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Timeform's ratings picks for day two of the Cheltenham Festival
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Graded-race pick
Cheltenham - 14:10 - Back Fact To File
Fact To File was runner-up in the Champion Bumper at last year's Festival but Willie Mullins has wasted no time in sending him over fences and he's taken really well to the new discipline this season, impressing particularly with some sure-footed jumping.
While he was beaten at odds on by American Mike, who takes him on again here, when both made their chasing debuts at Navan in November, it's Fact To File who has made the greater progress since.
Fact To File readily went one better at Leopardstown next time and then followed up in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. Stablemate Gaelic Warrior was favoured in the betting in a match between the pair but Fact To File was going the better from some way out and was around 20 lengths clear when his rival unseated at the last.
He heads into the Cheltenham Festival as the highest-rated novice chaser in Britain or Ireland and is 3 lb clear of Stay Away Fay at the head of Timeform's figures for this event.
Handicap Hotshot
Cheltenham - 16:50 - Back Saint Roi
Saint Roi might be one of the more senior runners in the Grand Annual and has only one above him in the weights but he does boast a particularly good record at the Festival.
As well as winning the County Hurdle in 2020, he was promoted to third in the Champion Hurdle in 2022 and last year ran very well to take third behind his top-class stablemate El Fabiolo in the Arkle having won a Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting.
Saint Roi faced a very stiff task against El Fabiolo again in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown last time but looks much more interesting here back in a handicap. He shaped very well with this race in mind when keeping on under hands and heels for fourth behind another stablemate, Uncle Phil, when contesting his first handicap at Fairyhouse in January, and looks on a good mark here.
Under The Radar
Cheltenham - 17:30 - Back Junta Marvel each-way
While Willie Mullins has Jasmin de Vaux vying for favouritism under son Patrick, among the stable's other runners Rachael Blackmore's mount Junta Marvel looks interesting at longer odds.
She hasn't run this season, but the smart form she showed when winning both her bumpers last term puts her very much in the mix with her mares' allowance factored in - indeed, she heads Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
She won with plenty in hand when making a successful debut on heavy ground at Limerick at the end of March and then followed up in the Grade 3 mares' bumper at the Punchestown Festival when keeping on well despite flashing her tail. Her trainer has won this several times with runners who weren't necessarily the stable's apparent first string, and Junta Marvel can make an impact if retaining the ability she showed last spring.