Eye On Cheltenham - Editeur Du Gite, Gold Tweet and Ahoy Senor slashed after Trials Day victories

All eyes were on Energumene and Edwardstone ahead of Saturday's Clarence House Chase, but it was Editeur Du Gite who claimed his first Grade One victory after a terrific front-running performance. Editeur Du Gite was slashed into 5/1 to win the 2023 Champion Chase. Runner-up Edwardstone is now the 7/4 joint-favourite with Energumene, who drifted out from odds-on following a limp third-place finish at Cheltenham.

Lucinda Russell's star battled back to claim his first victory of the season in a topsy-turvey running of the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham this weekend. Ahoy Senor was cut from 33s into 10/1 for the 2023 Gold Cup by bet365. Runner-up Sounds Russian was clipped into 20/1, while Noble Yeats and Protektorat drifted out to 7/1 and 14/1 respectively, following third and fourth-placed finishes.

The biggest upset on Trials Day came in the Cleeve Hurdle, where French raider Gold Tweet ran down Dashel Drasher to return a price of 14/1. Gabriel Leender's confirmed his winner would be supplemented for the Stayers' Hurdle on the back of that victory, and Gold Tweet can be backed at 8/1 to follow-up at the Festival.

Gordon Elliott's charge built on his victory over Klassical Dream and Honeysuckle in the Hatton's Grace with a fantastic triumph in the Galmoy Hurdle on Thursday. Following that 15-length triumph at Gowran Park, Teahupoo was cut into 5/2 favouritism for the 2023 Stayers' Hurdle by BetUK.

Willie Mullins' mare cantered to an easy victory in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Sunday, thrashing Cash Back and Bob Olinger without coming off the bridle. Echoes In Rain remains a 20/1 shot for the Champion Hurdle following that run, but her odds were slashed for the Mares' Hurdle, for which she's now the 5/1 second-favourite with bet365.

Nicky Henderson's mare stamped her class all over the Grade Two Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday, cruising to an effortless victory. The former Champion Hurdler can be backed at 16/1 for that championship race, with Unibet also quoting odds of 4/1 for the Mares' Hurdle.

Diverge opened Punchestown's card on Monday with an emphatic victory over two miles. Willie Mullins' star holds an entry for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, for which bet365 now quote odds of 33/1.

Sa Fureur

 

Another novice to impress on Monday was Gordon Elliott's Sa Fureur, who claimed a half-length victory in a two-and-a-half mile rated hurdle. Although he is entered for the Supreme, the Ballymore would seem the more likely objective at Grade One level, and Sa Fureur can be backed at 33/1 for the opener on Champion Chase day.

Syd Hosie's budding stable star built on a promising debut at Cheltenham on New Years Day by winning the Ballymore trial on Trials Day. Rock My Way was then cut into 16/1 for both the Ballymore and the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Donald McCain's charge bounced back from defeat in the Kennel Gate at Sandown by winning the River Don at Doncaster this weekend. Maximilian is now a general 20/1 shot to win the 2023 Albert Bartlett.

A Group One winner on the level, Princess Zoe was forced to share the spoils on her hurdles debut at Punchestown. Some firms allowed Princess Zoe to drift in the Albert Bartlett betting following her hurdles debut, but Unibet was impressed enough to cut Tony Mullins' mare into 20/1 from 25s.

Last year's Champion Bumper fourth got off the mark over hurdles at the third time of asking this weekend, returning a price of 1/2 following a four-length victory. Willie Mullins' charge was then cut into 25/1 for the Albert Bartlett.

The first mover in the Albert Bartlett betting this week was Three Card Brag, who received fresh odds of 8/1 by BetUK to win that Grade One on Gold Cup day following an impressive win at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

Willie Mullins' Aintree winner came through from off the pace to claim a hard-fought victory in the Solerina Mares' Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Ashroe Diamond was immediately cut into 4/1 second-favouritism for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Festival.

Comfort Zone narrowly got the better of Scriptwriter to win the Finesse Juvenile Hurdle that kicked off Trials Day at Cheltenham. Joseph O'Brien's winner was cut into 8/1 third-favouritism for the Triumph Hurdle, with Scriptwriter also coming into 12/1.

Willie Mullins' treble on Sunday's card at Punchestown was completed by Western Diego, who was cut into 12/1 for the Champion Bumper following an easy victory over 19 furlongs.

Ramillies looked to have made it two-from-two over fences with a hard-fought victory at Naas on Sunday, only for the stewards to hand the race to Thedevilscoachman, after he was hampered by the winner jumping the last. Both ran well enough to enforce their Cheltenham credentials. Thedevilscoachman is now a 14/1 shot for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, while Ramillies was cut into 4/1 second-favouritism for the National Hunt Chase.

Two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard ran out a ready winner on his belated chase debut at Gowran Park in the week. Despite winning over two miles, Willie Mullins said the Brown Advisory Chase might be the best race for Sir Gerhard, who can be backed at 7/1 to win the three-miler with BetUK.

Under a confident ride from Harry Cobden, Stage Stage carried top-weight to victory in a competitive handicap chase at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls' charge was cut into 10/1 for the Turners' Novices' Chase on the back of that impressive handicap success.

Martin Keighley's star claimed another win around the Cross Country course at Cheltenham by beating Deisa Aba and Delta Work in the handicap on Trials Day. Back On The Lash was cut into 14/1 to win the Cross Country at the Festival, form which defending champion Delta Work is now the even-money favourite with Unibet.

Gavin Cromwell's mare travelled over to Huntingdon on Thursday, defeating Zambella and Tweed Skirt to win the Listed Protectress Mares' Chase. Jeremey's Flame was immediately cut in the betting for the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham, with Quinnbet going as short as 9/1.