) by a neck with subsequent winner Never Adapt (sadly no longer with us) a close-up third.

All of this form looks pretty solid to me and, off a mark of 130 (up5lb for that last win) and given a break since, Nigel Hawke's game and consistent gelding can run a big race.

Finally, in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, THE GLANCING QUEEN looks a fascinating contender after finishing fifth in last year’s hot renewal.

It is unusual for horses to run in this race twice, and Alan King’s mare is clearly returning after a setback, but when one considers she had Envoi Allen, Thyme Hill and Abacadabras just in front of her 12 months ago before going on to win at Aintree, she boasts plenty of high level experience.

While the Willie Mullins-trained Appreciate It appears highly regarded, there may not be so much strength in depth this time and The Glancing Queen has the proven ability to be very competitive.

Posted at 1555 GMT on 10/03/20

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