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Champion Bumper

17:30 Cheltenham Festival

2024-03-13

Winner: £45,560

Runners: 19

Going: Soft

No. of hurdles:

Distance: 2m0f87y

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The Weatherbys Champion Bumper takes place on day two of the Cheltenham Festival and is the only race at the meeting during which no obstacles are jumped. It is for horses who are yet to begin their jumping careers and has been the starting point for many top-class hurdlers and chasers, including King George winners Florida Pearl and Cue Card.

NO.DRAW
FORM
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HORSE
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ODDS
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JOCKEY& TRAINER
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AGE
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WGT
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OR
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RPR
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NR(0)
11-
silk
Junta Marvel

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T: W P Mullins
6
11-0
125
131
The winner of both her runs during the opening half of 2023 but it wasn't a strong Grade 3 she won at Punchestown second time out (yielding; debut win on soft) and it's asking a lot to win this with no recent match practice.
14(0)
1
silk
Sixmilebridge

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J: Kielan Woods
T: Ben Pauling
5
11-7
121
119
Departed early when 3-1 for an Irish point won by Jalon D'oudairies and, after finishing runner-up next time, was recruited for £100,000; posted a modest RPR (in relation to what some of these have achieved) in winning at Sandown (good to soft) but was reportedly far from fit that day and has since worked well; Ben Pauling's chosen one from a strong team of bumper horses.
3(0)
2
silk
C'est Ta Chance

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J: Daryl Jacob
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
117
123
Narrow winner of his only point and narrowly denied on his bumper debut at Navan (soft to heavy), the form of which received a timely tonic when the winner impressed in following up at the end last month; dark one.
17(0)
11-4
silk
The Yellow Clay

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J: Jordan Gainford
T: Gordon Elliott
5
11-7
132
136
Won both his bumpers last March and it was some run to finish fourth in the Grade 2 at Leopardstown in February after 11 months away; finished under 3l behind You Oughta Know and was travelling every bit as well as that eventual runner-up until stopped in his tracks and losing all momentum (and ground) 2f from home; to finish where he did was highly commendable; from a triply represented yard that usually has one in the mix here; big shout.
13(0)
11
silk
Royal Infantry

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J: Harry Skelton
T: Dan Skelton
5
11-7
124
123
British point winner who made it 2-2 in bumpers with a 2l success on heavy ground at Newbury (Listed); that form is short of the standard required for this but his trainer isn't one for tilting at windmills.
12(0)
1
silk
Romeo Coolio

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J: Keith Donoghue
T: Gordon Elliott
5
11-7
117
120
Won his point and then fetched the same £420,000 at the same sale here as stablemate Jalon D'oudairies; the bare form of his Fairyhouse win (soft) is nothing special at all but he was reportedly well short of peak fitness and got the job done despite not being seen to best effect off tepid fractions; trainer loves him to bits by all accounts; couldn't be dismissed.
2(0)
11
silk
Bill Joyce

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J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr
T: Jonjo O'Neill
5
11-7
120
128
£225,000 buy after winning a 3m Irish point; came clear at Warwick (soft) despite looking in need of the experience and his game was sharper all round when making all on heavy at Exeter; falls into the "hugely unexposed" category.
11(0)
1
silk
Quebecois

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J: Lorcan Williams
T: Paul Nicholls
5
11-7
116
122
Bought for £320,000 after finishing second in an Irish point; barely came out of second gear in winning at Exeter (soft) three months ago; nice prospect but he's a big, strong chaser in the making who might just lack the finishing kick to win one of these; stable jockey Harry Cobden rides Teeshan.
8(0)
11
silk
Jalon D'oudairies

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J: Jack Kennedy
T: Gordon Elliott
5
11-7
132
135
It was a timely point win last March as four days later he fetched £420,000 at the sales here on the eve of the Gold Cup; so far so good under rules having won both his bumpers, in the latest making all at Leopardstown (soft to heavy) to account readily for solid yardstick Redemption Day (who next time divided You Oughta Know and The Yellow Clay); this race is not prioritised by his owners (fourth is their best finish from six runners) but Gordon Elliott describes him as a "proper horse".
7(0)
2
silk
Fishery Lane

