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Cheltenham Festival News: El Fabiolo seeks revenge in the Arkle Chase

Daryl Carter
14 March 2023
5:00 min read

El Fabiolo and Jonbon jumping a hurdle at Aintree.

Rivalry renewed as Jonbon and El Fabiolo clash in mouthwatering Arkle.

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The wait is finally over! It's day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, and on hand to guide you through all the stats, market movers, betting angles, and news is Daryl Carter...

Daryl goes through each Cheltenham race on day one.
Find out our tipster's best bet
Stats and market movers for each race

Cheltenham Weather and Going

The weather on Tuesday 14th March is set to be dry with sunny intervals turning to cloudy late afternoon with a small drop of rain set for 18:00 according to the Met Office report for Cheltenham racecourse.

The current going report from Clerk of the course John Pullin can be found here.

"I think we'll be soft ground to start with."

Jon Pullin, Clerk of the Course at @CheltenhamRaces, discusses the ground conditions ahead of this week's Festival which gets underway tomorrow#RoadToCheltenham pic.twitter.com/c189Ft4yEi
-- Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 13, 2023

13:30 Supreme Novice Hurdle

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 8

Il Etait Temps (Fr)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: D. E. Mullins
Age: 5
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

WAS 13/2

Race stats:

No horse since Flown in 1992 has won this race wearing any headgear. Take out: Il Etait Temps (hood) and Diverge (tongue-tie).

No Champion Bumper winner has doubled up since 2013: Facile Vega.

Nine of the last 11 winners have won at least a Grade 2 Hurdle.
Take out: High Definition, Diverge, Chasing Fire, Doctor Bravo, Rare Edition, Dark Raven, Stong Leader, Palace Boy.

Daryl's race verdict:

The unbeaten Marine Nationale gets the each-way vote here at 4/1 or bigger. The unbeaten Barry Connell runner has done little wrong in four starts to date, and while he does have a couple of stats to overcome, he is a strong traveller with a sharp turn of foot.

Despite the ground being softer than ideal, it is fresh, so that's no reason to defect. He doesn't have the questions to answer that Facile Vega has, and he could have plenty more to offer on the evidence of a well-run Royal Bond where it was the first time he had come off the bridle.

14:10 Arkle Chase

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 5

Hollow Games (Ire)

Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Ireland
Jockey: Davy Russell
Age: 7
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

WAS 40/1 - Little movement in this market with flip-flopping favourites.

Race stats:

13/15 winners rated 151+ over fences.
Take out Hollow Games, Ha Dor, Straw Fan Jack, Effernock Fizz, Ballybreeze.

Only one winner this century, not a favourite or second favourite last time. Take out: Saint Roi, Hollow Games, Straw Fan Jack.

15/16 had previously raced at Cheltenham.
Take Out: El Fabiolo, Ha Dor.

Daryl's race verdict

Jonbon is very much respected despite a below-par performance at Warwick last time. Still, El Fabiolo (NAP) won a very high-class renewal of the Irish Arkle for a long while and he was powerful at the finish. He is highly progressive and can reverse Aintree hurdle form with Jonbon now a bigger and stronger model.

Back El Fabiolo to win the Akrle

6/4

14:50 Ultima Handicap - SEVEN PLACES PAID

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 11

Cloudy Glen (Ire)

Trainer: Venetia Williams
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch
Age: 10
Weight: 11st 4lbs
OR: 145

WAS 20/1

Race stats:

Nine of the last 11 winners wore headgear:
Take out: Cloudy Glen, The Goffer, Fanion D'Estruval, Good Boy Bobby, Karl Philippe, Laskalin, Glamorgan Duke.

No Irish-trained winner since 2006:
Take out: Fastorslow, The Goffer, Glamorgan Duke.

Daryl's race verdict:

A very tricky race to find the winner, and the Betfair Sportsbook pay seven places, so hitting the frame is a possible angle. Oscar Elite and Corach Rambler head my very small shortlist. The former bounced back to form last time to win the Reynaldstown, and his excellent third in this race last year gives him strong place claims.

The latter won this contest last year with plenty in hand, and while he will need some luck in running, he is surely the best-handicapped horse in the race off of six pounds higher.

15:30 Constitution Hill Hurdle

Constitution Hill 1280.jpg

Constitution Hill could be one of the best horses we have seen for a generation! Sit back, relax and watch a scintillating performance.

There are distance markets here.

Read Nicholls' thoughts on every runner

Paul Nicholls Cheltenham hurdlers .png

Paul Nicholls has three runners on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival including Tahmuras in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with the Betfair Ambassador confident of a good run from his unbeaten hurdler...

