Put The Kettle On can defy the odds and claim back-to-back victories in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow (3.30pm).

So says Mike Edwards, who has been involved in racing for well over half a century and knows a thing or two about the sport.

“I’ve been watching this race for 50 years, it’s a funny race,” said Edwards. “Favourites get beaten, including absolutely nailed on favourites. Outsiders come through and win it.”

The Henry de Bromhead-trained mare Put The Kettle On won at 17-2 last year – the odds are more generous this year – holding off the challenge of Nube Negra and Chacun Pour Soi to win by half a length.

“She kept on well,” said Edwards. “She’s a course and distance specialist, she’s run five times at Cheltenham and won four times.

“I like the course and distance winners. They can be having a terrible time but then they come to Cheltenham and it’s very different. The course is left-handed, it’s very up and down.”

Put The Kettle On has not won in her three outings since that famous win at Cheltenham 12 months ago and Edwards concedes that the horse they all have to beat is Shishkin, who is trained by Nicky Henderson.

The eight-year-old has won 11 from 12, including the Arke Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival, but Edwards insists: “I sense an upset, beware the course specialists at Cheltenham.”

Meanwhile, Edwards is tipping Ahoy Senor in tomorrow’s Novices’ Chase (2.10pm).

Trained by Lucinda Russell, the partner of eight-times champion jockey Peter Scudamore, Ahoy Senor is one of several highly regarded horses at their stables just north of Edinburgh.

“He’s a class horse,” said Edwards. “He’s a young horse, he’s only seven, and he’s won in good company. He’s quite lightly raced but he’s very highly thought of.”

Lucinda Russell is very highly thought of too and Edwards said: “She’s quite prolific in the north, she’s an astute trainer and won the Grand National with One For Arthur in 2017.”

Edwards is expecting trainers from the UK to enjoy more success than at last year’s Festival when the Irish dominated, but he nevertheless expects the Irish to be cheering when The Shunter lines up in the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (2.50pm).

The Emmet Mullins-trained nine-year-old, who is owned by JP McManus, won the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase at the Festival 12 months ago and Edwards said: “He absolutely steamed in, he ran very well, he’s another one who likes Cheltenham.

“Emmet Mullins is very shrewd. He doesn’t run too many but when they do run they run very well.”

The Cross Country Chase (4.10pm) will be one of the highlights of day two, a race that was won last year by two-times Grand National winner Tiger Roll.

The Gordon Elliott-trained 12-year-old is ready to go again this year when he will lock horns once more with Easysland, who trailed him by 18 lengths 12 months ago.

That was a reversal of the placings the year before when Easysland, who is owned by JP McManus and trained by Jonjo O’Neill, triumphed by 17 lengths when he was French trained and ridden.

“He’s a class horse and I fancy him to go close but when you look at this race I just say, ‘When in doubt, back Enda Bolger’,” said Edwards. “He’s the master in this race, he specialises in it. He’s got his own cross country course at his stables just south of Limerick.”

Bolger has three runners in tomorrow’s race – Midnight Maestro, Prengarde and Shady Operator.

The final race of the day – the Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.30pm) – sees Facile Vega, the foal of one-time Cheltenham favourite Quevega – make his Cheltenham debut and Edwards believes it will be a winning one.

“He’s run twice and won twice so his form is very good,” Edwards said. “American Mike is the main threat but I fancy Facile Vega.”