Kilcruit will run in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on day one at the Cheltenham Festival
(Picture: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Feel the roar greeting the opener at the Cheltenham Festival this afternoon and you will soon realise how much you missed it.
With two novice races of nine runners or less, day one reflects the field-size issues that have become a major concern in British racing — yet the opener still goes back in time.
Nicky Henderson supplies a hot favourite and an apparent second string that could be the best of them all. And if he fails to win it, Willie Mullins likely will.
This Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1.30) has only nine runners but it has so much going for it. Henderson’s pair, Constitution Hill and Jonbon, are yet to be beaten. Jonbon, a brother to Douvan, is appealing each-way, with the strong pace likely set by Dysart Dynamo to bring his stamina to the fore.
Preference, however, is for Dysart Dynamo’s stablemate, Kilcruit. It is hard to believe it took him three goes to win a maiden hurdle and his jumping is still something of a concern but he should have won the Bumper here last year.
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Constitution Hill was bought and sold by Barry Geraghty, who said on Friday he senses his former boss Henderson is confident about where his horses are at, despite a worryingly modest 13 per cent hit-rate for the yard in February.
The Sporting Life Arkle (2.10) looks an ordinary renewal. When Sprinter Sacre won the Arkle in 2012, he was the first successful odds-on favourite in a Cheltenham Festival novice chase in a quarter of a century; now, seven of the last 10 Arkles have been won by an odds-on shot.
With no Ferny Hollow (injured), this is up for grabs. Perhaps his stablemate Haut En Couleurs can provide some each-way value. A faller last time, he jumped well on his chase debut, and was an excellent third in the Triumph last year.
Alan King’s Edwardstone’s dismissal of Third Time Lucki last time showed how good he is. He is a novice in name only and was a fine fifth in last year’s County Hurdle.
The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase (2.50) is notable for Frodon running off a whopping 164. Even without his anomalous weight relative to the others, there would be no more popular winner.
Trainer of Floueur, Gordon Elliott, was banned 12 months ago and it hardly needs emphasis that his first Cheltenham winner this year will be an emotional one. As a novice who has completed all four chase starts and ran superbly well behind Galopin Des Champs here last year, Floueur’s claims under Jordan Gainford are rock-solid.
The highlight on day one is the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30). Unbeaten superstar Honeysuckle is odds-on to prevail again and every time she is opposed one ends up looking foolish.
However, everything has a price and it just might be worth chancing the greatness of Mullins here. Appreciate It has not been seen since a demolition job in the Supreme 12 months ago, recording a time only marginally off what Honeysuckle achieved on drier ground later in the day.
Expect Paul Townend to track Rachael Blackmore and possibly do her for toe. We need some luck but she is a far shorter price and was not especially impressive at Leopardstown last time.
Of the remainder, only Teahupoo has any apparent chance. His bloodless Gowran victory on ground he reportedly resented established himself as a potential star of the future, though the future is now.
Cheltenham Festival day one tips
- 1:30 - Kilcruit
- 2:10 - Haut En Couleurs
- 2:50 - Floueur
- 3:30 - Appreciate It
- 4:10 - Burning Victory
- 4:50 - HMS Seahorse
- 5:30 - Vanillier
Ireland’s monopolising of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (4.10) seems certain to go on. Burning Victory should confirm Punchestown superiority over Queens Brook on this ground and is tempting each-way.
The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50) is over-subscribed, and this is as compelling a renewal as we’ve witnessed in the race’s history. The Paul Nolan-trained Dabiroun won the first-ever Fred Winter in 2005. Perhaps stablemate HMS Seahorse, a pacy Galileo-bred maiden on the Flat, can deliver under Bryan Cooper.
That said, all the chat is that Gaelic Warrior, a Mullins-trained French recruit, is miles ahead of the handicapper. He’s accordingly priced — or perhaps 9-4 represents value.
They close with the Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Challenge Cup (5.30). Vanillier, last year’s Albert Bartlett winner, can reverse Naas form with Stattler under veteran amateur Derek O’Connor.
