Cheltenham Day Two: Michael Verney marks your card with JP McManus the man to follow

The nine-time Grade One winner is now the king of the two-mile chasing division, but he must grasp his crown on the biggest occasion of them all.

1.20 Grade One Turners Novices’ Hurdle 2m5f

British runners have landed just one of the last 11 editions but they have serious firepower here in the shape of The New Lion, which was so visually impressive when last seen on the track.

Dan Skelton’s six-year-old was a facile winner of the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury and that was more than enough for JP McManus to subsequently shell out a reported €1m.

Willie Mullins is formidable in this contest with seven victories, and the Closutton maestro is bidding for a quartet of successive wins with Final Demand leading his six-strong team.

Paul Townend’s mount is 7lbs clear of The New Lion on official figures following his Grade One success at the Dublin Racing Festival but that was a weak-looking contest, and he looks to be built like more of a stayer.

The same could be said of Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas winner The Yellow Clay, trained by Gordon Elliott, but speed could make the difference here, and The New Lion can start repaying his lofty price tag under Harry Skelton.

Verdict: The New Lion can score for the Skelton team.

​2.0 Grade One Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 3m110yds

Ballyburn dazzled over hurdles here 12 months ago but Mullins’ seven-year-old hasn’t yet been as convincing over the larger obstacles.

He was doing his best work at the finish when pulling away from Croke Park to take a Grade One over 2m5½f at the Dublin Racing Festival, though, and that suggests three miles should be right down his alley.

Closutton stablemate Dancing City is an obvious danger, particularly if this becomes a stamina test as endurance is one of his best qualities, while the Elliott-trained Better Days Ahead landed the Martin Pipe here last year over hurdles and has place claims.

Jack Kennedy’s mount should be in the vicinity come the finish in a contest which is totally dominated by the visiting team, with all seven of the runners trained in Ireland. Last year’s Albert Bartlett Hurdle winner Stellar Story cannot be discounted if he gets his jumping together, and his most recent effort when second to Better Days Ahead was encouraging on that front.

If a surprise is on the cards at a decent price, Danny Gilligan’s mount may just provide it.

Verdict: Stellar Story can secure back-to-back Festival wins for Elliott.

2.40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle 2m5f

This 26-runner cavalry charge has been shared by the British and Irish over the past decade, and Mullins’ Bunting has been one of the best-backed horses of the week.

Townend rode just one handicap race at last year’s Festival and that proved to be a winner on Absurde, so punters should take note.

There has been just one winning favourite during the last 10 runnings of this race – which included 50/1, 33/1, 28/1, 20/1 and 16/1 winners – so value is sought outside of Bunting and the Skelton hotpot Be Aware.

Joseph O’Brien’s Comfort Zone and Henderson’s Impose Toi are highly respected in the green and gold McManus silks, and the former may prove the wisest choice under Mark Walsh.

Comfort Zone, which is rated 94 on the Flat, has only gone up 4lbs in the handicap despite two cracking efforts when third in a pair of valuable contests at Galway and Leopardstown – and this is well within his capabilities.

Verdict: Comfort Zone can score for O’Brien and Walsh.

3.20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase 3m5f56yds

Reverting back to its old guise as a handicap means there is not the same quality as previous years, but it does open the door for handicappers to shine.

Elliott saddles six runners – he has had a hand in six of the last nine winners – and 2023 runner-up Galvin looks the best of the sextet with a handicap mark now 1lb lower than when fourth in last year’s Aintree Grand National.

Kennedy’s mount is in receipt of 3lbs from top-weight Stumptown, which was so visually impressive when scoring here over course and distance in December.

He has been a revelation since switching to this sphere with three wins in succession – and Gavin Cromwell’s eight-year-old has the aid of Keith Donoghue, bidding to become the most successful jockey in this race with five wins.

With 31 fences to negotiate, weight might just catch Stumptown, and Galvin is favoured to edge this stamina-sapping contest on ground which he adores.

Verdict: Galvin can go one better than two years ago for Elliott.

4.0 Grade One BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase 1m7f199yds

Henderson is bidding to become the most successful trainer in this race’s history with a seventh win, while McManus is eyeing a first Champion Chase – and they have outstanding claims via Jonbon.

The nine-year-old has never been out of the first two in 21 career starts (18 wins) and sets a high bar but this race has thrown up some crazy results in recent times with odds-on favourites regularly overturned.

Energumene is bidding to regain his crown after the 2022/’23 champion missed last year’s renewal through injury, but Townend’s mount will have to rip up the stats to do so by becoming just the fourth 11-year-old to prevail since the race’s inception in 1959.

Mullins’ charge was no match for Jonbon in the Clarence House, though, and last year’s winner Captain Guinness (his trainer Henry de Bromhead has already won the race four times) is hard to fancy on this year’s lacklustre form.

Solness and Marine Nationale look like potential flies in the ointment. The former has been a revelation in his last two starts for Joseph O’Brien with two front-running displays yielding a pair of Grade One wins at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old will set a blistering pace under JJ Slevin and test those behind him while Marine Nationale scored on his only start at the Festival two years ago and has been steadily improving over the larger obstacles.

When push comes to shove, though, it’s really hard to oppose Jonbon.

Verdict: Jonbon can break his Festival duck in style under Nico de Boinville.

​4.40 Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase 1m7f199yds

Few will be travelling better than My Mate Mozzie but whether Cromwell’s charge finds enough off the bridle remains to be seen once again, while Skelton’s Unexpected Party could make a bold bid to land back-to-back wins.

There has only been one winning favourite in the past decade – as well as several big-priced winners during that time – and this could be a red-letter day for emerging trainer Cian Collins.

Jazzy Matty landed the Fred Winter here two years ago when trained by Elliott, and the six-year-old has taken well to fences. He was narrowly denied here in a novice event over course and distance before showing rude health over hurdles – and a big run is expected under Gilligan off a lovely racing weight.

Verdict: Jazzy Matty can land another Festival win and put Collins in the spotlight​​​​​​.

5.20 Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper 2m87yds

Mullins has won this 13 times – as well as taking three of the last four renewals – and he saddles five runners on this occasion, including the top two in the market, Copacabana and Gameofinches.

That pair only made their debuts in the last month, though, and while both were ultra impressive, a lack of experience may possibly come against them.

Mullins’ Bambino Fever could hardly have been any more impressive in a Grade Two Mares’ Bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival but this may go the way of Elliott. Kalypso’chance hasn’t been seen since his impressive Listed success at Navan in December and Kennedy’s mount can continue his upward curve.

Verdict: Kalypso’chance can score for Elliott and Kenendy.​