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J: Michael O'Sullivan
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
112
121
Hails from a good French jumping family; fairly weak 11-2 chance at Thurles (soft to heavy) but saw his race out well to push his shorter-priced stablemate to half a length; inexperience is not to be frowned upon in this race and he could have benefited enormously from that initial run.
16(0)
1
silk
Teeshan

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J: Harry Cobden
T: Paul Nicholls
5
11-7
116
122
Has a Festival scorer in the family with the dam a distant relation of Mildmay of Flete winner Young Spartacus; some feat to win his Irish point by 41l and it was again a walk in the park in his bumper at Exeter (heavy); plenty of today's opposition would have won that weak race in the same manner but he has a strikingly similar profile to Captain Teague who finished third in this last year for the same connections; his trainer, who has had horses placed in this race but never won it, describes him as a sharper type than stablemate Quebecois.
4(0)
31
silk
Cantico

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J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
121
134
After an underwhelming bumper debut he posted a smart RPR when comfortably brushing aside four rivals on heavy ground at Navan, making all; he's clearly talented and Paul Townend prefers him to others.
NR(0)
4-21
silk
Farland

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T: Paul Nicholls
5
11-7
117
123
Evidently talented as he was all over the shop when pushing Union Avenue close on soft ground at Aintree on Boxing Day and then went one better at Fakenham despite racing freely and finding trouble in running; however, that bare form is a world away from the required standard here.
9(0)
1
silk
Jasmin De Vaux

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J: Mr P W Mullins
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
126
135
Won his sole point by 5l and nine months later made a winning debut for these connections over 2m2f at Naas (soft), racing prominently throughout and shooting clear to collect by 15l; didn't beat a lot but it looked good and top connections committed to Cheltenham straight after; trainer has won this 12 times and it sounds as though this runner is right up the pecking order in his nine-strong team; "could be anything" tag definitely applies here.
19(0)
114
silk
Union Avenue

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J: Danny McMenamin
T: James Moffatt
5
11-7
118
119
Edged home at Kelso (good to soft) and Aintree (soft) before coming up short in a Listed race won by Royal Infantry on heavy ground at Newbury; perhaps a future flagbearer for the yard but an unlikely winner of this.
NR(0)
2
silk
Kingston Pride

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T: Nicky Henderson
5
11-7
116
125
From the family of the stable's quality staying chaser Trabolgan who finished runner-up in this race 21 years ago; recruited for 200,000euros after winning his point and it's unlikely that Lingfield's AW track played to his strengths when a clear second to Tripoli Flyer in January; this race is rarely targeted by his trainer, so his mere presence heightens interest.
NR(0)
51
silk
Tripoli Flyer

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T: Fergal O'Brien
5
11-7
119
128
Left his debut effort behind to show a superior turn of foot to Kingston Pride on Lingfield's AW circuit in January; no good thing to confirm those placings with the promising runner-up on this different track, but he's not without hope.
20(0)
112
silk
You Oughta Know

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J: Danny Mullins
T: W P Mullins
6
11-7
134
139
Defied market weakness to win by 11l on debut and probably wasn't seen to best effect around Galway when following up by 2l; booked his ticket here with a much improved display at Leopardstown's February festival when best of the rest behind Jeroboam Machin, who was favourite for this until ruled out through injury; that was his first run on soft ground and the race didn't go entirely to plan, yet the bare form (through the third) still puts him on a par with Jalon D'oudairies; now hooded; major player.
NR(0)
13
silk
Celtic Dino

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T: Sam Thomas
5
11-7
118
120
Both runs at Ascot, justifying favouritism under forward tactics on debut (soft) and running every bit as well in defeat when third in a strong Listed race (good to soft); however, that defeat hints at limitations in today's company unless he can find a hefty chunk of improvement.
23(0)
1229
silk
Dirty Den

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J: Micheal Nolan
T: Syd Hosie
4
10-11
115
121
Only Cue Card has won this as a 4yo since 1995; this gelding looks outclassed, even on his win/placed form for Nigel Twiston-Davies.
21(0)
11
silk
Fleur Au Fusil

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J: Miss J Townend
T: W P Mullins
6
11-0
124
133
Free-going tendencies evident in both runs; pulled herself to the front 5f out in a Grade 2 for mares at Leopardown latest and yet still had the reserves to repel all her pursuers; could be more amenable to restraint in the newly fitted hood and two mares have won this in the last seven years.
15(0)
21
silk
Sounds Victorius

