The 2022 Cheltenham Festival is now just four weeks away and the preparations are really ramping up.
A number of horses have had their final run before the famous meeting in recent weeks, with the Dublin Racing Festival providing top class action earlier this month.
After taking place with no spectators present last year, it will be great to see tens of thousands of punters pack into one of the world's greatest sporting venues again next month.
Rachael Blackmore stole the show at the 2021 festival and she looks set to have another massive week ahead of her this year.
Gordon Elliott will be back at Prestbury Park after missing last year's meeting through suspension, while Willie Mullins will be expected to have plenty of winners once again.
With four weeks to go, we've picked four horses that might be worth a punt at decent prices:
Heaven Help Us - Mares Hurdle - 12/1
Heaven Help Us was an impressive winner of the Coral Cup at last year's festival and Paul Hennessy's stable star could go very close in the Mares Hurdle on the first day of this year's meeting.
She bolted up by nine lengths at odds of 33/1 under Richie Condon 11 months ago and course form counts for an awful lot at Prestbury Park.
She hasn't won since and was last seen finishing last of five and 23¼ lengths behind Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.
But that trip was probably too short for her and she should be better going back up in distance for the Mares Hurdle.
Telmesomethinggirl is the current favourite for the 2m 3f 200y contest, but Heaven Help Us had Henry de Bromhead's horse behind her when finishing second at Leopardstown over Christmas.
And even though she will be worse off at the weights next month, she could run another massive race.
The 12/1 available with Bet365 looks good value, especially if Royal Kahala heads for the Stayers Hurdle instead of the Mares.
Redemption Day - Champion Bumper - 8/1
Willie Muliins had the first two home in the Champion Bumper 11 months ago as Sir Gerhard narrowly got the better of Kilcruit and he has a very strong team for the final race on day two once again this year.
Irish trainers dominated proceedings at Cheltenham in 2021 and more of the same is expected this time around.
Mullins and Gordon Elliott have won the last five renewals between them and their potential runners dominate the betting once again.
Facile Vega looked like a machine when bolting up at the Dublin Racing Festival and is now odds-on in places for the Champion Bumper, but Redemption Day was also very impressive when winning at Leopardstown over Christmas and Patrick Mullins previously described him as the quickest of their bumper horses.
The 8/1 Betfair are offering is a great each-way price and it wouldn't be the first time that Mullins won this race with his second or third choice.
He also has recent Gowran Park winner Mercurey and Jamess Gate, who bolted up at Punchestown on Sunday, while American Mike has looked very good in his two runs to date for Elliott.
Saint Calvados - Ryanair Chase - 10/1
This lad might have won the Ryanair two years ago had he jumped the last fence a bit better.
He was second to Min on that occasion and had A Plus Tard behind him in third.
There was plenty to like about how he got up the hill and he would have a massive chance if in similar form this year.
The nine-year-old has since moved from Harry Whittington's yard to Paul Nicholls and got involved too soon in the King George on St Stephen's Day.
He is set to run in the Ascot Chase this weekend against last year's Ryanair runner-up Fakir D'oudairies and he must have a solid each-way chance at Cheltenham - although he could run in the Gold Cup either.
The best price you can currently get him at for the Ryanair is 10/1 with Bet365 and he's a good bit shorter with some other firms, but some of those are non-runner no bet.
Al Boum Photo - Gold Cup - 10/1
Al Boum Photo could become just the second horse since Arkle to win the Gold Cup three times next month after Best Mate's heroics in the early 2000s.
Willie Mullins' star chaser landed the 3m2½ contest in both 2019 and 2020 before finishing third behind Minella Indo and A Plus Tard in last year's renewal.
But connections appear to be confident that he could go closer this time around.
Ruby Walsh, who is assistant trainer to Willie Mullins, said recently: "I think last year’s Gold Cup is probably the most solid bit of form we have on offer and I won’t be surprised if the first three in last year’s Gold Cup are the first three again this year, possibly in a different order.
"But I won’t be shocked if they’re the same three horses.
"I still think Al Boum at 8-1 is fine, he’s won two Gold Cups, he was third in the other one.
"I know he’s 10 and he’s not getting any younger but I think he’s fresh and he’s well and I can’t see him out of the money."
Al Boum Photo is 10/1 with William Hill, Coral and Ladbrokes.
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