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Cheltenham Festival: Six key clashes for Wednesday's racing

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More Of That

More Of That: faces off against No More Heroes

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By David Carr 6:01pM 15 MAR 2016 

More Of That vs No More Heroes
Something has to give in a real heavyweight clash between two cracking prospects in the RSA Chase, both unbeaten over fences

More Of That was a top-notch staying hurdler, good enough to beat Annie Power in the World Hurdle here last year, and has done the job well in two outings at Cheltenham this season.

It will take something special to get the better of him – but No More Heroes could well be something special.

He is already a dual Grade 1 winner as a chaser and was particularly impressive at Leopardstown over Christmas.

There will be plenty of clashes between owners JP McManus (More Of That) and Gigginstown (No More Heroes) over the next few days but this promises to be one of the best. 

Un De Sceaux

Un De Sceaux: Brilliant, but has shown vulnerability in his jumping

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

Un De Sceaux vs The Cheltenham Fences
Un de Sceaux fully deserves to be a red-hot favourite for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

He’s a tip-top two-mile chaser who has gained his five victories over fences by an aggregate of 41 lengths and looks well up to joining a roll of honour that includes outstanding horses such as Badsworth Boy, Master Minded and Sprinter Sacre.

But that is only if the fences do not get in the way. Twice in a seven-race chasing career he has crashed out – on his debut at Thurles and again at Leopardstown over Christmas.

He was in total command both times but a strict interpretation of that record makes him a 5-2 shot to come down once again – though the one-time tearaway appeared more relaxed at Ascot last time and is reported to have schooled well since.

Yanworth - Barry Geraghty winner

Yanworth: A festival banker?

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)  

Yanworth vs Sod’s Law
What can possibly go wrong? Yanworth has looked a cracking prospect ever since he started hurdling in the autumn and he put up an outstanding performance when winning on Trials day at Cheltenham.

He bolted up then and Racing Post ratings would suggest that he has already shown form  of a level more than good enough to win the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle in an average year – runner-up Shantou Village does not fancy a rematch and goes on Friday instead.

But when something looks too good to be true it normally is and things do not always turn out as they should at Cheltenham.

Remember Denman? The future Gold Cup winner was unbeaten over hurdles and went off an understandably short-priced favourite last year for this race ten years ago – and was beaten by Nicanor.

Willie Mullins

Willie Mullins: has seven chances for the Champion Bumper

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos  

Willie Mullins vs All-comers
It was in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper that record-breaking trainer Willie Mullins first made his name at Cheltenham.

He did the riding himself when Wither Or Witch came home in front 20 years ago, he went on to take the race again in three of the next four years and he has landed the prize eight times overall.

It’s a couple of years since Mullins was last successful but it’s not for want of trying, he had six runners 12 months ago and fields a lucky seven this time – ante-post betting would suggest that Augusta Kate is his main hope but history tells us it is not safe to ignore any anything he sends across for a race he has won its favourites and outsiders alike.

Balthazar-king-2-360

Balthazar King: Has overcome life-threatening injuries

  PICTURE: Phil Mingo/Pinnacle Agency  

Any Currency vs Balthazar King
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase may not be everyone’s idea of a compelling spectacle but it could a real tear-jerker this year.

Emotions would certain run high were Any Currency finally to land that elusive first festival victory for local trainer Martin Keighley – at a meeting where he finished fourth in the National Hunt Chase fully six years ago.

He has been runner-up in this race in the last two years but it is Balthazar King, the horse who short-headed him in 2014, who would really get the tears flowing were he to triumph once again.

Success for the 12-year-old would be the stuff of a Hollywood film script as he looked set for retirement – or worse –  after breaking ribs and puncturing a lung in a fall in the Grand National last year but he has been nursed back to health and returns to a unique course where he is something of a folk hero, with four wins already to his name.

Paul Nicholls October 21 Exeter

Paul Nicholls: has a good record in the Fred Winter

  PICTURE: Getty Images  

Paul Nicholls vs The Hurdles Handicapper
Why change a winning system? Paul Nicholls’ approach to the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle certainly seems to work.

Acquire something useful from France, tease the British handicapper with a tantalising glimpse of it in the festival build-up then head straight for the four-year-old test at Cheltenham – where he’s had two winners and three placed horses since 2010.

The champion trainer tries it again with Romain De Senam and Diego Du Charmil this time. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

 

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