The eagerly anticipated Cheltenham Festival gets underway in 10 days-time, and I am going to be selecting four horses I think it will pay to follow over the four days of magnificent racing with prices correct at time of writing.
Racing kicks off on Tuesday week with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the customary Cheltenham roar will be heard as the tape flies back and the runners make their way to the first.
I am going to wait until closer the time to pick out my selections for the opening day and my first selection comes on the Wednesday in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Gerri Colombe – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase – 7/4
Gerri Colombe comes into the race unbeaten and looks like he could be anything.
I thought he was very impressive last time out in Sandown when winning the Grade 1 Scilly Isles. He was passed after the third last fence and looked to be in trouble before finding plenty for pressure and ran out an impressive winner.
I think he has been winning this season despite the distance being on the sharp side for him. He steps up to three miles for the first time over fences and I think we could see an even better horse.
The one slight concern would be the ground. He has never raced on spring ground and there does not look to be much rain around between now and the festival. That being said, I think he will get away with it here over this trip.
Jordan Gainford has built up a good relationship with him, winning the last twice on him and with news breaking yesterday that Jack Kennedy will not be riding at the festival, I think the pair can maintain their unbeaten record.
Mighty Potter – Turners Novices’ Chase – 5/4
Mighty Potter for me is the most exciting horse that will run in Prestbury Park over the four days. I think he could be a horse we will be talking about in twelve months-time as a Gold Cup contender.
The son of Martaline has a flawless record over fences this season and it was somewhat forgotten he was a dual Grade 1 winner over hurdles last season. He got the job done first time up this season in Down Royal when probably not winning as convincingly as some would have thought going into the race.
Since then he has been very impressive winning two Grade 1s. the first of those came at Fairyhouse when he put on an exhibition of jumping. He pecked on landing at the back of the fourth and third last fence but they were as a result of jumping too well rather then a mistake. He ran out a very impressive winner making light work of National Hunt Chase favourite Gaillard Du Mesnil.
He then went onto Leopardstown and put on another exhibition of jumping and powered to the line to win very convincingly pulling clear of Adamantly Chosen and Gaillard Du Mesnil.
Mighty Potter is only six years old and very much still improving. He is a massive horse with plenty of scope and this intermediate trip looks tailor made for him and he going to be my strongest fancy of the week.
Dunboyne – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase – 10/1
Dunboyne is another Gordon Elliot-trained horse I think will have a good chance. He comes into to race off a career best at Gowran back in January.
He had a quiet start to life over fences failing to threaten in Beginners Chases’ early in the season. He did not take long to correct those wrongs in a competitive Handicap Chase at Gowran in November when winning readily.
He was only just touched off by Carefully Selected in a thrilling finish in the big race of the year at Gowran Park, the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase. He was very game all the way to line after coming under pressure turning for home, suggesting the extra furlong and stiff finish Cheltenham presents will be tailor made for him.
The one concern I have is the ground may be on the fast side for him as all his best form seems to be on ground with lots of cut in it. If the ground was to come up on the slow side he would be half the price he is now. At the prices I am willing to take the chance he handles the ground.
Gordon has a great team of amateur jockeys that will be eligible to ride in the race and any one of them is a great asset in a contest like this. I think there is a lot to like about Dunboyne and he can go close at an each-way price.
Spirit Of Legend – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle – 33/1
The final of the four selections comes in the final race of the week and hopefully he will make the wait worthwhile.
The Henry De Bromhead trained horse started out life over hurdle winning at Navan in November running down the long-time leader Kilbree Warrior inside the final furlong to win.
He then went onto Leopardstown over Christmas when his lack of experience let him down. He was very keen throughout the race and done very well to run as well as he did when carrying top weight.
It is hard to know how well he would have run on his penultimate start when he got brought down three out when appearing to be travelling well.
After his three runs he needed one more run to qualify for this race and I thought it was treated as a race to set him up nicely for this. He was dropped out the rear early to teach him to settle and picked up some valuable experience in a big field handicap.
I think there is more to come from this horse and while the English handicapper has not missed him and gave him an eight pound rise compared to his Irish mark, I would be surprised if he did not have a few pounds up his sleeve.
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