Champion Bumper 2023 Tips - Mullins and Elliott to dominate the Bumper again?

Here's our free guide and tips for the 2023 Champion Bumper.

Over the past six years, two trainers have dominated the Champion Bumper. Willie Mullins has trained the winner in four of the past five years and accounts for over 50% of the top four placers in that time period. Gordon Elliott trained the winner in both 2017 and 2019, before saddling placers in each of the last three seasons.

Willie Mullins' pair of It's For Me and Fun Fun Fun will carry the Munir & Suede silks into this year's Champion Bumper. Patrick Mullins is expected to partner Fun Fun Fun - a mare he bred and rode to victory at the Dublin Racing Festival - which would leave Paul Townend free to ride It's For Me, who jumped to the head of the betting following a bloodless triumph at Navan.

Ireland's Champion Trainer could throw unbeaten geldings Western Diego and Westport Cove into the mix. Fact To File and Chosen Witness are expected to run. Chapeau De Soleil sits prominently in the market too but, as he didn't win on his sole start for Mullins back in December, he could get balloted out if a capacity field is confirmed.

Jamie Codd will ride Gordon Elliott's leading hope this year, Better Days Ahead, who beat Chapeau De Soleil at Fairyhouse. Elliott will also be represented by Pour Les Filles, No Time To Wait and King Of Kingsfield.

The talking horse going into this Grade One is undoubtedly A Dream To Share, for veteran trainer John Kiely. Kiely's five-year-old made it three wins from three starts when thrashing his rivals at Leopardstown last month, after which A Dream To Share was snapped up by leading owner, JP McManus.

John McConnell will run course winner Encanto Bruno on day two of the Cheltenham Festival. Thomas Mullins will be hoping to see Christmas winner Fascile Mode bounce back, following his fourth-place finish behind A Dream To Share at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Queen's Gamble remains the leading British hope, despite that shock defeat at Huntingdon last time out. Paul Nicholls will run Plumpton winner, Captain Teague. Favour And Fortune, Fiercely Proud and Fingle Bridge could also represent British connections.

Most bookmakers are going 7/2 the field for this year's Champion Bumper. Serious chances can be given to more than a dozen runners and plenty of the outsiders cannot be overlooked lightly. As many as four, maybe even five paid places could be available on the day, so I'll wait until the field has been confirmed before backing a couple at each-way prices.

High on my shortlist for an each-way bet would be FACT TO FILE, who made a lovely impression when winning a 20-furlong bumper at Leopardstown over Christmas. Patrick Mullins' mount couldn't match A Dream To Share's flat speed at the Dublin Racing Festival, but Fact To File kept pushing right through the line as the top two finished a long way clear of the chasing pack. 

This strong stayer should relish the uphill climb to the line at Cheltenham racecourse and I can't see Mullins' charge finishing outside the paid places.

QUEEN'S GAMBLE sat near the head of the Champion Bumper betting following two exceptional course victories in 2022. Oliver Sherwood's filly may have been beaten at Market Rasen, but she was carrying a penalty that day and didn't get the run of the race. Jonny Burke's mount will be getting weight from the colts at the Cheltenham Festival and I'd give Queen's Gamble an excellent chance should she be confirmed.

I wouldn't give up on King Of Kingsfield (33/1), who scoped dirty after his defeat at Leopardstown over Christmas, having looked like a real talent earlier in the season. I thought Diesel Line (66/1) was very impressive when beating a Paul Nicholls favourite on his sole start at Exeter in February and he too sits on a tempting price. Both would make it onto my Champion Bumper shortlist.