We’ve got some great insight from 14-time Cheltenham Festival winning jockey Paul Carberry on the upcoming Cheltenham Festival, courtesy of our friends at Boylesports Racing.
The Legendary Irish jockey talks us through his selections for the key races the this year’s Cheltenham Festival, including one he thinks will win “even if he only half shows up”, plus his pick for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Paul Carberry’s 2023 Cheltenham Festival Big-Race Tips
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
I think Willie Mullins is definitely going to be hard to beat in this race. Facile Vega should be ok, he did go off very fast last time out, it looked like that gave him a problem. He should be pretty fresh for this one and is the machine that Willie thinks he is. It’s Irish dominated anyway, he has a good few in it, there’s Marine Nationale too. Facile Vega should still do it.
Arkle Novices’ Chase
I was very happy with Jonbon’s last two runs, from what I saw anyway. El Fabiolo was very good at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival. Jonbon would have been a fine winner of the Supreme last year had Constitution Hill not been in it, so he has some good form. I’ll stick with Jonbon for this one.
Champion Hurdle
Constitution Hill has got to win it and from what he has done so far it is very hard seeing him not winning it. He just looks like a total freak of a horse, he has a serious engine, quick and slick. Even if he only half shows up, I think he will still win.
He’ll have too much for State Man, who is a lovely big horse and has shown plenty. He looks more of a chaser to me though.
Mares’ Hurdle
I think Honeysuckle going to the Mares’ Hurdle is definitely the right move. She’s won the last couple of Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham but she’s been lucky in a way that there were not all these other good horses around then such as superstars like Constitution Hill.
She’s a very tough mare, she’s won the Hatton’s Grace a couple of times over here so I think it was the right decision to go for the Mares’ Hurdle. Hopefully she will win it and then retire after that and ride off into the sunset.
It is a hot race, though. Brandy Love will have come on from her last run, it won’t be a walkover for Honeysuckle.
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle
Impaire Et Passe, he has a great chance in that. The two rivals at the top of the market, Impaire Et Passe and Hermes Allen, are the two to beat and I am sure Paul Nicholls will want to be getting a winner on the board with Hermes Allen in that one.
Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
Gerri Colombe looks the one to beat here for Gordon Elliott, he was fairly good last time out. He’s the one sticking out to me, Mighty Potter ran well at Leopardstown but Gerri Colombe is the one for me.
Champion Chase
It’s a very strong race. Edwardstone was very unlucky last time out, he gave a good account of himself. Gentleman De Mee could be one to keep an eye on good ground; at 10/1 he’d be a very good each-way price.
Ryanair Chase
I think Nicky Henderson putting Shishkin in the Ryanair is a great decision. He was very good last time, that step up in trip just gave him a bit more time to get into gear, he looked back to himself.
He’ll be better from that last run as well. If Shishkin turns up, and there’s no better man than Nicky to get them right for the day, then he should get the job done. I’ll be siding with him. It’s great when you see horses bouncing back to form like he did.
Stayers’ Hurdle
Blazing Khal is probably the one to watch out for in this one. Teahupoo will probably want softer ground, Flooring Porter hasn’t had the greatest preparation but I absolutely wouldn’t rule him out. He seems to be in good form and he’ll certainly have a good crack at it.
Triumph Hurdle
Lossiemouth is a real chance for Willie Mullins. The three and four-year-olds don’t seem to be as strong in England as they are in Ireland. It’s going to again be Mullins dominated but you can’t get away from that.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs is a horse I have loved ever since I first saw him going over fences, he’s really impressed me. He was unlucky last year when he fell at the Festival but he’s the young pretender and looks like the proper article for a Gold Cup.
The others can give him a good race, like Noble Yeats, A Plus Tard and Bravemansgame, Stattler for Willie Mullins can be thrown in there as well, they are all out and out stayers whereas Galopin Des Champs is more of a relentless galloper.
Galopin Des Champs can just get into a rhythm and stay on at the end. He’ll get the trip and so if he stays, he wins for me.
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