The Cheltenham Festival is here and let's hope we can get some winners this week!
Here are our selections for the first day of the meeting, Champion Hurdle day...
(Selections on points scale of 1-5)
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Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle - 13:30
Well-touted by some shrewd judges in Ireland, Willie Mullins' Bunk Off Early has been well-backed in recent days for this event and looks to have leading claims. A winner on the flat for Andy Oliver, the imposing grey won easily on his debut over hurdles before finishing an excellent second at Leopardstown in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle.
Despite pulling like a cart throughout the contest, the son of Zebedee was beaten by just three-quarters of a length. Reverting to two-miles for this event, he can run a mighty race despite the presence of stable-mate Melon and the improving Ballyandy.
High Bridge looks a progressive horse for Ben Pauling who has recorded three impressive victories in novice hurdle events this season. He has a massive engine and looks decent value to finish in the placings.
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Bunk Off Early 2pts Win - 13/2 at BetVictor
High Bridge 1pt E/W - 16/1 at BetVictor
Arkle Challenge Trophy - 14:10
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It's very difficult to look past Altior, an absolute machine of a horse and one who will be extremely hard to stop. We're expecting Nicky Henderson's charge to annihilate the rest of the field but we're looking at the best of the rest. Our selection for a place is Royal Caviar for Willie Mullins.
He was desperately unlucky last time out in the Irish equivalent to this, when falling one from home. He was in a very good position that day and looked to be going on for a good win. I think with a bit more luck he can certainly make the frame!
Altior (1/4) 1st, Royal Caviar (16/1) 2nd - Straight Forecast at BetVictor
Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase - 14:50
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Tom George and Adrian Heskin have had an excellent season and Singlefarmpayment, seven-year-old son of Milan, has looked a decent prospect over fences. Placed in his first two runs over fences, George's charge was an excellent two and a half-length winner of a decent novice chase at Cheltenham in December in which he travelled supremely well and found plenty for pressure up the punishing Cheltenham hill.
The gelding was running a mighty race back at Cheltenham last time, travelling kindly under Heskin before being brought down at the 12th fence. He went down as an unlucky loser that day and having not run since, he looks unexposed and should be a fresh horse. An official rating of 142 seems fair and he looks well placed to run well in this competitive race.
The Druids Nephew has dropped down to a mark of 146, the rating he won this event off back in 2015. Neil Mulholland's charge has run just once this season and he will enjoy the ground at Cheltenham. He holds sound each-way claims.
Singlefarmpayment 1pt E/W - 9/1 at BetVictor
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The Druids Nephew 1pt E/W - 11/1 at BetVictor
Stan James Champion Hurdle - 15:30
My fancy for this year's race is the Nicky Henderson-trained Brain Power. One of three runners for the Seven Barrows maestro, Michael Buckley' gelding has progressed with every run this year, finishing eighth in the Greatwood Hurdle at the Open meeting in November before bagging a couple of handicaps at Sandown and Ascot in December.
A facile winner at the latter track by five-lengths outlined the six-year-old's credentials for this event and he looks well worth the step up to graded open company.
(Read More in our Champion Bumper Preview here)
Brain Power 1pt E/W - 8/1 at BetVictor
OLBG Mares' Hurdle - 16:10
Ruby Walsh has decided to ride Limini but I'm more than happy to take the favourite on with last year's winner Vroum Vroum Mag. The daughter of Voix Du Nord has had a mixed campaign this term after scoring by a decisive two and three-quarters lengths in this event in 2016.
Beaten a short-head by Apple's Jade in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse, Rich Ricci's mare subsequently landed back-to-back victories at Leopardstown and Doncaster, scoring by a head at the latter venue. Put on a course of antibiotics after that run, I fancy her to get the better of her younger stable-mate despite her troubled preparation and she looks overprice at 5/2.
I spoke to Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Jer's Girl at Cheltenham today and he sounded bullish about his charge running a mighty race in this event. A dual Grade One winner last year, she looks sure to run well on better ground at Prestbury Park than she has encountered in Ireland of late.
Vroum Vroum Mag 3pts Win - 5/2 at BetVictor
Jer's Girl 1pt E/W - 12/1 at BetVictor
JT McNamara National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Riders' Novices' Chase - 16:50
A Genie In Abottle has emerged as a strong contender for this four-mile race and he does look an interesting proposition. A chase winner at Fairyhouse in December over three-miles, the six-year-old chased home Anibale Fly by three-quarters of a length in a Grade Three contest at Naas and in the care of a genius trainer in Noel Meade, he looks sure to run well. A horse who has shaped like wanting a longer distance, Jamie Codd, one of the best amateur's around rides, making him a strong fancy take the spoils.
Champers On Ice was a creditable two and three-quarter length third to Unowhatimeanharry in last year's Albert Bartlett at the Festival but has taken longer to come to hand over fences. Trained by David Pipe, the seven-year-old son of Robin Des Champs won a novice chase at Uttoxeter in December, before finishing second in a Listed event at Warwick in January. Disappointing when well-beaten in a novices' handicap chase at Cheltenham later month over an extended two-miles and four furlongs, he could run well in a stamina-laden test.
A Genie In Abottle 2pts Win - 9/2 at BetVictor
Champers On Ice 1pt E/W - 8/1 at BetVictor
Close Brothers Novices' Chase - 17:30
Nigel Twiston-Davies' Foxtail Hill has been well touted for this race since winning on his last two runs. A seven-length winner at Kempton in a handicap chase in January, the son of Dr Massini was a game length winner of a Grade Three handicap at Cheltenham later that month. Twiston-Davies looks to have laid out the gelding for this event, with the trainer's son Willie taking the ride. A mark of 140 seems fair and he has been well supported in recent days.
Tom George's Bun Doran was an exciting bumper and novice hurdler but has struggled to make the grade in open company over fences. A facile handicap winner at Newcastle in December, he looks unexposed and could run a big race at a nice price in the concluding race of the first day of the Festival at Prestbury Park.
Foxtail Hill 3pts Win - 7/1 at BetVictor
Bun Doran 1pt E/W - 16/1 at BetVictor
Words By: Danny Archer
