Weatherbys Champion Bumper Tips – Cheltenham Festival Day Two, 17:30

The Champion Bumper has an uncanny knack for unearthing stars of the future and it is a race in which the Irish have dominated. Willie Mullins has trained the winner of this race no fewer than twelve times and three-quarters of all winners of this race have come over from the Emerald Isle.

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Some notable stats that are a helpful guide are that six of the last seven winners all ran in the month prior to the Festival. Six of the last seven winners had won a Graded or Listed bumper and mares only have around an eighteen per cent strike rate having taken only three of the last seventeen renewals. Within the last decade, all winners of this race had won last time out.

Weatherby’s Champion Bumper Runners

I shall provide some recent form notes to help point you in the right direction of identifying the winner.

A Dream To Share

Trainer: John Kiely
Jockey: JL Gleeson

A winner of the Grade Two bumper at Leopardstown just a few short weeks ago and Fact To File by a little more than two lengths. He remains undefeated after three starts but it was a workmanlike performance on his seasonal return and he should learn plenty from it. John Kiely is not renowned for having capable youngsters such as this and if trained by Mullins, he would likely be odds on. There is better to come and he could well prove it here.

It’s For Me

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paul Townend

Ran out a ten-length winner of a bumper at Navan in January beating Suttons Hill. He couldn’t have been any more impressive but the form has been let down badly since. Owned by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede, he is likely to prove popular in the markets, but as we see so many times in this race, favourites are often false favourites and he could literally be anything.

Fun Fun Fun

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Daryl Jacob

An up-and-coming five-year-old that also runs in the Soude/Munir colours and is trained by Willie Mullins. This mare will get the mares allowance if she lines up and bids to emulate the success of Relegate. She was an impressive nine-length winner of a decent bunch of mares at the Dublin Racing Festival and she has to be high on any shortlist.

Chapeau De Soleil

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Brian Hayes

Was backed as though defeat was out of the question on his debut at Fairyhouse back in December. Unfortunately for him, Better Days Ahead was also entered and the Gordon Elliott-trained runner just had too much in reserve. Mullins looks to have far better chances entered and whilst he should run well, this looks a bit beyond what he is capable of based on what we have seen so far.

Western Diego

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Rachael Blackmore

May well set the pace if lining up as one of the Mullins battalion that is entered here. He dictated matters at Naas and never saw a rival as he and Paddy Mullins came home clear by around half-a-dozen lengths in the end. If allowed loose on the front end, he will prove a threat to all.

Better Days Ahead

Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Jockey: Jamie Codd

One of Gordon Elliott’s’ string who got the better of Chapeau De Soleil last time out. He certainly improved from his first to his second run but probably needs to do so again. The yard has not won this race since 2019 with Envoi Allen and they did so again back in 2017 with Fayonagh. Mullins really ought to have a line on how good this one’s form really is though and has plenty here in opposition to make sure of it.

Fact To File

Trainer: Willie Mullins
Jockey: Paddy Mullins

Didn’t seem to appreciate the drop to two miles when contesting a Grade 2 bumper last time out and has something to find with A Dream To Share as a result. Given that the last ten winners of this race all won on their prior start he looks up against it.

Encanto Bruno

Trainer: John McConnell
Jockey: Sean Bowen

A winner of all three career starts including over this course and distance so commands huge respect. Moon Racer completed the same double back in 2015 so it is not impossible. Has to have claims on that basis.

Weatherbys Champion Bumper Key Trends

23 of the last 30 winners were Irish-trained.

The last 19 winners all won last time out.

6 of the last 7 winners had at least won a listed or Graded race last time out.

Weatherbys Champion Bumper Tips

Fun Fun Fun looks to have a lot in her favour and made quite an impact with the way she won at Leopardstown just a few weeks ago. The Munir/Souede-owned mare gets a weight concession from her male counterparts and that will be a useful tool in her arsenal. John Kiely has the exciting A Dream To Share and he may well prove good enough but Mullins has farmed this in recent years and Fun Fun Fun can add to the haul of Champion Bumper trophies at Closutton.

Fun Fun Fun @ 13/2 with 888Sport

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All odds accurate at time of writing.