CHELTENHAM NH FESTIVAL 2020 WEDNESDAY 11th MARCH [QUEEN MUM CHAMPION CHASE]

The gates open on Day Two, as we welcome racegoers to enjoy another seven races, including The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase. Altior (4/11 favourite) returned to emotional scenes and two spontaneous rounds of 'three cheers' after possibly the most dramatic win of his career to date. Update -- Altior has been withdrawn lame, and quite right too. Tiger Roll put in an extraordinary performance in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase to finish well clear of the field and to follow up on his success in this race last year for jockey Keith Donoghue, and trainer Gordon Elliot.

Gates will open at 10:30 and our first race is due off around 1.30pm
Day Two - 11th March 2020
Weather - A settled day, cloudy with occasional light rain and becoming milder..
Official Going Report - Soft-heavy in places on cross country course.  

13:30  The Ballymore Novices' Hurdle Race
2m 5f  [12 Runners]
Our opening event on day two of the festival is a Grade 1 Novice Hurdle where last years' Champion Bumper winner Envoi Allen puts his unbeaten record on the line. Won't be much of a price but should be a banker for today (perhaps even for the meeting). While both Sporting John and The Big Breakaway are also unbeaten they don't have the same calibre as the Gordon Elliot runner. At 20/1 Easywork could be interesting for Rachael Blackmore and another from the Elliott stable.
Result -- 1st:  Envoi Allen 4/7F.

14:10  The RSA Insurance Novices' Steeple Chase
3m ½f  [10 Runners]
A race where I'd like to see Champ win but his latest effort when falling two fences from home here in the Dipper Chase does temper enthusiasm quite a bit. Minella Indo won last years Albert Bartlett over 3m and therefore staying shouldn't be an issue, while Easy Game was unable to keep tabs with Faugheen though but should find this opposition a bit easier.
Result -- 1st:  Champ 4/1.

14:50  The Coral Cup Hurdle (A Handicap Hurdle Race) (Grade 3)
2m 5f  [26 Runners]
A huge handicap now and good luck finding a winner here, Top Moon (JP O'Brien) should enjoy this trip far more than at Leopardstown last time when behind some of these, prior to that event had looked progressive and at 33/1 looks a good each way prospect. Traffic Fluide is another each way option as a course and distance winner and then ran a race full of promise before hitting and falling at the last at Ascot last time looked to be staying on best and not out of this if that fall hasn't taken much out of him.
Result -- 1st:  Dame De Compagnie 5/1 f.

ALTIOR - DUAL WINNER OF THE CHAMPION CHASE

15:30  The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase (Grade 1)
2m  [7 Runners]
The feature race on day two of the festival and this really should have been a race to watch the mighty Altior win a third Queen Mother Champion Chase but having been reported as lame only three days ago even with the skills of trainer Nicky Henderson it's unlikely he'll be 100% fit enough now. I would not expect him to line up as I write this, he owes them nothing and to risk a bigger injury would seem unforgivable. (he has now been withdrawn from this years race) This is now likely to mean a match between the likes of young contenders Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil in opposition. At a huge price we have Sceau Royal who ran Altior and Politologue close in this last year and wouldn't be surprised if they have place chances again.
Result -- 1st:  POLITOLOGUE 6/1.

16:10  The Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase
3m 6f  [16 Runners]
A big field but all eyes will be on Tiger Roll here this is his traditional preparation race for the Aintree Grand National and is a class above these. The opposition to the favourite would appear to start with the French Easysland in the JP McManus silks a course and distance winner here and a winner of 6 Cross Country style events. Yanworth also carries the same colours and was once thought of as a Champion Hurdler and future Gold Cup Chaser, but still of interest having won at Punchestown.
Result -- 1st:  Easysland 3/1

16:50  The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race (Grade 3)
2m ½f  [22 Runners]
Paul Nicholls has two with big chances in this handicap the top weight Mick Pastor (Barry Geraghty) and Thyme White (Harry Cobden) and it's difficult to pick the best of these pair let alone the 22 strong field. The David Pipe yard also know how to ready a handicapper too and Night Edition is a lightly raced 4yo who could be well in based on his easy win last time out and was runner up in a Grade 2 in January here on only his second start.
Result -- 1st:  Aramax 15/2.

17.30  The Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1)
2m ½f  [23 Runners]
We end Wednesday with the Champion Flat Race "Bumper" a contest that the Irish trainers such as Willie Mullins (9 wins) in particular used to pick up almost every year in the past since it was first run in 1992, although there have been recent 'home' successes and even Cue Card took this back in 2010 as a 4yo. Mullins looks to have the favourite here with Appreciate It, and also has Ferny Hollow as a decent 2nd string too. The home challenge is likely to come from The Glancing Queen (Alan King) and Panic Attack (David Pipe) but in reality this race is often wide open, and usually gives up better clues for what is to come in the future over hurdles and fences so perhaps a race to watch and take notes.
Result -- 1st:  Ferny Hollow 11/1

Good luck once again today, still praying that all animals and jockey's come back safe and sound, lets find a winner or two as well. Results will be updated here too later in the day with the rest of the week's action to follow as well. Have a great Festival.