Cheltenham Festival 2023 Tuesday tips: Selections from the Supreme, Champion Hurdle, Mares’ Hurdle and Arkle

Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser, the Supreme, is the ideal opener to the four-day festival with Tuesday hosting many of the highlights including Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle.

Facile Vega was odds-on for the first race of the four-day festival but after fading out at Leopardstown he’s as high as 7/2 now, which still looks like a great price.

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The rest of the day has also opened up somewhat and punters will be treated to four Grade 1 contests and a Grade 2: Arkle, Supreme, Champion Hurdle and Mares’ Hurdle.

Meaning we will witness the likes of Facile Vega, Constitution Hill, Honeysuckle and Jonbon all in different races and on the same day!

Cheltenham Festival racing tips

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle tip

Tahmuras 10/1

Last year, Constitution Hill was among the leading contenders for this race and went off a 9/4 joint-favourite, but not many anticipated just how easily the hurdler would win.

But there’s also a few overpriced runners that might prove hard to beat given their exceptional winning streaks and ability.

Paul Nicholls’ Tahmuras looks a real danger to the well-backed and fancied Facile Vega and and Marine Nationale.

Facile Vega was one of the big favourites until he failed to deliver a 4/9f run at Leopardstown festival in February.

As a result he drifted like a barge but still remains a favourite for those keeping faith in the Willie Mullins-trained horse.

Tahmuras is unbeaten over hurdles though, including in the Tolworth Novices at Sandown in January.

His 10/1 price is likely to shorten when the field is decided and getting on at this price each-way looks great value as the six-year-old could easily improve.

Arkle tip

El Fabiolo tipped at 9/4

El Fabiolo looked promising before the Leopardstown Festival, unexposed over fences and then blew the field away winning by ten lengths to Banbridge in the end at 9/2.

He’s now second favourite for the Arkle behind Jonbon and it seems there’s even more improvement to come from the Willie Mullins-trained horse that should see him take this 2m trip with ease.

Champion Hurdle tip

Constitution Hill tipped at 4/11 & to win by 6+lengths

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There was just better than evens on Constitution Hill a couple of months ago, before he cemented his ability in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Christmas Hurdle in November and December.

Winning both by a wide margin to the great Grade 1 winner Epatante back in second place.

He shot up from a rating of 148 to 173 in those three races and remains a horse that has tremendous stamina and coasting speed.

A better betting option for this horse would be Constitution Hill to win by 6+ lengths, at 1/1 on talkSPORT BET.

Mares’ Hurdle tip

Honeysuckle 10/3

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It would have been no surprise to see this champion mare in the Champion Hurdle, but after two straight races put an end to her unbeaten streak and clear dominance in the hurdle scene, she has been dropped back slightly to this Grade 1 2m4f Mares’ Hurdle.

She hasn’t been far off in her defeats though and especially to massive up and comers, Teahupoo and State Man.

While still beating the likes of Vauban and Pied Piper and she has more to bring in the field of mares having already won 16 of her 18 races.

It’s rare to find a horse with that winning mentality and capability, which she does, and crucially in the big events too.

National Hunt  Challenge Cup Novices’ Chase

Gaillard Du Mesnil 1/1

It could be a huge day for Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins with both trainers having favourite chances in almost all the races between them.

But it’s Mullins who has a really likable type in the lucky last on Tuesday with the grey Gaillard Du Mesnil in the colours of Shishkin.

The grey gelding has won just once but placed third an astonishing six times.

But those have mostly been in top Grade 1 chases against Mighty Potter, who is the favourite for the Turners on Thursday.

The Novice chaser also placed third in the Brown Advisory last year and clearly goes well in big events.

He was also slightly hampered and not quite the best over the last fence at Leopardstown and if improving, should make all under Paul Townend.

Ruby Walsh told Paddy Power: “You’re hoping Gaillard Du Mesnil is far too good for these, his run-in last year’s Brown Advisory might be good enough.  

“It’s all set up for Gaillard Du Mesnil and he’ll be hard to beat in the lucky last.  

“If Willie Mullins has had a blow out before then, this fella will get him out of trouble.” 

All odds correct at time of writing

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