Willie Mullins had a poor start to the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday but things have got a lot worse following the news that the strongly fancied Chacun Pour Soi will miss Wednesday’s Champion Chase.
The horse was found to be slightly lame this morning prior to the “trot-up” procedure in front of a vet from the British Horseracing Authority that all horses must go through to be passed fit to race. When a shoe was removed, vets found an abscess in one of the eight-year-old’s feet and he was immediately scratched from the race.
Joe Chambers, racing manager to Rich Ricci, Chacun Pour Soi’s owner, said: “He’s just got a bit of pus in a foot. It’s a 24-hour thing. It’s disappointing, but what can you do?”
Chacun Pour Soi was the 6-4 second-favourite for this afternoon’s race behind Defi Du Seuil, who is now a 4-11 chance, and his sudden departure from the line-up is a major setback for Willie Mullins, his trainer, and Paul Townend, his rider, both of whom are still looking for their first win of the meeting.
1.30 Ballymore Hurdle Placed efforts on Tuesday by Abacadabras and Darver Star served to advertise the form of Envoi Allen, who beat them in the Royal Bond in December. The Bumper winner on this day last year, he can complete a double that has not been achieved since Monsignor.
2.10 RSA Chase Champ’s jumping must be a concern after what he did here on New Year’s Day, while Allaho could do too much in front on this testing surface. Minella Indo has an obvious chance of scoring here for the second year in a row but the value could be Easy Game, who does seem in need of this step up to three miles. He stayed on well to beat Allaho at Christmas but is twice the price.
2.50 Coral Cup A race full of plots, as it should be. Dame De Compagnie, Franco De Port and Black Tears are all easy to like but Top Moon is one that could be overpriced, although the 33-1 was wiped off the boards during Tuesday afternoon. Joseph O’Brien’s charge had been strong at the finish in his races until last time, when racing prominently over two miles did not suit.
3.30 Queen Mother Champion Chase Having been the race we were all looking forward to, this is in danger of being a deflating experience. On top of Altior’s lameness, Chacun Pour Soi will also miss the race because of an abscess reported at 11am. That leaves just one of the ‘Big Three’, Defi Du Seuil, who is now going to be the shortest priced runner at this Festival, at around 1-3 as I type. His credentials are excellent, as a two-time Festival winner in the Triumph and the Marsh, and he has re-established himself as a two-miler this winter by beating Un De Sceaux in the Tingle Creek and the Clarence House. He would have been vulnerable against an on-song Chacun Pour Soi, who beat him comfortably last April, but now faces a straightforward task. If this small field leads to a steady pace, that will suit, as he has a wicked turn of foot. Dynamite Dollars ran well behind Altior on his return from a year’s absence last month and he might be dangerous if allowed to get loose on the front in this small field. Politologue, Sceau Royal and Bun Doran look like known quantities who should not be good enough.
4.10 Cross-Country Chase If he runs to the same level as last year, Tiger Roll will win easily but he is 10 and might still need this run on his way to the National. Easysland is a formidable opponent whose best days may yet be to come and he appeals at 3-1 in a race that lacks depth.
4.50 Fred Winter Hurdle Few of these four-year-olds are going to thrive on this ground but Palladium should have no trouble on that score, having sluiced through Sandown’s mud twice already this year. The chestnut beat older rivals last time and still looks fairly weighted.
5.30 NH Bumper The way Appreciate It hacked up over what had seemed a strong field at Leopardstown last month was eye‑opening. He seems likely to give Willie Mullins a 10th victory in this race.
Cheltenham
1.30 Envoi Allen 2.10 Easy Game (nb) 2.50 Top Moon 3.30 Chacun Pour Soi 4.10 Easysland 4.50 Palladium (nap) 5.30 Appreciate It
Lingfield
1.20 Zayriyan 1.55 Voice Of A Leader 2.35 Sly Minx 3.15 Rhyme Scheme 3.55 Magical Wish 4.35 Kodiellen 5.15 Distant Applause
Huntingdon
1.45 Dagueneau 2.25 Midnightreflection 3.05 Emma Lamb 3.45 Imperial Nemesis 4.25 Sandford Castle 5.05 Rhosneigr 5.40 Inca Rose
Kempton
4.40 Say It Simple 5.20 Dromara King 5.50 Vega's Angel 6.20 All Yours 6.50 Rains Of Castamere 7.20 Epic Challenge 7.50 Musee D'Orsay 8.20 Deadly Accurate
