2024 National Hunt Chase Tips - Derek and Patrick fight it out on Champions Day

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 05 Mar 2024

Jon Vine 05 Mar 2024

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Free guide to the 2024 National Hunt Chase
This Grade Two takes place on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 12th March
Corbetts Cross and Embassy Gardens feature in our verdict

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Cheltenham Festival Chase. (Getty)

Champions Day at Cheltenham comes to a close with the National Hunt Chase. This historic contest has been a key National Hunt racing fixture since 1860 and only amateur jockeys are permitted to ride in this grueling, three-and-three-quarter mile novices chase.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 National Hunt Chase. You'll find our best betting tips in the verdict section below.

2024 National Hunt Chase Tips

Having proven popular on the preview evening circuit, Corbetts Cross has risen to the head of the National Hunt Chase betting. Emmet Mullins' seven-year-old has only managed to win one of his four starts over fences this season, that victory coming over Three Card Brag, Monty's Star and Nick Rockett at Fairyhouse.

Mullins' seven-year-old kept on well to place second behind Grangeclare West in the Neville Hotels at Leopardstown over Christmas. Derek O'Connor then partnered Corbetts Cross for the first time in a Rated Chase at Fairyhouse last month. The 1/4 favourite was just working his way into contention when he jumped into Run Wild Fred at the third-last, causing both to exit the contest.

For much of the season, Embassy Gardens has topped the National Hunt Chase market. Willie Mullins' eight-year-old has produced two flawless performances over fences this term, winning easily on his reappearance at Punchestown before a ten-length triumph in the 25-furlong Grade Three at Naas.

The market leaders will have to put disappointing performances in last year's Albert Bartlett aside when they return to Cheltenham. Embassy Gardens was pulled up that day, having run free throughout the contest, whereas Corbetts Cross infamously jumped through the wing of the final flight when attempting to challenge. With Derek O'Connor certain to partner Corbetts Cross, Patrick Mullins will take the ride on Embassy Gardens and it will be fascinating to watch two of Ireland's top amateur riders battle it out at the Festival.

Gordon Elliott likes to target the National Hunt Chase with one of his best novices. Salvador Ziggy has been campaigned similarly to two of Elliott's previous winners, Galvin and Tiger Roll. Both triumphed on good ground - going that Salvador Ziggy has also shown a liking for. However, given the amount of rain we've had throughout February, you'll get long odds on the word "good" featuring in the going description on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

Three Card Brag should be well-suited by the conditions of the National Hunt Chase. Whether he has the class of the top two in the market, I'm not so sure. Barry O'Neill is in line to take the ride on Flooring Porter, but the prospect of soft ground could see Gavin Cromwell revert his two-time Stayers' Hurdle winner back to that Championship race.

Meetingofthewaters and Chianti Classico run in the Ultima. Nick Rockett is unlikely to travel to Cheltenham. Broadway Boy goes for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase and Favori De Champdou can't jump left-handed. Kilbeg King is one of the few certain runners in this field and Anthony Honeyball's novice brings some good placed form to the table. The chances of him winning, however, seem slim at best, as this year's National Hunt Chase looks more and more likely to turn into a two-horse race.

Verdict

2024 National Hunt Chase

Corbetts Cross will continue to be popular in the build-up to Cheltenham and his credentials are clearly strong. That being said, Embassy Gardens has been by far the more fluent jumper of the two since being switched to fences and both of his wins this term have come on heavy ground.

If he were trained by anyone other than Willie Mullins, Embassy Gardens would surely be running in the Brown Advisory. With stablemate Fact To File likely to go off odds-on for that Grade One, Embassy Gardens will have to show his class in the National Hunt Chase, where Patrick Mullins boasts an excellent record.

Embassy Gardens

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