Cheltenham Festival 2023 Day 2 Tips: Side with Edwardstone to land the Champion Chase

It's Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival with the Champion Chase the feature race on Wednesday. Izzy Phillips return with her best bets from Prestbury Park. 

1:30 Ballymore Novices Hurdle

Selection: Champ Kiely EW

It seems fairly well known that Danny Mullins thinks a lot of this horse. He beat some decent rivals in the Lawlor’s in January showing he has improved from his 4th place finish behind Marine Nationale at Fairyhouse in December. He should like the soft ground and he has a real live chance in this. 

2:10 Brown Advisory Novices Chase 

Selection: Thyme Hill EW

Even though there are question marks over the times of the race I was very impressed by Thyme Hill on boxing day. He seemed to show us that he’d retained just as much of his hurdle class over fences. He’s been in close battles with stalwarts like Paisley Park and Roksana as well as having finished in the places to the likes of Flooring Porter, Envoi Allen and Monkfish. Not to mention he is, in his own right, a dual Grade 1 winning hurdler. The first time cheek pieces worked a treat and I'm very much looking forward to seeing him back at Cheltenham under a new discipline.

3:30 Queen Mother Champion Chase 

Selection: Edwardstone 

I was shocked that Edwardstone went down to Editeur Du Gite at Cheltenham in January. I think it was a mistake and lessons will be learned from that performance. Ultimately, I believe that Edwardstone has the measure of Editeur Du Gite now. He was an impressive winner of the Arkle last year and I was very taken by his win at Sandown in December, where he demolished some good rivals. It was a very uncharacteristic fall from him at Kempton. On that basis, I'm siding with him to bounce back to form and take this easily. It will also be nice to see Alan King get a winner of the Queen Mother Chase again, his last one was the excellent Vor Poy Ustedes 16 years ago.

5:30 Weatherbys Champion Bumper 

Selection: Queens Gamble E/W

I was very impressed by Queens Gamble in the bumper at the Cheltenham November meeting. She seemed to be going too soon at Market Rasen in February and was a bit unlucky to have gotten caught by Dysart Enos. I think she will have learned her lesson from that performance and holds good chances each way.