Cheltenham tips: 5 long-range fancies for the 2024 Festival

El Fabiolo – Queen Mother Champion Chase @ 13/8

Mullins has Energumene eyeing a hat-trick of wins in this race, a feat only achieved once before by Badsworth Boy from 1983 to 1985, but the nine-year-old may have to make way for the new kid on the block.

Stablemate El Fabiolo was sensational when storming clear of Jonbon in what looked a high-class renewal of the Arkle last term and backed that up with an easy victory at Punchestown to extend his unbeaten record over fences to four.

“He looks all over a two-miler,” declared the trainer. “He’s improving all the time and he can go up in trip, I’d have no problem going two and a half as he’s nice and relaxed, but the way he does things over two miles, he may stay at that.”

Jonbon – Ryanair Chase @ 4/1

Nicky Henderson’s charge bounced back from that loss to El Fabiolo by claiming a Grade One double in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree and the Celebration Chase at Sandown, when venturing into open company.

The brother of Douvan has yet to be tried beyond two miles under Rules but showed plenty of stamina when staying on strongly at the Esher track and has a three-mile point-to-point win in Ireland on his CV, so stepping up in distance to avoid El Fabiolo looks the way to go.

Gaelic Warrior – Stayers’ Hurdle @ 4/1

Mullins and Rich Ricci have another exciting prospect to look forward to in this fellow French import, who enjoyed a lucrative campaign over hurdles last term and will hopefully be kept back from going over fences.

He landed an €80,000 Leopardstown handicap carrying 11st 12lb before chasing home stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Ballymore at Cheltenham and then romping home by 10 lengths in the three-mile Grade One novice at Punchestown.

“He has the option of going chasing, but we’d have to have a good look at keeping him over hurdles,” commented Mullins. “We’ll get home and think about it but what I saw there, the way he improved going that extra trip, he looks to have the Stayers’ Hurdle written all over him.”

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