A month out from the Festival, the horse racing broadcaster provides his best Cheltenham ante-post bets, including one in the Ryanair Chase and the Albert Bartlett.
With my focus this weekend on a rather different part of the racing world, and with the Cheltenham Festival now just four weeks away, it seemed an opportune moment to flag up a few horses that currently appeal in the Conditions races, where the trials have largely been run and the Cheltenham betting markets established.
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Thursday 13:20): LA CONQUIÈRE 14/1 (each-way)
After the initial domination of this race by Willie Mullins, the honours have been spread more evenly in recent years. Jamie Snowden won the race three years ago with You Wear It Well, and he has another candidate this time around in La Conquière. She was one of seven next‑time‑out winners to emerge from the Grade 2 Aintree Mares’ bumper, scoring on her hurdling debut at Uttoxeter. She then stepped up considerably at Newbury when winning a Listed mares’ hurdle, and gained further experience in open company when finishing runner‑up at Ascot, having sat a little too far off the pace.
She heads to Cheltenham rated 133 – just 2lb lower than You Wear It Well was when she prevailed. The market is dominated by Bambino Fever, last year’s Festival bumper winner, but she remains slightly short on hurdling experience with only two runs in lesser company.
Ryanair Chase (Thursday 16:00): GAELIC WARRIOR 3/2
Having been forced to bypass this race 12 months ago and largely campaigned over further since, Gaelic Warrior should be well suited by a return to this trip for another Cheltenham raid. He seems a good deal more straightforward these days and travels strongly in his races, just losing out in the King George and unable to reel in Fact or File in the Irish Gold Cup.
If the owner remains consistent in wishing his horses to run in Festival races where they have the best chance of success, the Ryanair fits the bill more than the Gold Cup, where the extra two furlongs compared with the Irish equivalent would be a major concern. It is clearly best to wait until running plans are clearer, unless you have the safety net of Non‑Runner‑No‑Bet
JCB Triumph Hurdle (Friday 13:20): NARCISO HAS 3/2
With hurdling debutants no longer permitted to run in the Triumph Hurdle, the race can return to business as usual, where those at the front of the market have typically prevailed since the introduction of the Fred Winter. Narciso Has has looked the standout juvenile, despite being undone by a steady pace behind Mange Tout on his Irish debut.
A fine-looking horse with a notable knee action, he has since made short work of his rivals in two subsequent starts. He arrives at the Triumph very much the one to beat. Likely to be ridden close to the pace, his jumping is as much an asset as his raw engine, and he appeals as the week’s banker to power up the hill.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Friday 15:20): THEDEVILUNO 7/1
The Albert Bartlett can be a gruelling test, but stamina appears to be Thedeviluno’s greatest asset, based on his River Don victory at Doncaster – a race run at a solid gallop over three miles. While he was behind Dr Steinberg the time before at Navan, the winner had both the run of the race and the better turn of foot, and his subsequent Grade 1 win at the Dublin Racing Festival makes a run in the Turners look more likely.
If that proves to be the case, Thedeviluno could easily go off favourite, making this one market where stepping in early and taking a chance on running plans looks justified.
