The Cheltenham Festival kicks off on Tuesday and National Hunt racing fans on both sides of the Irish Sea cannot wait. It’s sure to be another four days of top quality action and it will be as competitive as always. Adrian Wall and Liam Bramall have selected their two strongest fancies of the entire Festival which are definitely worth following. You should also check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Day 1)
The unbeaten Mystical Power appears to be a bit of forgotten horse, despite always commanding a prominent position in the betting for this race. This Willie Mullins-trained horse is owned by JP McManus and that is often a dangerous combination. His pedigree is to die for as he’s out of Champion Hurdle-winner Annie Power and by Galileo, who is arguably the greatest sire of all time.
There has been talk of him going for the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle over 2m5f but he’s a keen goer and a fast run two-and-a-bit miles should be the perfect test for him. He won a Grade 2 at Punchestown last time out and that’s a race which Mullins tends to send a good one to.
Clearly there’s room for improvement in the jumping department but that will come with experience and he should be much sharper here. The five-year-old has bags of potential and could go to the very top.
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Day 3)
Arguably the strongest and most competitive renewal of this race to date, it’s shaping up to be an absolute cracker. Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead is a smashing mare and she appears to have everything you would want in a winner of this race. It’s fair to say her trainer has put his neck on the line with regards to this horse and he absolutely adores her.
Faster mares who are perhaps two-milers tend to struggle in this race, despite the fact that it’s run over 2m1f. Therefore it’s particularly important that she has good form over further and she did it in fine style over 2m5f at Navan last time out.
Elliott’s five-year-old is yet to taste defeat in five starts and the winning streak is fully expected to continue at Cheltenham next week.
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