The famous Cheltenham roar is almost upon us. Once again, the curtain rises on one of the greatest spectacles in horse racing, as the jumps season reaches its crescendo in the Cotswolds.
With the usual Anglo-Irish rivalry set to dominate proceedings, day one should provide a fascinating contest between the two powerhouses of National Hunt racing.
There may be notable absentees such as Gallopin Des Champs and Constitution Hill, but the quality of racing remains exceptional. The opening day still offers a stellar card, headlined by the Champion Hurdle and several fiercely competitive handicaps.
Here is how the opening day could unfold.
Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
The traditional Festival curtain-raiser rarely disappoints, and this year looks like another deep renewal.
However, OLD PARK STAR stands out to me as the one to beat. His performance at Haydock in January was full of authority, and he already has valuable course form after scoring at the December Meeting here at Cheltenham. That experience on the undulations of Prestbury Park can prove invaluable in this race.
Others in the field, including Talk The Talk for Joseph O’Brien and El Cairos for Gordon Elliott, appear less suited to the likely ground conditions. For that reason, I struggle to see them matching Old Park Star up the famous hill.
Arkle Challenge Trophy
KOPEK DES BORDES heads the market, but his Punchestown run in April leaves a slight question mark for me. There is no doubt about his class after landing the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last season, yet his chasing profile still has something to prove.
LULAMBA is the one whose form catches the eye. He is three from three over fences and impressed when landing a novice chase at Sandown in December. His jumping has been slick and assured, which is exactly what is required around Cheltenham’s demanding fences.
An interesting outsider could be Steel Ally for Sam Thomas. His hurdle form leaves concerns after pulling up twice from three starts, but he has looked a different proposition since going chasing. Three wins from three over fences, including a comfortable success at Warwick, show he has taken extremely well to the larger obstacles. The step up in class is significant, but his fluent jumping could see him outrun big odds.
Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
A typically chaotic handicap with a huge field of around twenty runners often provides the opportunity for a shock result. History suggests this is not a race to side with the favourite, with only one of the last twelve renewals going to the market leader.
Irish trainers have dominated in recent years, responsible for eight of the last twelve winners, while the likes of Joseph O’Brien and Gordon Elliott have farmed the race between them.
With that in mind, DIGNAM is an interesting outsider. Currently towards the bottom of the betting, he produced a creditable fifth in a Grade One at Auteuil on heavy ground. That level of form suggests he has the stamina and toughness required for a fiercely run Cheltenham handicap, and he could easily outrun his price.
Ultima Handicap Chase
The Ultima is another fiercely competitive handicap and traditionally one where British-trained runners hold the upper hand. Remarkably, every one of the last twelve winners has come from a British yard.
That trend could be under threat this year, though, with JOHNNYWHO. The Irish-trained runner already has Cheltenham form, finishing a close second in last year’s Kim Muir at the Festival.
Since then, his form has been patchy, including a disappointing effort at Haydock in January, which resulted in a wind operation and the fitting of cheekpieces. If those changes spark improvement and the ground remains good to soft, he could easily bounce back and get involved in the finish.
Champion Hurdle
The feature race of the day and one of the most prestigious hurdles in the sport. Past winners include greats such as Constitution Hill, Honeysuckle and Epatante.
LOSSIEMOUTH looks the standout contender this year. She was rerouted to the Mares’ Hurdle last season in a race many felt she could have won regardless of how events unfolded. Her form has since been consistently top class.
She is a slick, accurate jumper with a devastating turn of foot, and her ability to perform on varying ground conditions makes her a formidable opponent. On current evidence, she looks a class above the field and could have the race sewn up before the final flight.
The New Lions’ fall at Newcastle is hard to ignore. The Champion Hurdle demands flawless jumping and composure under pressure.
As for Golden Ace, the old saying “you have to be in it to win it” certainly applied to last year’s result. However, lightning rarely strikes three times, and it would take another extraordinary set of circumstances for history to repeat itself.
The Festival Plate
The Festival Plate tends to follow a fairly consistent profile. Most winners are aged between six and nine, carry between 10st 8lbs and 11st 4lbs, and sit towards the head of the betting market. UK trainers have also enjoyed a slight edge over their Irish counterparts in recent years.
Winners often arrive in strong recent form, usually having run within the previous two months and frequently winning their previous start. Experience around Cheltenham is another key factor, with many winners having previous course form and solid experience over the 2m4f trip.
My selection here is GUARD YOUR DREAMS for the Twiston-Davies yard. He fell in last year’s Ultima but has since been quietly progressing. Versatile regarding ground conditions, he arrives here on a career-high chase mark after winning at Warwick last time out.
Now a ten-year-old, he brings plenty of experience and could easily pick his way through the field in what is often a messy, attritional contest.