Paul Townend previews day two of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival

He is a massive talking horse in the run-up to the Festival. He has been impressive at home and his win at Punchestown was very good in terms of the manner of how he won. It wasn’t the strongest of races. I rode him for his last bits of work before he crossed the water and he is doing everything right. He just keeps improving.

Impaire Et Passe easily delivers in the Grade 2 SkyBet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle @punchestownrace 👀@WillieMullinsNH's unbeaten Supreme hope follows in the hoofprints of former stable luminaries like Vautour, Douvan and Min with a clear-cut success under @PTownend pic.twitter.com/N7PiYNwB5i

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 15, 2023

I think there is plenty of depth in the race. Barry Connell’s Good Land was very impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival and will give us plenty to do. Gaelic Warrior was also a big winner at Leopardstown and he will appreciate the softer ground. He just has the issue of going left-handed. Champ Kiely also has a preference of going right-handed, although he is a Grade 1 winner going left-handed.

This is very competitive, but I wouldn’t swap mine for anything. Hermes Allen is the most fancied of the English. I actually rode behind him at Cheltenham in the November Meeting and he really impressed me. However, Impaire Et Passe is my best ride on day two.

Sir Gerhard – 2.10 Brown Advisory

He is a two-time Cheltenham Festival winner. He’s only had the one run over fences on the racecourse which isn’t ideal. He has jumped a lot of fences at home. It’s a three-mile chase and we will have plenty of time to get into it.

He is the classiest horse in the race. Gerri Colombe keeps winning without being flashy. We can’t knock him for that and we will be putting a target on his back. If we can get into a big rhythm he will run a big race.

Energumene – 3.30 Champion Chase

He ran well below par in the Clarence House Chase. He is taking on Edwardstone and Editeur Du Gite again. I think it will be a real clash of the ages. We are the reigning champions, Edwardstone is the horse coming through, and the two of us got beaten by Editeur Du Gite who probably isn’t getting the respect he deserves.

I am hoping Energumene can get a lot closer to them. Whether he can beat them or not, we will have to find out. My gut feeling when I got off him the last day was that we would give them a belly full when we meet them again. I am not giving up on my horse and any rain that falls will help.

It’s For Me – 5.30 Champion Bumper

This wasn’t an easy decision for Patrick [Mullins] picking between this and Fact To File. I am delighted to ride It’s For Me. He was ultra impressive at Navan albeit the form of the race hasn’t been the strongest. He is a point-to-point winner and has a big chance. Its impossible to know who is making the biggest step forward.

Paul Townend’s overall Cheltenham blog

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