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HOPING to put his 2025 Arkle Chase nightmare behind him, MAJBOROUGH (4.00) goes to post as a short-priced favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase this afternoon.

Some 12 months ago, the giant gelding made a series of mistakes over the Cheltenham fences, literally demolishing the second last and yet was still only beaten three parts of a length at the line.

Sent to the front from the start of the Dublin Chase at the DRF, he jumped and galloped his rivals into the ground to the tune of 19 lengths and more.

This better ground shouldn’t prove a problem for the upwardly mobile six-year-old and he is a confident choice, albeit at a restricted price, to land the feature race of the day at the main expense of L’Eau Du Sud.

There are some devilishly difficult handicaps up for grabs on day two of the Cheltenham Festival and my main fancy comes in the form of JAZZY MATTY (4.40) as he bids to defend his title in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase over the extended two miles.

Fully 8lbs higher in the weights this afternoon, the selection has been racing on ground too deep this winter and not finishing off his races. However, connections have made him undergo a wind operation and I am hoping that will help bring him back to his best. In such a big field there are so many dangers and I couldn’t put you off the likes of the hat-trick seeking Vanderpoel and Western Diego.

The Handicap Hurdle at 2.40 has always been one of my favourite races of the festival and I think that Nicky Henderson could have a really strong hand this time around. His Jingko Blue is not an easy ride and needs plenty to go right and finished ahead of stable mate LUCKY PLACE in the Relkeel Hurdle. 

However, my selection was just a bit rusty back over hurdles after not really taking to fences at the beginning of the season and on his best graded form still looks nicely treated off his current handicap mark of 151, with the help of former Champion Jockey Brian Hughes in the plate.

I fancy a massive run from SORTUDO (1.20) in the opening Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle, one of no less than six Willie Mullins’ trained runners in this Grade One starter. He was not suited by the hurdles being take out of play due to the low sun in the Novices’ Hurdle last time out and gets a narrow nod over the likes of stable mate King Rasko Grey and the progressive and to my mind underrated Bossman Jack.

That grand old stager THE GOFFER (3.20) can run well at a price in the Cross Country Chase, while the decision to step up ROMEO COOLIO (2.00) to three miles for the first time can pay dividends in the Broadway Novices’ Chase.