Everything you need to get ready for the first day of the most exhilarating race meeting of the year
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When the Cheltenham Festival begins, the bookmakers are terrified of a Willie Mullins first-day treble of Mighty Park, Kopek Des Bordes and Lossiemouth in the Unibet Champion Hurdle. While I believe Mullins will win the big one, it may be with his second string, Poniros, the shock 100-1 winner of last year’s Triumph Hurdle on his first ever start over hurdles.
The grey mare Lossiemouth is seeking her fourth straight Festival win having started by taking the Triumph and then a brace of 2½-mile mares’ hurdles. Whether two miles is still her optimum will become clear on Tuesday but it is worth the shot.
The best of our tips are below. For more, read Charlie Brooks’ report from a pub in nearby Oddington, where trainers including Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson gave their tips.
This year’s Champion Hurdle may not be a stellar renewal on paper, but it is a wide-open contest and a fascinating one to boot. Plenty of the horses below come forward with good claims and, in a race that has thrown up a surprise or two in recent times, we could be set for another via the lightly-raced PONIROS, who has been thrown in at the deep end in his three starts over hurdles (all at Grade 1 level), and has emerged with a great deal of credit. Golden Ace and The New Lion are fancied to round out the frame in a race where tactics look sure to play their part.
Alexei – Made excellent progress through the ranks this season and surely has more to offer, for all that this is a big rise in class and will need a clear career-best; place claims.
Anzadam – Young, talented hurdler who has been a keen goer. Should be suited by a good tempo here and fancied to outrun his odds in an open heat.
Poniros – Sprung a surprise in the Triumph last year and just had the one run over hurdles this season. Tough task here but his form suggests he could spring a surprise here; player.
The New Lion – Faller in the Fighting Fifth but back on track last time, for all that the form is short of what is required here. Set to run a career-best, puts him firmly in the mix.
Tutti Quanti – Really stepped his game up last 2 starts, but both were in testing ground and faces very different ground here. Can lead them a fair way here but likely to come up short.
Workahead – Represents another likely pace angle in the race but will do well to be fighting out the finish, with his form falling short in this context; best watched.
Brighterdaysahead – Has the beating of several of these protagonists courtesy of her last start win, but faces quicker ground here and hasn’t saved her best for Cheltenham previously; place chance.
Golden Ace – Ultra-consistent mare who has won at the last 2 Festivals, including this race last year. Hard not to envisage another big run here; major player.
Lossiemouth – Top-class mare who has won at the last 3 Festivals. Arguably has a stronger record over further and could be vulnerable if taken out of her comfort zone, for all that she is the one they all have to beat.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
The opening race of the meeting and one that often sets the tone for the week to come. Eleven winners of this race in the last 12 years have been five or six years of age and 11 out of 12 winners were in the top three in the betting. Importantly, 10 of the last 12 winners won their last run before this one. Eleven out of the last 12 winners rated at 147 or higher.
Arkle Novices’ Chase
A race in which it has paid to note the top of the market in recent seasons. Eight of the last 12 winners were favourites and 10 out of 12 winners were in the top three in the betting. Seven of the last 12 winners were trained in Ireland. If there is one race at the Cheltenham where the trends offer up a compelling case for a winner time and again, this is it.
Champion Hurdle
Check the top of the market. Eight of the last 12 winners of the Champion Hurdle have been sent off favourite or joint-favourite, and nine out of 12 winners were in the top three in the betting. As you would expect with the above stat in mind, 11 of the past 12 winners won on their last run prior to the Festival, with the same number having had at least one run at Cheltenham before. Age is also a consideration, with 11 of the last 12 being between six and eight.
On Monday the watering system at Cheltenham was in action, showing that after such a wet winter the course still needs a drop of water to prevent it becoming too lively. Certainly the ground will be much quicker than it has been all winter.
As of Monday morning, the going on the Old Course is good to soft. The forecast for the opening day of the festival is dry, with a possibility of showers later in the afternoon.
There’s a lot of competition between bookmakers for customers during the festival and they will often run their best promotions of the year, especially earlier in the week. Take a look at these Cheltenham betting offers to find free bets to use throughout the week.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the first five races of the day on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 12.45pm GMT every day until 5pm GMT. The races can also be streamed via ITVX. There is a preview show each morning from 9am GMT to 10am GMT which is shown on ITV4 and ITVX.
The final two races of each day will not be shown on ITV but will be live on Racing TV. Subscriptions for the channel, which shows every race from the Festival, are available through Sky and Virgin Media and online through its website and app.
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