Every punter travels to Cheltenham with a list of bankers.
They don’t all win but at this year’s Festival we’re treated to some mouthwatering clashes between the best NH horses in training.
Here we select bankers to trust for some of the major races of the meeting and hopefully they’ll ensure you’re handed out some cash by the end of the week.
EDWARDSTONE (Arkle Chase)
The Arkle looks winnable this year for the home team and this eight-year-old certainly is the most likely.
He was a consistent handicap hurdler — fifth in 2021 County Hurdle — but since switched to novice chasing he’s excelled and won a Grade 1 at Sandown before winning at Kempton over Christmas and in the Kingmaker at Warwick last month.
He’s a brilliant jumper and a powerful traveller who doesn’t lack for stamina and has done nothing but improve this season so could prove a tough nut to crack come March.
RUN WILD FRED (National Hunt Chase)
It’s hard to believe that this eight-year-old Gigginstown-owned gelding is still a novice considering he’s already bagged a Troytown Chase and finished runner-up in both the Irish Grand National and Thyestes Chase — winning over €200,000 in prize-money.
That vast chasing experience and guaranteed stamina make him a very attractive proposition for this 3m6f Amatuer riders’ contest which has been won by trainer Gordon Elliott three times in the past.
Elliott made it clear after his Troytown win that the NH Chase was ‘made for’ the son of Shantou who went on to finish runner-up to Fury Road in a Grade 1 at Christmas.
He’s a grand big honest horse that’s battle hardened from 10 chase races and will likely be vying for favouritism with Stattler — and will be a much sought-after ride among the amateurs.
FACILE VEGA (Bumper)
The Willie Mullins-trained son of Quevega simply routed the opposition in a winners’ bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival and looks something special on his two runs to date.
On that evidence he’ll take some stopping in Wednesday’s bumper having followed a route taken by Envoi Allen in 2019 and Appreciate It in 2020.
He took apart a strong field of fellow bumper winners, running all over them entering the straight before going clear to win eased-down. The sky looks the limit for this son of a legendary mare who won a record-breaking six times at the Festival.
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (Turner’s Novices Chase)
The most exciting novice chaser to come out of Ireland in a while, his two wins at Leopardstown impressed jockey Paul Townened enough for him to say he’s up there with the best novices he’s ridden.
He won the Martin Pipe last year as a novice hurdler and went on to capture a Grade 1 at Punchestown but chasing looks his game and his professionalism and polish in his jumping show all the attributes of a top class staying chaser.
He looks likely to line-up here on Thursday and take on Bob Olinger rather than tackle the longer Brown Advisory-sponsored event on Wednesday.
ALLAHO (Ryanair Chase)
Another Irish banker that produced the most striking performance at last year’s Festival in taking this race for Rachael Blackmore and Willie Mullins in a breathtaking display.
The Cheveley Park owned gelding subsequently found stablemate Chacun Pour Soi too good over the minimum trip at Punchestown but is unbeaten this term with wins in the Grade 1 John Durkan and in a Grade 2 at Thurles.
2m4f looks his optimum trip and it’s hard to see anything beating him here if he shows up in the same sort of form as last year.
On the evidence of his two runs this season, he is every bit as good as he was 12 months ago.
THYME HILL (Stayers’ Hurdle)
The most difficult of the four championship races to assess with several of the fancied horses having beaten each other on a number of occasions.
Thyme Hill missed out here 12 months ago through injury but went on to win the Grade 1 at Aintree before running poorly on very heavy ground in the French Champion Hurdle.
He has only had one run this year when runner-up to Champ in the Long Walk at Ascot in a performance that was a big step back in the right direction after Auteuil.
He stays well and is still a relatively young horse who can enjoy a well deserved big day in the sun for Philip Hobbs and Tom O’Brien.
PARTY CENTRAL (Mares’ Novices Hurdle)
Was the handicap blot of the Dublin Racing Festival, winning a valuable contest off just 121 in the manner of a mare with more to come and in a race that produced several Festival winners last season.
She’s been hiked 14lbs by the assessor for that win and now enters the picture for this Dawn Run Mares’ Novice Hurdle having run out a convincing winner off a strong gallop.
A Listed bumper winner she looks to be improving rapidly and has a very solid chance of becoming the seventh Irish-trained winner of this race since its inception in 2016.
GINTO (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)
Runs in the same Bective Stud colours as Party Central and marked himself down as a real contender for this with a smooth success in the 2m4f Grade 1 at Naas in January.
He cost an eye-watering €470,000 and is a physically imposing sort, who enhanced his reputation at Naas with a tough front-running performance.
Gordon Elliott has never made any secret of the fact that long-term ambitions are focused on a chasing career, and those hopes look more realistic with every step the six-year-old has taken up the novice hurdling ladder.
He stays well and has a turn of foot too and is very hard to fault with this race in mind.
A PLUS TARD (Gold Cup)
His 22-length romp in the Betfair Chase was the performance of the season and although beaten in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas he remains the most likely Gold Cup winner.
Henry De Bromhead has the 1-2 last year and stablemate Minella Indo looks the one to beat again but this year the form may be reversed.
He’s been kept fresh for the race and crucially Rachael Blackmore has remained loyal and will ride him on Friday.
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