Cheltenham Festival: Preview and selections for Wednesday's meeting

The action begins at 1.30pm and concludes at 5.30pm. The going is currently Soft, Good to Soft in places and there are showers forecast throughout the afternoon. You can find the latest odds at Betway.

The feature event of the day is the £400,000 Champion Chase over two miles at 3.30pm, for which seven runners go to post. Defending champion Energumene is deeply respected, but he does come into this event following a disappointing third in the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham in January. Soft ground will clearly aid his chances and he is greatly feared. Editeur Du Gite bids to give Gary Moore a second win in this event following Sire De Grugy’s 2014 victory and he impressed when landing the Clarence House Chase last time out. Edwardstone was second in that event, but he had to make up a ton of ground in that contest which ultimately cost him close home. If ridden with more prominence here and given he is looking to become the 10th horse since 2002 to complete the Arkle-Champion Chase double, he is tough to oppose in this event.

The opening £135,000 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle has seen a major gamble on the Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe. He is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles for the Closutton maestro and he impressed when landing the Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle in January. Stable companion Gaelic Warrior landed a handicap at Leopardstown last time out and will enjoy soft ground. Paul Nicholls has a 0-20 record in the Ballymore, but is represented by Challow scorer Hermes Allen. The form of that race has worked out strongly and he has to be respected. Good Land was a smart winner at the Dublin Racing Festival and is open to plenty of improvement, whilst Champ Kiely scored in good style in Grade One company at Naas on his latest start and he is another to note.

Gerri Colombe is for many one of the Irish bankers of the meeting and he lines up in the £175,000 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2.10pm); He is unbeaten in three starts over fences and impressed over an inadequate trip at Sandown last time out, whilst soft ground will also aid his chances. The Real Whacker has won twice at Cheltenham this year and is feared along with Sir Gerhard who has only run once over fences. Kauto Star Novices’ Chase winner Thyme Hill is another to consider in this event.

Elsewhere on the card, stablemates Delta Work and Galvin headline the field in the £75,000 Glenfarclas Chase at 4.10pm. Delta Work is the defending champion having seen off Tiger Roll 12 months ago and he shaped well when third at the track last time out. Galvin has never run over the unique course, but has reportedly worked well and has to be considered despite the fact he is a better horse on quicker ground.

The other Grade One highlight on the card is the £80,000 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.30pm) in which John Kiely saddles A Dream To Share. Unbeaten in three starts this season, he impressed at the Dublin Racing Festival and commands all sorts of respect. Willie Mullins has won this event 12 times and he is represented by 10 runners. Fact To File is the choice of his son Patrick and he filled second to A Dream To Share at Leopardstown. It’s For Me is another interesting runner following his success at Navan in January, whilst the likes of Fun Fun Fun, Western Diego and Westport Cove are all unbeaten.

Cheltenham Day Two selections

1.30pm Impaire Et Passe

2.10pm Gerri Colombe

2.50pm Beacon Edge

3.30pm Edwardstone

4.10pm Delta Work

4.50pm Andy Dufresne

5.30pm A Dream To Share