Read Paul's column here.

16:10 Mares Hurdle

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 1

Brandy Love (Ire)

Trainer: W. P. Mullins, Ireland
Jockey: P. Townend
Age: 7
Weight: 11st 5lbs
OR: -

WAS 13/2

Race Stats:

No winner of this race other than Quevega was older than seven. Take out: Honeysuckle, Epatante.

Only one winner NOT to have won over 2m4f. Take out: Echoes In Rain.

12 of the 15 won last time out. Take out: Honeysuckle, Brand Love.

Daryl's race verdict

A smashing renewal of this contest, but Marie's Rock opted for this race instead of the Stayers Hurdle, and she will prove very tough to beat in an attempt to defend her crown. She ticks all the boxes and arrives on the back of a career-best effort beating the boys in the Relkeel Hurdle.

Brandy Love is easily next best with improvement, almost inevitable, but she needs to raise her game to fend off Marie's Rock, but the suspicion is that we haven't seen the best of her yet. Back the pair.

16:50 Boodles Handicap

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 9

Samuel Spade (Ger)

Trainer: Ben Pauling
Jockey: Luca Morgan
Age: 4
Weight: 10st 10lbs
OR: 126

WAS 22/1

Race Stats

Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls has had 11 of his 23 runners place in this contest. Afadil 25/1.

Irish trained have taken the last five.

No winner wearing headgear since 2014. Take out: Byker, Tekao, Perseus Way, Jazzy Matty, Sundial, Mighty Mo Missouri, Shared, Mr Freedom.

Daryl's race verdict

This is very tricky. Tekao makes plenty of appeal, having left the impression he could have finished closer to the Triumph hopes Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile.

Bad has been a big talking horse and could yet be anything, but Zanndabad has been on my radar all season, as mentioned in the Cheltenham Only Bettor podcast before he was even in the betting list.

He will get a saver, but it's hard to dismiss Tekao, who wouldn't look out of place in a Triumph Hurdle.

17:30 National Hunt Chase

Biggest market mover in this race in the last 24hrs:

No. 2

Coolvalla (Ire)

Trainer: Chris Gordon
Jockey: Mr Joshua Newman
Age: 7
Weight: 11st 7lbs
OR: -

WAS 40/1

Race Stats:

Only two winners this century younger than seven. Take out: Tenzing, Bellatrixsa.

The last ten winners rated at least 142. Take out: Fakiera, Coolvalla, Bellatrixsa, Malinello.

No beaten favourite last time out has won. Take out: Mahler Mission, Minella Crooner, Mister Coffey, Tenzing.

Daryl's race verdict

Gaillard Du Mesnil ticks all the boxes for this contest. His three runs over three miles or further have resulted in a Grade 1 victory, a third in an Irish National and a third in last year's Brown Advisory.

Impossible to oppose. For those looking for a betting angle, Mister Coffey to hit the frame is 6/4 on the Betfair Sportsbook.

Calvin's corkers for Cheltenham day one

Tony Calvin Cheltenham jumps.png

There's no holding back from our top tipster Tony Calvin on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival as he puts up seven bets for Tuesday's action, with tips ranging from 11/2 up to 33/1...

Read Tony's column here.

Cheltenham Festival Focus runners

El Fabiolo 6/1 Arkle Chase 1pt win NOW 6/4

El Fabiolo has turned into Tuesday's NAP and I think he is very, very talented. I can't see beyond him in the Arkle and will be having a good bet even at his current odds.

Brandy Love 4/1 Mares Hurdle 1pt win NOW 5/1

Really happy to have her in the book it should give punters an option to cover on Marie's Rock now she has decided on this route. I have it between that pair.

Tekao 6/1 Boodles Handicap 1pt win NOW 10/3

He continues to shorten in the market and I am happy to have him on side. Would I go back in again? Porbably yes. I think he is by far the most tallented horse in the field.

Final Word

The curtain will rise on was is the best four days of racing anywhere in the land today. Remember, there are so many alternative ways to bet as you look to bank a win this week. Use the Betfair Exchange to your advantage.

The first rule for a punter is to gamble responsibly. No one wants to blow the bank on day one, and remember this is a four-day war, not a two-race battle.

Whatever you back today, I wish you the best of luck. Let battle commence, and until tomorrow, be lucky.

The Betfair Sportsbook is offering you extra places on selected races, applying to both single and multiple bets. T&Cs apply.

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