14:00 Cheltenham Tips: Ballyburn too good for Brown Advisory rivals

The second race on day two at Cheltenham is the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, the Grade 1 contest over three miles featuring the finest young staying chasers around. The likes of Denman, Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere have won this race before achieving Gold Cup glory this century. 

A field of seven are going to post, headlined by a Festival winner from last year. Enda takes us through his Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Tips with his Runners Guide here at Betfred Insights...

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Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Runners Guide

Ballyburn (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend) 1/1 

Star novice over hurdles last season, including emphatic 2m5f win here, and he's 2-3 over fences this season with his only blemish when second to Sir Gino over an inadequate 2m at Kempton. Did things nicely at Leopardstown last time and 3m looks sure to bring further improvement. 

Better Days Ahead (Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy) 6/1 

Smart novice over timber and has raised his bar over fences, with two wins from three starts and a slender defeat behind stablemate Croke Park over this trip in a Leopardstown Grade 1 in between. 

Dancing City (Willie Mullins/Danny Mullins) 4/1 

Third behind Stellar Story in the Albert Bartlett last season over this trip, before winning an Aintree Grade 1. Has impressed in his pair of chasing successes in Ireland, doing it well from the front in a Grade 3 at Naas in January. Paul Townend deserts him now but a canny replacement in Danny Mullins. 

Gorgeous Tom (Henry De Bromhead/Darragh O'Keefe) 10/1 

Won his first two completed starts over fences, flanking a fall at Tipperary in October. Came home strongly to be one-length fourth behind Croke Park in the Grade 1 Drinmore over 2m4f at Fairyhouse in December and could relish the extra distance. 

Lecky Watson (Willie Mullins/Sean O'Keefe) 14/1 

Another Mullins inmate, he came up shy in top graded company over hurdles as a novice last season but is now 2-2 jumping fences after defeating Slade Steel at Naas then winning a Punchestown Grade 3 in January. Up in trip/class here. 

Quai De Bourbon (Willie Mullins/Patrick Mullins) 22/1 

Lightly raced but promising over hurdles, finishing third behind Better Days Ahead in the Martin Pipe here last season before winning at Ayr. He won a beginners' chase at Gowran Park (2m4f, soft to heavy) in January, but is taking on a far more serious mission now. 

Stellar Story (Gordon Elliott/Danny Gilligan) 12/1 

Last year's Albert Bartlett winner, he scrambled home on his chasing bow at Punchestown over this trip in November, beating two stablemates. Disappointed in a Christmas Grade 1 at Leopardstown and then a neck behind in second as Better Days Ahead outbattled him at Naas last month in a Grade 2. 

Verdict 

Ballyburn @ EVS 

UK runners have won three of the last five renewals of this contest but they won't improve on that now, with not a single contender from the home side. 

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott account for six of the seven and BALLYBURN is the one they all have to fear. 

His Kempton defeat to Sir Gino was entirely acceptable coming over 2m on a speedy track and he did things with a minimum of fuss at last month's Dublin Racing Festival when upped in trip. A further emphasis on stamina will suit, and his jumping is improving each time he races. He could be a Gold Cup contender in 12 months.