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J: Sean O'Keeffe
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
119
120
Narrowly defeated at Leopardstown over Christmas but went one better at Punchestown (again heavy) where he shaped very much like a stayer in getting up close home; they went no pace in that race which wouldn't have suited him; whether he's got the gears for this is debatable.
24(0)
831
silk
Stavvy

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J: Bryony Frost
T: Jane Chapple-Hyam
4
10-11
111
114
Has improved since finishing well behind Royal Infantry on debut and strolled home by 9l last time at Southwell (heavy); however, that race was weak and this Flat-bred 4yo looks booked for a minor role.
1(0)
1
silk
Argento Boy

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J: Brian Hayes
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
117
122
Bred for the job as a half-brother to Briar Hill who won this in 2013; in the Galopin Des Champs colours, he moved with purpose throughout en route to winning with lots in hand at Fairyhouse (soft); his RPR is nothing to boast about but the third horse was beaten only 10l in a traditionally strong maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas; ten past winners of this had raced once.

RACING POST TIP

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silk
The Yellow Clay
Get set for the most open Champion Bumper since they went 7-1 the field in 2013. While British aspirations are higher than is often the case, Irish stables have not only won 24 of the 31 renewals but had the first two home in the last seven. Willie Mullins is responsible for the lion's share of those triumphs and his typically stocked-up team is spearheaded by impressive Naas winner Jasmin De Vaux, though it has often paid to see beyond his apparent first string and You Oughta Know has the more compelling form claims. However, Gordon Elliott may have an even stronger hand through Jalon D'oudairies, Romeo Coolio and THE YELLOW CLAY. Elliott has talked up the chances of all three, but The Yellow Clay's luck was out in Leopardstown's traditionally influential Grade 2 last month as, without suffering serious interference at a crucial stage, he could have finished ahead of You Oughta Know (second choice) and might well have given Jeroboam Machin something to think about. Bear in mind that the winner would have been a strong favourite for this had injury not intervened.

Verdict

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CHAMPION BUMPER PREVIOUS WINNERS

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Year Horse Previous Form Age Price Trainer Jockey
2023 A Dream To Share 111 5 7-2 John E Kiely Mr J L Gleeson
2022 Facile Vega 11 5 15-8F Willie Mullins Patrick Mullins
2021 Sir Gerhard 1-11 6 85-40 Willie Mullins Rachael Blackmore
2020 Ferny Hollow 221 5 11-1 Willie Mullins Paul Townend
2019 Envoi Allen 111 5 2-1F Gordon Elliott Jamie Codd
2018 Relegate 11 5 25-1 Willie Mullins Katie Walsh
2017 Fayonagh 811 6 7-1 Gordon Elliott Jamie Codd
2016 Ballyandy 1121 5 5-1 Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
2015 Moon Racer 1-1 6 9-2F David Pipe Tom Scudamore
2014 Silver Concorde 32-1 6 16-1 Dermot Weld Robbie McNamara

CHAMPION BUMPER KEY TRENDS AND STATS

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Key trends

  • Won last time out, 10/10
  • Aged five or six, 10/10
  • Won a bumper worth at least £4,000 or €4,000 to the winner, 9/10  
  • Adjusted RPR of at least 138, 8/10
  • Off the track for at least 32 days, 8/10 (four not seen since Christmas or earlier)
  • Won a bumper with at least 12 runners, 8/10

Other factors

  • Ireland has won eight of the last ten and 24 of the 31 runnings.
  • Willie Mullins has had the most winners with twelve victories (four in the last ten years) but is often mob-handed. On four of the occasions he won, he saddled just one runner; on the other eight, the winner was not his most fancied in the market on all but one occasion (Facile Vega in 2022).
  • Gordon Elliott has trained two of the last seven winners.

Check out all of our latest Cheltenham Free Bets ahead of placing your bets on the 2024 Champion Bumper

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - CHAMPION BUMPER 2023

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A DREAM TO SHARE confirmed Dublin Racing Festival form with the runner-up, overcoming doubts about the soft ground and helped by things getting tight for those immediately behind as he pounced nearest to the stands’ rail. It was a first Cheltenham ride for his young jockey, and the pair of them look to be going places.